UKC

Recently Adam Ondra onsighted Il Domani, 9a, in the Baltzola cave. This was his second onsight of the grade and he considers it to be his hardest so far. Two is obviously not enough, so Adam went to Valdegovia to try and make it three.

Being technical, powerful and rather short, only 16 meters,...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=68910

In reply to UKC News:

Wow!

In reply to UKC News:

Brilliant. Looks like he wasn't *that* close to me onsight - roughly speaking to the start of the main difficulties.

jcm

In reply to UKC News:

Does anyone know if these top sport climbers downclimb from their high points to ground level several times to get an idea of the moves before committing fully? And then still claim the onsight if they get the route clean?
I'm just curious as the way he places his feet and hands in this video is just so, so smooth. He's obviously immense but I'd be a little bit disappointed if that was how all these hard 'on-sights' are done.

In reply to mrteale:


There was a great interview with Ondra where he said that to onsight at your limit you have to climb with total conviction; make decisions very quickly and then go with the sequence as if it was on redpoint. Might explain it.


I think I'd be almost more impressed!

Brilliant video, filmed "as it happened" without gimmicks. Like climbing onsight, so much more exciting than rehearsed stuff. My palms were sweating just watching him psyche up.

In reply to mrteale:

As long as any gear isn't weighted what's the problem? It would still be on sight.
Saying that, I've got a feeling that Ondra, quite literally rocks up and tries to climb it straight from the ground.

In reply to UKC News:

tbh, I think downclimbing a 9a might be harder than just going for it. Ondra has done so many routes in that level that he's pretty good at predicting the right beta just from looking at the route, I think what he's saying is that once you think of a sequence, just stick with it on the onsight. It might not be the best way to do it, but you've got a bigger chance of success if you don't wait and just go..

In reply to UKC News:

Great video. Super impressive climbing with the best soundtrack I've heard in ages.

In reply to UKC News:

Great to see relatively unedited climbing. Very smooth climbing.