[Doylo]

https://www.reddit.com/r/climbing/comments/9vywfl/adam_ondra_onsighting_just_do_it_14c_at_smith/

Vid with customary sexy noises.

[teestub]

https://www.mall.tv/jediny-pokus-1 first little vid from his trip, mainly driving/flying to the crag footage + Midnight Lightning. Looks promising for some good climbing footage to come in the future though.

[Fiend]

Brilliant, so inspiring!

[Fiend]

Shark, fire him.

[jwi]

https://www.mall.tv/jediny-pokus-1 first little vid from his trip, mainly driving/flying to the crag footage + Midnight Lightning. Looks promising for some good climbing footage to come in the future though.

Must have been horribly nervous on Midnight Lightning as he almost looks a bit bothered on the easiest move

[DAVETHOMAS90]

Sorry, but I'm left feeling that mall.tv says it all.

We can all feel inspired by his climbing, but I guess Ondra's role is to inspire us all to consume more kit etc.

 

[petejh]

Over the last 30-odd years the climbing scene has had more than its fair share of less-than-cutting-edge climbers using sponsorship as a vehicle for self-promotion, and brands using them to push products. I'd have no argument with you pointing out that *they* basically exist to 'inspire us to consume more kit etc.'..
 
Ondra's one of the most inspiring climbers out there, simply by being the best and pushing standards. I wouldn't expect anything else but brands wanting to link with him to push their products. I think your comment would be better directed at those who aren't pushing standards but who are pushing products.

[DAVETHOMAS90]

Hi Pete.

I don't really agree with what you're saying there.

There's a great deal about Ondra's approach to climbing which has of course been inspirational. However, the point I was trying to emphasise is something I see increasingly, in the pursuit of something gratifying.

The notion that somehow, those climbers who aren't quite operating at the same level as Ondra, are less deserving of sponsorship through the promotion of brand/product sales etc, or that somehow Ondra's "status" should provide him with a protective bubble from the sort of observation I've tried to make, is in my mind, a non-starter.

I would argue that we can all look at how we approach the process of getting out there, seeking adventure. Perhaps the gratification we seek helps us turn a blind eye to how we achieve it. Me too of course.

The world around us, as something we "take from", is something we're no more immune from as climbers, than other users. There was something about that short introduction which seemed to emphasise something I found unsatisying.

[petejh]

The notion that somehow, those climbers who aren't quite operating at the same level as Ondra, are less deserving of sponsorship through the promotion of brand/product sales etc, or that somehow Ondra's "status" should provide him with a protective bubble from the sort of observation I've tried to make, is in my mind, a non-starter.

That wasn't really what I was thinking or trying to say.
I just thought it odd, that of all the climbers in the world who you could pass comment on about 'selling out' to commercial interests - ''but I guess Ondra's role is to inspire us all to consume more kit etc.'' - Ondra is probably the last person I'd think of as an example. He's effectively the Lionel Messi or Ronaldo of climbing, i.e. the very best at his craft and pushing the standard like no-one else. Of course he's going to attract hefty commercial interest.

As for those operating at levels below Ondra (i.e. everyone else) of course they're worthy. But I think there does come a level of ability at which they could be said to qualify under your own characterisation: ''but I guess xyz's role is to inspire us all to consume more kit etc.''

[Clart]

Just did it.

Legend.

Re-watched The Professionls (fave climbing flick), which has some great footage of the route: "'Just Do It' had small sharp holds that wore holes in their fingers, allowing only a few tries each day followed by a rest day".

 

[DAVETHOMAS90]

Replying to Pete, it's not about singling anyone out, more the emphasis - irrespective of who etc.

We could just as easily separate this off into the role of sponsors, commerce etc?

Anyway, I've got pull ups to do 😊

[Will Hunt]

This is why I love Ondra. In that video where he explains to the bloke that he hasn't got any gear and the guy he's talking to invites him to climb with them, he doesn't even blink, just exclaims "hell yeah". I know the route suggested is a classic, but still he's just psyched. He's a climber's climber.

[Duma]

First day in Indian Creek.
"feels like a different sport"
Onsights Air Swedin.

[jwi]

the “hard” part is face climbing, so a 5.12- crack followed by some trivial hiking for Ondra.

[Duma]

 

[Nibile]

First day in Indian Creek.
"feels like a different sport"
Onsights Air Swedin.

The uncensored quote is: "Feels like a different sport, at which I excel anyway."

[Fiend]

This is why I love Ondra. In that video where he explains to the bloke that he hasn't got any gear and the guy he's talking to invites him to climb with them, he doesn't even blink, just exclaims "hell yeah". I know the route suggested is a classic, but still he's just psyched. He's a climber's climber.

^^^ 

[Duma]

Went to the Bristol Reel Rock last night - the footage of the SuperCrackinette flash (and celebration) is brilliant. The intensity of his visualisation routines is pretty weird to watch.

[Ged]

the “hard” part is face climbing, so a 5.12- crack followed by some trivial hiking for Ondra.

It's not exactly face climbing, it's slightly weird compression with an arete for one hand and a rubbish crack for the other, with sandy smears.  Hardly romping up a juggy 8a.

[Doylo]

Shame he’s gonna spend most of next year doing comps and training for the Olympics. 

[jwi]

the “hard” part is face climbing, so a 5.12- crack followed by some trivial hiking for Ondra.

It's not exactly face climbing, it's slightly weird compression with an arete for one hand and a rubbish crack for the other, with sandy smears.  Hardly romping up a juggy 8a.

I very much doubt there is an 7c+ with face holds that is not a romp for Ondra. That's like 6b+ for me. I doubt there is a 6b+ in the world I would fall off – and I have probably climbed way fewer routes at 6b+ and above than Ondra has climbed at 7c+ and above—, unless if's a very obscure style (a chimney in the Czech republic - say).

[Disclaimer: I turned around at the intermediate anchor some ten years ago, with bleeding fingers, so I have no idea what I'm talking about]

[jwi]

Speaking of, I also doubt that there are any routes in The Creek that cannot be laybacked by someone of Ondra's abilities. Some horrendous tips fingercrack that is sufficently splitter maybe?

[Duma]

please tell me he's going to nip over to the white rim for century crack

[Will Hunt]

Speaking of, I also doubt that there are any routes in The Creek that cannot be laybacked by someone of Ondra's abilities. Some horrendous tips fingercrack that is sufficently splitter maybe?

I'd like to see him layback Belly Full Of Bad Berries. I mean that literally.

[jwi]

True, Belly would be a proud Dülfer!

I met a bunch of Japanese climbers, one of which I knew from Nagoya, in Indian Creek in 2007. One of them did one of the hard steep offwidth in Indian creek as a layback on preplaced gear at 8c or thereabouts. My friend did it straight in and left the cams in place for him. I can no longer recall which route it was.