[Jaspersharpe]

I knew he'd downgrade all these routes. Some things never change and one of them is soft grades in the states. 

What an absolute monster! 

[shark]

Some things never change and one of them is soft grades in the states. 

Not all areas and let's not forget Team America's tearing up the Grit grades 

[Rocksteady]

Amazing. How 'brave and humble' to suggest downgrades 

At age 18 or so, Ondra's list of achievements is already so long that this thread goes to 35 pages. That, in itself, is a pretty good achievement?! 

Sweepstake on how many pages the thread ends up before he stops being impressive, or we all get amazement fatigue?

[Duma]

Some things never change and one of them is soft grades in the states. 

Not all areas and let's not forget Team America's tearing up the Grit grades

from Johnathon (Siegrist?) on the DPM comments:

YES. Very stoked for Adam. This is super impressive, and while he may be too strong to really know (probably), I think a little grade correction is long overdue in the Red - even if it is one of my routes getting downgraded... Nice work man.

[Jaspersharpe]

let's not forget Team America's tearing up the Grit grades

  That's about as relevant as Indian Face.

And yes I know it's not all areas, it was a joke hence the 

Sharma changed the fact that all Americans were punters a long time ago......

[SA Chris]

DPM reporting that Ondra onsighted Pure Imagination (9a) and The Golden Ticket (9a) in the same day, suggesting lower 8c+ for Pure Imagination and hard 8c+ for Golden Ticket.

I would never downgrade PI for fear of upsetting Sasha.

Amazing achievements though.

[slackline]

I would never downgrade PI for fear of upsetting Sasha.

If I remember from the video she wasn'tt that bothered about the grade as it was the line and climbing that inspired her (although I'm finding thats an increasingly over-used cliche these days).

[Jaspersharpe]

 

"What first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels".

[SA Chris]

I would never downgrade PI for fear of upsetting Sasha.

If I remember from the video she wasn'tt that bothered about the grade as it was the line and climbing that inspired her (although I'm finding thats an increasingly over-used cliche these days).

But she also said she believes in the power of holograms, so I don't trust a word that comes out of her lovely mouth.

[r-man]

At age 18 or so, Ondra's list of achievements is already so long that this thread goes to 35 pages.

Internet says he's 19, 20 in Feb. Teenage prodigy for not much longer. World's best climber for as long as he wants to be...

[petejh]

But she also said she believes in the power of holograms, so I don't trust a word that comes out of her lovely mouth.

 

[jwi]

Cool!  Let me start the speculations.

1) If Change really is 9b+, a 9a o/s will surely follow.  Is there any easy-to-read long 9a Ondra hasn't climbed yet?

2) Ondra will soon stop this cragging nonsense and move into alpinism. Only in the mountains will there be challenges left.

1) check.

2) not yet.

[slackline]

But she also said she believes in the power of holograms, so I don't trust a word that comes out of her lovely mouth.

Very good point.

[Wood FT]

  monster ondra monster

If I remember from the video she wasn'tt that bothered about the grade as it was the line and climbing that inspired her (although I'm finding thats an increasingly over-used cliche these days).

with you on this

[shark]

let's not forget Team America's tearing up the Grit grades

  That's about as relevant as Indian Face.

It was relevant insofar as we have had embarrassing grade moments as well so best not to poke (too much) fun.

[JMB]

It's probably worth pointing out that Adam Taylor originally graded The Golden Ticket 5.14c/8c+, and it was upgraded by subsequent repeaters, so Ondra calling it "hard 8c+" isn't really much of a downgrade. It is definitely true that the RRG is a great place to push your onsight limit though; the resistant style of climbing means if you have anything resembling good endurance fitness you can get up routes that are graded near your limit.

[Stubbs]

What were the embarrassing grade moments?  I only remember The Groove, which KJ only climbed half of before giving it a different grade?  Hadn't the Promise been downgraded pre Team America?

[Jaspersharpe]

Exactly.

Also, absolutely no relevance to sport climbing grades and my shit joke which was about American sport grades being taken with a pinch of salt for over 20 years (anyone remember Boone Speed's Blackout?).

Someone take shark's spade off him. 

[Stubbs]

I guess it's also worth pointing out that Ondra is a climber like any other with particular strengths and weaknesses (maybe?) and not a 1 man arbiter of grades.

It must be boring being that good at climbing!

[shark]

Exactly.

Also, absolutely no relevance to sport climbing grades and my shit joke which was about American sport grades being taken with a pinch of salt for over 20 years (anyone remember Boone Speed's Blackout?).

Someone take shark's spade off him. 

Ok I'm wrong. 

Is that a breach of forum etiquette ?

[Jaspersharpe]

Yes. Ban Fiend immediately.

[Fiend]

Piss off blondie

Also:

If I remember from the video she wasn'tt that bothered about the grade as it was the line and climbing that inspired her (although I'm finding thats an increasingly over-used cliche these days).

with you on this

Is it a cliche?? I tend to take these comments at face value - I assume if someone is going to push their limits (which the grade is probably some sort of useful guesstimate for) then they'd really want to do it on something with an inspiring line and climbing.

Then again people climb hard at the Tor so 

[andy_e]

Of course it's a cliché. "Look at me, I'm so down to earth and deep that I don't care about grades and only care about aesthetics." If that were true, those people wouldn't be pushing their grade, they'd be travelling around the world climbing stunning VDiffs.

[slackline]

Is it a cliche??

Yes 

[Fiend]

Well that definition implies that it is....subjectively. "a trite or obvious remark / trite: Overused and consequently of little import" I think the import depends partly on the person reading/hearing the phrase, and I still think the phrase in question can be important to mention and have some power - otherwise we'd all be believing the spurious shite andi_e is mistakenly spouting as a counter-argument (are people really so wrapped up in their grade-chasing they can't perceive climbing otherwise?).