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Ondrawad (Read 856330 times)

iwasmexican

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#775 Re: Ondrawad
October 07, 2012, 09:11:45 pm
Maybe.  But to me, this is the other interesting question - How much of a one off is Ondra?  Is he just the first of a long line of people who started climbing at a very young age with lots of talent.  Or are we unlikely to see another Ondra for 50 years.  To me the jury's still out on this...  Clearly the likes of Enzo Oddo etc are very good climbers, but I don't really see anyone else doing quite what Ondra has done from the younger generation just yet?  A combination of his talent, height, finger strength, sheer determination etc etc may be a pretty rare thing even in the long term.

the one glaring exception being ashima, but shes a girl so.... :whistle:

Doylo

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#776 Re: Ondrawad
October 07, 2012, 10:53:47 pm
If Liquid Ambar is sticking as 8c+ Hubble should surely be 9a.  Ondra said so didn't he and Moony said same grade as Action back in the day.  Chris Webb Parsons said this to me recently too although he has done neither route.
I think Ondra is a one off, he's just a relentless ticking machine who has absolutely everything going for him.  I think its proven by his six month bouldering stint where he basically became the best in the world ticking two 8c+s and flashing Gecko Assis!  He was only training for routes!
« Last Edit: October 07, 2012, 11:06:37 pm by Doylo »

GCW

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#777 Re: Ondrawad
October 09, 2012, 11:46:34 am
Quote from: Adam Ondra

I can't believe it – was, if my memory is right, the first words I said after clipping the anchor of this route. It is definitely the most rewarding feeling I have ever had after sending the route. I can't stop smiling, even now, typing these words. Despite the tough process of working the route, this can't be any sweeter. Not only because it is 9b+, a number which looks so strange typed on the screen.

The route can be divided into two pitches – 9a+/b (20m), nohand-rest and 9a (25m). The first pitch is bouldery – first twelve meters can be described as 8b route into 8B+ (some of the most crazy moves I have ever done) into 7B+. Above this, there is a bad kneebar, where I pull the rope down and the belayer starts belaying again. The rest of the first pitch is pretty easy. At the chains, there is a nohands rest, where you stand on good footholds in the vertical wall leaning with your head on the roof above (I did not find rest in summer).

The second pitch has a long power-endurance sequence of about 6 meters just above the first anchor, long moves, compression style and heelhooks including hard crimping as well. From here on, it is not more than 8b+, but tiring and neverending pumpfest, which offers numerous jugs to rest, but one is not able to recover there any more...

It is the route I've put the most effort into. It took me three weeks of trying in summer, two weeks in autumn. But I must say that sometimes it was a lot about waiting for the conditions to arrive, sometimes I went up the route only to find out it is was too damp and especially in autumn, when the temperature was excellent, but two holds were seeping in the upper part as it had been raining for three weeks straight prior to arrival.

Just the day of the send they finally got almost dry. I could do the single moves despite wetness, but it would be extremely difficult on the link. I have never got that high before sending it, but during the send I realized that I would definitely fall off if got in the previous conditions.

Regarding to grade, it has been a long dilemma. After sending the first pitch for a first time (after about 5 or 6 days), I thought that the first is merely 9a+ and the second pitch felt close as I could recover at the first chains pretty well. The ascent felt in grasp, but the more I tried it, the more I realized how hard the first pitch is on itself and how pumpy the second pitch is. The more I tried, the more the idea of 9b+ was buzzing in my head. The final decision was made two days before my ascent. My self-confidence was low down, the ascent a million miles way and I was playing with the idea that chances of doing this trip are dashed. As I though about it, it felt so much harder than any 9b's I have done so far, I put so much time into it, additionally it fits my style quite well, I told myself that it was going to be too hard for a 9b...

I realize right now how extremely lucky I was to find a line that turned out to be exactly on my limit. No waste of bolts only to find something impossible, just long hours of looking at the endless sea of Flatanger granite and good decision. I must say, in the end I did not choose the first line that struck my eyes at first glance, the most impressive one. This one is still in my mind, I'll probably give a look at it next year. But Change turned out to be exactly as I anticipated. Challenging with good movements, various styles of climbing. The only thing that spoils the route is the nohand-rest and the fact that it doesn't go to the top of the cave, or at least to the lip. I had an idea of trying a line to the top in one push, but in the end I found out that it is impossible due to rope drag and climbing with two ropes and having one rope already hanging in the wall is just too artificial. And climbing another pitch only to go to the top – that would be nice for the feeling, but a lot of work and no one would ever really climb, even though it could be world class 8c, as it is too complicated to jug up there. I really focused on finding a good spot to set the anchor, not in the middle of blank wall on bad crimp, but good ledge on the top of the obvious square-shaped feature.

The recent times and the route itself definitely changed myself a lot. I live a totally different life as I am not going to school anymore. The trying of it was an ever changing process. In the meantime, I learnt a lot, but I suppose that once I will start something new, I will make the same mistakes. The fight with your mind is the one you can win only temporarily. But one thing the route did not change – my desire for opening new routes. First ascents turned out to be as enjoyable and satisfying I had thought.


 :o

SA Chris

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#778 Re: Ondrawad
October 09, 2012, 12:03:22 pm
Whereas in bouldering, I think the potential for future progress is much more limited, and that limit is mainly imposed by the rock.  There will undoubtedly be some, but IMO the rock suitable for large numbers of high quality Font 9As just isn’t out there…  Without hard bouldering just focussing on eliminates, I suspect the period of rapid improvements is nearly over.  But in sport climbing, the properly hard routes really are out there – high quality routes in large numbers all over the place in Spain and elsewhere.


I think given the sheer volume of rock out there in the world the potential for harder bouldering and harder routes both exist. I think the issue with both though is that of perception; Ondra is so far ahead of the game that I think he is going to have to adjust his mind set as to what he perceives as possible and challenging for him and start creating his own lines, not just getting pointed at existing projects (both routes and boulders) which others have seen as having potential and getting to work on them, and hoovering them up.

Thus far he hasn't really had his creativity in perceiving possible routes / problems stimulated (as far as I know) and I think if he does manage to develop this side of his climbing then I think he still has a long long way to go, given that he has no real limitations on his time, finances and enthusiasm.

abarro81

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#779 Re: Ondrawad
October 09, 2012, 12:09:43 pm
If Liquid Ambar is sticking as 8c+ Hubble should surely be 9a.

 I have no idea about relative difficulty of LA vs Hubble (and almost certainly never will, I'd back myself a lot more on Realisation than Hubble!) but regarding the LA grade I saw this Jerry quote the other day: "It's a tough route - nowadays it would undoubtedly be graded 8c+, no question about that."

Doylo

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#780 Re: Ondrawad
October 09, 2012, 12:14:06 pm
If Liquid Ambar is sticking as 8c+ Hubble should surely be 9a.

 I have no idea about relative difficulty of LA vs Hubble (and almost certainly never will, I'd back myself a lot more on Realisation than Hubble!) but regarding the LA grade I saw this Jerry quote the other day: "It's a tough route - nowadays it would undoubtedly be graded 8c+, no question about that."

Well Hubbles a full grade harder we know that much. Where was the Jerry quote, get me more!

abarro81

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#781 Re: Ondrawad
October 09, 2012, 12:23:47 pm
9a it is then. Bet Steve Mac would agree too.
Jerry quote was from an interview when  his book was coming out: http://www.planetmountain.com/english/news/shownews1.lasso?l=2&keyid=36598

Jim

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#782 Re: Ondrawad
October 09, 2012, 08:02:09 pm
all this talk of upgrading is very un-British. Perhaps we need to downgrade it to redress the balance?

Stu Littlefair

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#783 Re: Ondrawad
October 09, 2012, 08:40:45 pm
Good idea Jim. I suggest Pilgrim at Parisella's to 8a

Adam Lincoln

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#784 Re: Ondrawad
October 09, 2012, 08:44:56 pm
Good idea Jim. I suggest Pilgrim at Parisella's to 8a

Or hard 7c+?  :P

Doylo

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#785 Re: Ondrawad
October 09, 2012, 08:46:00 pm
Good idea Jim. I suggest Pilgrim at Parisella's to 8a

 ;D

petejh

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#786 Re: Ondrawad
October 10, 2012, 05:23:37 pm
If LA was the UK's first 8c+ instead of the first 8c, what was the first 8c?

Doylo

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#787 Re: Ondrawad
October 10, 2012, 05:25:48 pm
If LA was the UK's first 8c+ instead of the first 8c, what was the first 8c?

Cry Freedom with the original sequence  :ras:

hobblingfool

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#788 Re: Ondrawad
October 15, 2012, 10:00:30 am
The young man takes a ground fall trying some traditional climbing, http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=67520  :o he should definitely stick to bolts and bouldering for now. Don’t want him hurting himself; watching him completing mind-blowing ascents is too entertaining.

Oh and another 9a first ascent. It’s crazy that 9a is not big news for some now.  :bow:

Baldy

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#789 Re: Ondrawad
October 15, 2012, 10:25:45 am
Phew, you only have to watch the bit around 2 minutes to understand why he is the current best in the world.

Holy crap! :bow:

rjtrials

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#790 Re: Ondrawad
October 15, 2012, 02:00:28 pm
Also, Ondra is now using kneepads.  how does this affect the asinine 'ethical' debate?

shark

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#791 Re: Ondrawad
October 23, 2012, 10:07:14 am
Apparently Ondra is flying out to Red River Gorge today.  :popcorn:


r-man

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#792 Re: Ondrawad
October 23, 2012, 10:33:48 am
9a onsight? Place your bets now...

abarro81

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#793 Re: Ondrawad
October 23, 2012, 10:45:33 am
Crimpy, fingery 9as... They're toast.

SA Chris

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#794 Re: Ondrawad
October 23, 2012, 10:59:20 am
Yeah, I reckon he'll be all over that place like a bad rash.

Wonder how many projects are having saucepan lids padlocked to the first bolt as we speak?

gme

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#795 Re: Ondrawad
October 23, 2012, 12:46:07 pm
Heard this all before so many times. In 20 years 8c boulders will not even be news worthy and 9s will be getting put up everywhere.
The boundary between just possible and impossible just continues to get wider.

lukeyboy

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#796 Re: Ondrawad
October 23, 2012, 12:49:11 pm
Apparently Ondra is flying out to Red River Gorge today.  :popcorn:

Quote from: DPM climbing
All hard routes are currently in a state of DEFCON 1 meaning that absolute annihilation is imminent.

:lol:

Muenchener

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#797 Re: Ondrawad
October 23, 2012, 02:01:24 pm
In the course of reading that DPM article, and having to look things up because of the bizarre American refusal to use normal sport climbing grades, I noticed that Rockfax's exchange rate table only goes up to 9b+.

I hope they have a new edition in the pipeline.

slackline

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#798 Re: Ondrawad
October 23, 2012, 02:51:03 pm
Thats ok, Adam Ondra's a dab hand at routes as well as bouldering.

slackline

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#799 Re: Ondrawad
October 24, 2012, 12:52:36 pm

 

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