UKC

Adam Ondra has flashed Adam Taylor's Southern Smoke Direct which was given 9a+ and was unrepeated.

Speculations about what Adam would do in the Red River Gorge have been many. Most have suggested the first ever 9a onsight was on the cards.

Whether this will happen or not is yet to be seen, but what...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=67568

In reply to UKC News: incredible!

In reply to Jiduvah: Unbelievable. I'm a little interested as to how much beta he had on this. Even if he has seen someone on it on a video or been told the moves, it's incredible. Knowing Ondra it's probably even less beta than that - if so, mind blowing.

In reply to UKC News: Yesterday was cold and damp(maybe giving him good conditions?).
Some futuristic projects in these parts of the woods.I wonder if he is going to jump on any of these?.I know he did a 2nd go first ascent in the motherlode an old open project of the last 10 years.Possibly 14 something no doubt.....

In reply to UKC News:

So the updated comments are from Ondra I assume? It's unclear from the article.

In reply to Dan_Carroll:

Looks like it. Is he suggesting the grade is 9a and not 9a+?

In reply to lewiz:

Yah, 9a on 8a.nu...

Oh, and according to Climbing Narc, he had pretty good beta for the initial boulder problem start, not much was said about the reg. Southern Smoke... But considering it was Ondra, not sure if beta was really needed for the top portion.

In reply to lewiz:

That's what he says, and that the other guys trying the route (Daniel Woods, Jon Cardwell and Cedric Lachat) agree with that.


Other sources state that Woods and Cardwell had found an easier sequence for the start than the FA used when he gave it 9a+. So sounds like Ondra had all the beta for the new method.

In reply to Dan_Carroll:

Hi Dan, yes the updated comments are from Adam. I've made it a little clearer.

In reply to UKC News:
hardly trad climbing is it?

In reply to Stanners:

It's not unicycling, either. What's your point?

Personally, I just love Ondra's attitude and his lack of ego. And the fact that he's come up with the hardest flash of a sport route when he didn't feel his fittest and wasn't sure whether to have a go. We should all learn something from the li'l wizard on that count.

In reply to Hephaestus:
Id be more impressed with someone coming up to me and saying Ive just flashed an E3.

...only joking obviously...flashing a 9a+ is mental. Fair play to him, he's clearly been eating his weetabix.

Catch Adam Ondra in Durra Durra with the London screening of Reel Rock 26 November. The first London screening sold out so this new London screening has been added!

Monday 26 November, Central London. Visit http://reelrock.co.uk for tickets!