Silke Ghekiere
Coach, personal trainer & winter adventurer
Current Roles
Coach at Klimclub Hungaria & Belgian Climbing Team
Specialty
Personal Trainer at GRIT Sports Clinic
Passion
Winter lover & adventurer
About Silke
Silke is a passionate climbing coach, personal trainer and outdoor enthusiast who fell in love with climbing at first sight. She combines her professional coaching career with her love for winter adventures, always emphasizing fun, growth and community.
Why RainyDays
I think it's really cool that a (female) climber took matters into her own hands and started a climbing brand. As someone who consciously chooses sustainable brands close to home, it feels like a perfect match. RainyDays understands what we need: clothing that moves with us, both in the climbing gym and during outdoor adventures.
My connection with RainyDays' values
The motto "Come out of your shell on a rainy day" resonates with me. In our busy lives, we often forget that real energy often waits outside - especially when the weather is bad! Like RainyDays, I believe in:
- Growth through fun (whether you're coaching or climbing yourself)
- The power of community (my climbing family is my home)
- Embracing adventure regardless of conditions (from -20°C in Lapland to rainy rocks)
Ambassador in action
Q&A with Silke
Who inspires you?
"I don't have classic idols, but I admire women like Hazel Findlay - an intelligent climber with a strong mindset. Now that she's also a mother, her journey inspires me doubly: it shows that women can continue to grow in all phases of life."
What does climbing mean to you?
"It's my work, but above all my passion. As a coach I help others grow, which also challenges me every day. Being outdoors is my place of peace - essential for maintaining balance."
What do climbing and outdoor activities mean to you personally?
"For me these are currently two separate things. Climbing is really my driving force, especially professionally, but it's more than just work. Outdoor activities bring peace and joy. They're necessary to keep everything in balance. Both are indispensable to me, each in their own way."
How are you currently active in the sports and climbing world?
"I'm mainly a coach. Both with the competition team of Klimclub Hungaria in Leuven and with the Belgian Climbing Team. I also work as a personal trainer at GRIT Sports Clinic. My days revolve almost entirely around sports and climbing. Sometimes I forget to move myself, but I'm working on that. My job as a coach gives me a lot of energy. It's almost my whole life. It doesn't feel like 'just work'. Helping others grow, improve - that's one of the most beautiful things I get to do. Now that I also get to work with athletes at the (almost) highest level, that brings extra challenges. It keeps me sharp, motivated and hungry for more knowledge. Without sports I would never have been here."
What are your personal goals in climbing or outdoor activities?
"Mainly to have fun. Since I was fifteen I've always had something in mind to train for, although that usually wasn't specifically about climbing. In recent years that was followed by a torn cruciate ligament, then corona and a succession of great jobs. As a result, climbing itself took a back seat. Always staying at my warm-up level, without real progress, that started to weigh on me. Now I want to keep it light again, just enjoy it again. A simple climbing holiday, back to basics, seems blissful. That won't happen this summer, but hopefully next year. Also, I'd like to do a longer trek with a tent, outside Europe. Being on the road for several weeks or months really appeals to me. And in between I want to keep playing with new sports. Starting something completely from scratch has something special. In winter I have one goal: finally go up a mountain with a splitboard and then snowboard down."
What's your connection with winter?
"Winter is my happy place! Last year I worked for 2 months on a husky farm: -20°C, endless snow and 35 dogs to cuddle with. Pure magic! No winter is complete without snow and my snowboard."
Meet Silke
I'm Silke – an active bundle of energy, coach, climbing enthusiast and winter lover at heart. As a child I tried all sports, but in the climbing gym I immediately felt: this is love at first sight. Now I combine my passion for climbing with my love for outdoor adventures, always with a focus on fun, growth and community.
RainyDays is the perfect partner for me: a brand that, like me, believes in the power of women, sustainability and adventure.
This is me, Silke, your RainyDays ambassador!