UKC

Alex Huber on the extraordinary talent of Sharma and Ondra

© Jack Geldard - Editor - UKC
On October 29th (UKC News) I was asked:

"If the grade of one route falls, what happens to the grade of the others that are graded in comparison to it? Do they all collapse like a deck of cards? "

That is a topic that many top climbers are sometimes focussed on, including one of the best, the German climber Alexander Huber.

In an interview with Planet Mountain Huber says that certain claims in the past are exaggerated.

"What I find curious is that still today most magazines, without hesitating, place Jumbo Love together with Akira and Chilam Balam. Had 9b been climbed in 1995, more than a decade ago therefore, then Chris Sharma's performance seems like a kindergarten! Furthermore one has to understand clearly how long Chris Sharma's journey has been to get where he is today. And one also bear in mind what extraordinary talent Sharma possesses, and has had to use, to get where his is today. Unlike others, Sharma has proven his talent hundreds of times in the past and will do so time and time again in the future. Chris has created and earned his credibility. One thing should be clear: we all want to believe other climbers! But without this willingness I cannot believe in their ascents because the history of humanity has taught us that one shouldn't believe blindfold."

Huber discusses his own routes, how some may need to be upgraded, placing fewer bolts, that Action Directe is maybe benchmark 8c+ not 9a, the brilliance of Adam Ondra and Hansjörg Auer, the Torre Traverse, false claims, the future and how, "the Xth grade isn't really about the physical difficulties but rather the psychological pressure you're under when you try to repeat a route without having checked it out previously from above."

You can read the full interview at www.planetmountain.com


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6 Nov, 2008
Is he not saying that he had used Action Directe as a benchmark at 8c+ against which to grade some of his first ascents, and now that it's considered to be 9a, these routes of his should also be upgraded (as opposed to saying that Action Directe is 8c+ and not 9a)? Interesting to read what he says about La Rambla, and that Adam Ondra's thoughts on the grade of Weisse Rose support what he's said all along about the La Rambla Extension (though I'd not heard Ondra's comments elsewhere previously - has anyone else?). Cheers for the link.
6 Nov, 2008
he doesn't really comment on Action Direct does he?
6 Nov, 2008
You get a bit more meat if you follow the link from the news article to the PlanetMountain article. The bit about Action Directe is about half way through the interview.
6 Nov, 2008
yeh, that's what i mean. He just says by upgrading Action Direct other routes have to be upgraded, not that Action Direct isn't 9a.
6 Nov, 2008
Has Huber done Action Directe? Didn't think he had, which would make it odd to use it as a benchmark for his own routes.
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