Who we are - Rebolt Kalymnos

We are climbers and equippers with decades of trusted bolting experience, extensive knowledge of Kalymnos crags, and a deep connection to the island.

Our mission is to maintain and protect the climbing infrastructure of Kalymnos through direct action, expert rebolting, and a community-driven approach.

Our vision is a climber-led organization built on collective action, shared responsibility, and accountability, keeping Kalymnos a world-class climbing destination.

Our people

Niels AbegglenNiels has been a resident of Kalymnos for over a decade. He arrived as a passionate climber until his friend and mentor, Hannes Webhofer, introduced him to the art of bolting. With more than a hundred routes to his name, his focus has increasingly shifted toward crag maintenance and rebolting. In recent years, he has been on the front line of rebolting. Most recently, he was one of the main members of the team that rebolted sectors Kasteli, Spartacus, and Jurassic Park with titanium glue-ins. As a founding member of Rebolt Kalymnos, Niels envisions transforming rebolting on the island from a volunteer-based effort into a sustainable, organized operation, essential for preserving Kalymnos’s status as a world-class climbing destination.

Photo: Panos Nikolettatos

Dimitris GerolymposDimitris has been an active part of the Kalymnos climbing community for more than six years, spending several months each year on the island. A passionate climber with a deep understanding of the local crags, he has climbed hundreds of routes across Kalymnos. Beyond the rock, he’s been a steady voice for the community, supporting Rebolt Kalymnos through outreach, communication, online advocacy, and sharing his insights with local climbing publications. His work helps connect visiting climbers with the island, ensuring Kalymnos remains safe, sustainable, and welcoming for all.

Maria GlinatsiBorn and raised in Emporios to a family of beekeepers, Maria witnessed firsthand how climbing transformed Kalymnos's future. Recognizing both the opportunity and responsibility this brought to her island home, she learned to climb and assist with crag maintenance alongside her good friend Niels Abegglen. A lifelong local and founding member of Rebolt Kalymnos, Maria serves as a vital bridge between visiting climbers and the island community, helping her fellow Kalymnians understand the importance of preserving climbing access for the island's continued prosperity.

Katie RoussosKatie has been a part-time Kalymnos resident and all-arounder since 2008. A fierce believer in clear and direct communication, she has connected with the climbing community from the start, whether through writing, outreach, or hands-on involvement. She co-founded Climb Kalymnos in 2009, has worked on the Kalymnos guidebook since 2010, evolving from copyeditor to designer and ultimately co-author, and is a founding member of Rebolt Kalymnos. As Aris’s longtime climbing partner and collaborator, she has dedicated countless hours to every aspect of crag maintenance, usually behind the scenes. Kalymnos has been a defining part of her life, and she is fiercely devoted to keeping it safe and accessible for all, communicating her knowledge of the island so that climbers from all backgrounds can appreciate and enjoy it.

Aris TheodoropoulosAris is as integral to the story of Kalymnos as it gets. One of the most experienced mountain guides in Greece, PETZL Greece's rope access instructor, a climbing guidebook author, and a founding member of Rebolt Kalymnos, he is widely credited for propelling Kalymnos to the top of worldwide destinations, championing safe bolting practices since the late 1990s. He has bolted and rebolted thousands of routes across Greece, always advocating dense bolting and accessibility for climbers of all levels. On Kalymnos alone, his more than 25 years of involvement include hundreds of new routes, countless rebolted lines, eight editions of the Kalymnos guidebook, the co-founding of Climb Kalymnos, and decades of outreach to local authorities and residents to keep them informed and involved. He has also reinvested thousands of euros from guidebook proceeds into UIAA-certified hardware, both for his own rebolting efforts and to equip other volunteers. When it comes to trust, expertise, and an unwavering commitment to the island, Aris sets the standard.

Max Berger

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Max Berger, an Austrian alpinist and IFMGA-certified mountain guide, has been pushing the limits of climbing and mountaineering for decades. From first ascents and bold solos to high-altitude expeditions without supplemental oxygen, his résumé spans some of the world's most demanding peaks. A part-time resident of Kalymnos, Max has rebolted numerous classic routes (including those in the Sikati Cave) and completed the island’s hardest multi-pitch, Galasia Petra (8a+). Whether on towering alpine faces or seaside limestone, he brings the same dedication to the craft, always eager to give back to the climbing community.

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George Kopalides

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George, better known as "Kopa," has been a fixture on Kalymnos's crags since the late 90s, becoming one of the island's true climbing legends. He has not only established hundreds of sport routes, including iconic lines like Aegialis 7c, Paris, Texas 7c, and Nadir 8b+, but has also been a steadfast volunteer for crag maintenance over the years. He has rebolted too many lines to keep track of. Since the inception of Rebolt Kalymnos, though, he was involved in the full titanium rebolting of Secret Garden, Jurassic Park, and Iannis, among other sectors. Elsewhere in Greece, he singlehandedly rebolted the entire Varasova massif in glue-in titanium. His mission is simple: to help everyone enjoy the climbing experience while ensuring safety is always the top priority. And after a good climb, there's always time for a beer.

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Axel Legrand

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Axel was born in France, where he studied Mechanical Engineering before spending more than eight years in leadership roles within the aviation industry. But climbing was always the constant: after years of dedicating every free moment to the mountains, he made the decision to follow his passion entirely, retraining as a climbing instructor and earning the DEJEPS Escalade en Milieu Naturel certification. Axel brings the same rigor to the rock that he once applied to machines. He has been based in Kalymnos since 2024, and in that time he has already left a mark on the island’s climbing: he has rebolted landmark routes such as the overhanging testpiece Fun de Chichunne and was the main rebolter in the full rebolts of Secret Garden and Kalydna, two of the island’s most iconic crags.

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Linda Liberg

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Linda first discovered Kalymnos in 2013 and has considered it her second home ever since, spending a full year living on the island and returning regularly. A passionate climber and marketing expert from Norway, she brings her skills in branding and communication to Rebolt Kalymnos, helping to spread the word, build support, and connect the climbing community. Her love for both the rock and the people of Kalymnos makes her a committed advocate for protecting and preserving this unique climbing paradise.

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Andrey Skripnichenko

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Andrey Skripnichenko, affectionately known as "Duka," began his climbing journey as a schoolboy in Crimea. Over the decades, he balanced competition climbing with mountain rescue work, all while bolting both sport and multi-pitch routes. Now that Kalymnos is home to Andrey, Daria, and their sons, Kolya and Misha, he channels his extensive experience and dedication into developing and maintaining the island’s climbs. Modest by nature, he works quietly, efficiently, and tirelessly, unless he’s taking his boys to school, tackling home improvement projects, or lending a hand to neighbors.

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Jara Tiser

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Jara is a Czech climber and all-around outdoor enthusiast, with a love for kayaking, skiing, running, and hiking in the mountains. He first discovered Kalymnos in 2000, when he made the journey from Athens to the island in a homemade kayak! He instantly knew it would become his second home. A Kalymnos resident since 2010, Jara has dedicated himself to local climbing development, bolting dozens of routes on the island and building on his decades-long experience creating sandstone routes in the Czech Republic.

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Photo: Lorraine Ciccarelli

Hannes Webhofer

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Hannes, an Austrian-Canadian IFMGA-certified mountain guide, first fell in love with Kalymnos 20 years ago. Every summer, he returns to climb, guide, and dedicate his time to bolting and rebolting routes to ensure the island’s climbing remains safe and accessible. His contributions include hundreds of new routes, several new crags, and multiple multi-pitch lines, making his name a familiar one in the Kalymnos guidebook. A well-known figure around town, Hannes is just as likely to be found on the rock as he is swapping stories and sharing laughs with fellow climbers.

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Pesche Wüthrich

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Pesche Wüthrich, a Swiss climbing pioneer, has been a driving force in the sport since the 1980s, playing a key role in the rise of sport climbing. With thousands of routes climbed and bolted, his legacy as a route developer is well established. A co-founder of the Swiss climber-led ReBolting initiative, Pesche brings a wealth of experience to Kalymnos, where he spends extended periods each year. His deep connection to the island, combined with his expertise and passion, makes him an invaluable asset to Rebolt Kalymnos and the climbing community.

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