[Dave Flanagan]

By Alex Honnold. Nice.

http://climbingworks.blogspot.com/2008/11/team-america-day-out.html
http://www.climbmagazine.com/gaiaonsight.aspx

[dave]

fuck yeah.

[north_country_boy]

Great effort!!! 

However, Onsight? they have watched over 40 films and one of them wasn't Hard Grit?.......Crikey, somone lend them a copy......

[T_B]

I've just placed my bet for a Gaia flash next 

Mine's a pint of Easy Rider, thanks.

[BB]

Inspiring stuff!!

Hard grit and Dosage IV must come in handy for the attempt  

[slackline]

   Good skills

[SA Chris]

Excellent. Nae onsight though - unless eyes were closed.

See movie list

http://www.mattsegal.com/

Matrix 2
Matrix 3
Onsight
Consumed
Hard XS
Hard Grit
The Sharp End

[north_country_boy]

yeah thought as much, didn't intend to draw attention away from what is an amazing acheivement though!

Hopefully the weather picks up again before they leave....

[Jerry Morefat]

Excellent. Nae onsight though - unless eyes were closed.

See movie list

http://www.mattsegal.com/

Matrix 2
Matrix 3
Onsight
Consumed
Hard XS
Hard Grit
The Sharp End

Oh come on, give the guy a break. I don't want to reduce this thread to a UKC style debate on what does and what doesn't constitute an onsight ascent, but what is the man supposed to do, not watch any climbing films for fear of blowing the onsight on any future attempts of routes that feature in these videos?

[SA Chris]

Me neither, I am really stoked for them , and glad they have stuck it out!


Jerry Morefat, lighten up. It was a tongue in cheek reference. If you didn't want a debate then don't post.

[nik at work]

Dan demonstrates how to fall off it in Consumed also.
Regardless a very fine effort, which is for all intents onsight (watching a video is certainly one of the lesser onsight invalidators IMHO).

[Jerry Morefat]

Jerry Morefat, lighten up. It was a tongue in cheek reference. If you didn't want a debate then don't post.

fair enough, I was fooled by the lack of a smiley indicating this. Looks like we are both on the same side (I think).

[Bonjoy]

  I hope they get some more decent weather.

[mark s]

thats an onsight in my book and thats all that matters.
ive seen mad max doing dohnuts in his car but doesnt mean i can do them.
sequences seen on videos work for one but then not another.

good effort

[T_B]

I hope they get some more decent weather.

Presumably Meshuga is next for the p*ss take treatment. Tis only a matter of enough pads 

[Fiend]

What Nik said. That's the bizzle. Give the Yanks some wad points.

Now Stevie can start getting embarassed about British standards, this ain't a highball.

P.S. EOTA E8 6b "in the guide" according to Climb mag page 

[Drew]

Presumably Meshuga is next for the p*ss take treatment. Tis only a matter of enough pads 

If they wait til Monday, there'll be a load of Ronin pads for them to use!

[David S]

I've updated the report at http://www.climbmagazine.com/gaiaflash.aspx

But I tell you, it's an onsight in my book. No chalk or nothing and off you go,  . It was clear that Alex knew nothing about the route and probably forgot what he once saw on TV.

[Brolly]

Brilliant effort.

Onsight in my eyes, otherwise where do you draw the line, saw a photo, had a dream about it.....

Hope the weather picks up so thay can continue the rampage!

Ol

[Ru]

An amazing effort, but you draw the line when you know that you had beta. If Alex says he saw the film and knew what was coming to some extent, then it's a flash. That's the definition, chalk or not. It's something only Alex can call, not anyone else.

[Bonjoy]

 

Acording to this news piece http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews.lasso?l=2&keyid=36439 :

The 23 year old Californian commented on 8a.nu after the ascent: "Not a true onsight since I've seen movies, but there was no chalk".

[AndiT]

Yeah, I suppose it's not an on-sight because you can actually see some of the holds from the ground too 

It would appear that finding a route to on-sight is getting considerably harder than actually climbing one these days. I'm sure the rules have changed since I was a lad! I remember when an on-sight was a ground up without falls or practice, regardless of chalk, photographs, dreams etc. I wonder how many of the historical big 'on-sights' were all true to the 'modern' sense? Can going to the crag one day when there is chalk on the holds invalidate any future on-sight potential?

I can't see how this ascent can be improved upon, I hope the day never comes when I read 'First really true on-sight of Gaia'.

Absolutley amazing climbing, I can only imagine how lonely it must have felt up there.

[SA Chris]

Acording to this news piece http://www.planetmountain.com/english/News/shownews.lasso?l=2&keyid=36439 :

The 23 year old Californian commented on 8a.nu after the ascent: "Not a true onsight since I've seen movies, but there was no chalk".

You can't fault his honesty. I have nothing but respect.

[Nibile]

climbing mag says he takes the flash.
problem solved and an amazing effort.
must be the obama effect!!!

[Bonjoy]

Onsight = flash without fore knowledge
Flash = flash with fore knowledge
That's what is meant be the two terms. No point saying it's not fair, that's just the way it is, whether me, you or anyone else likes it that way. I've no idea who made these definitions, go complain to them.
The fact it's a flash rather than an onsight takes nothing away from what is a totally brilliant achievement.