Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo wants the Watu Gribig cliff area, Jojogan Village, Kejajar District, Wonosobo Regency, to be developed into a special tourist destination for sport tourism. Because the cliffs in the highest village area on the island of Java offer the unique natural beauty of Dieng and challenges for rock climbers.
"The place is really good, if we look at the cliffs it's good, then it's quite challenging and it looks like there are some places that have been climbed so that the safety is left. So if today is used as a momentum, all rock climbers can see
The village head, sub-district head, local government from Wonosobo can manage it, so actually this can be used as a tourist destination, especially sport tourism," said Ganjar after opening the Indonesia Climbing Festival at Tebing Watu Gribig, Jojogan, Kejajar, Wonosobo, Saturday (10/09/ 2022).
Once managed properly and become a tourist destination, many people will come there. Either just watching people rock climbing, or practicing rock climbing.
"So people who have never climbed a rock can also climb, feel the sensation. Maybe later climbers can also find routes that are relatively easier (for beginners)," he said.
Apart from that, the Indonesia Climbing Festival is also a trigger for holding more similar events at the Watu Gribig Cliffs. Not only racing for climbing routes from the bottom up but also traversing or crossing rock walls horizontally.
"What's interesting about the cliff, yes, this rock is really rock climbing. What's interesting is that we follow the flaws of the rock so that people are challenged to orient themselves first, set a strategy and that makes it more complicated but the nuances will be very different compared to artificial ones so that this can become a place a very attractive sports tourism destination," said Ganjar.
Ganjar himself seems nostalgic for the past. Ganjar's youth when he was studying at Gajah Mada University was also a member of the Faculty of Law's nature-loving students. Around the late 1980s, Ganjar admitted that he had intensely practiced rock climbing. At that time there wasn't much wall climbing available so they practiced directly on rock cliffs.
"I also coached before. In 1988 I had coached, incidentally I was the chairman of Mapala at the Faculty of Law and then we had a mentor at SMA 8 Yogyakarta. I remember one of the children named Andi, later Andi became a climber and now is a coach in Bali," he said.
Ganjar also had time to practice being a rock climbing trainer when he saw the rock climbing attractions of two children from Jojogan Village, Shahnaz Salisa Maizula Zahra and Candhika Candra Dahlia (Caca). Ganjar had time to check whether the ropes binding Shahnaz's body were too tight and causing pain. He also gave some directions when the two children started climbing the cliff.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Indonesian Climbing Festival (ICF) Committee, Wiwik Yuniasih, said that ICF combines adventure, especially rock climbing with culture. This combination has always been the basis for holding ICF anywhere, including the one held in Dieng.
"We hope that rock climbing will become a destination. That is all of our dreams, especially to improve the people's economy. The cliffs in Wonosobo are exotic and unique because they are not high but there are many. There are also caves in some parts of the cliff so that in the future they can be explored," he said.
Wiwik wants rock climbing festivals in Wonosobo and other areas to be included in the national and even international calendars. He hopes that in the future the event can invite rock climbers from abroad.
"That's what we want, but our target is not only national but can also bring in foreign climbers," said the woman who is also the founder of Vertical Roof Indonesia as the initiator of the Indonesia Climbing Festival.
For the ICF event itself, explained Wiwik, the target was young climbers, between the ages of 16-25 years. The committee also opens opportunities for anyone who wants to rock climb to take part in the event.
"Initially we opened registration, now we are open, everyone can participate. We also partner with Ganjar Pranowo because apart from being a member of Mapala, he is also close to young people," he explained.
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