UKC

Ondra Speaks on Total Eclipse

© Vojtech Vrzba

We recently ran a large article on Adam Ondra's efforts at Malham Cove, Yorkshire. We were hoping for some words direct from Adam himself to go in the piece, but the cheeky young scamp was out climbing! ;-)

Steve McClure and Adam Ondra at Malham  © Vojtech Vrzba
Steve McClure and Adam Ondra at Malham
© Vojtech Vrzba

He has now given us his thoughts on Total Eclipse, the unrepeated 8c+/9a from John Dunne:

"Hello, I am sorry I am replying that late, I can see the article is on already. Well, Total Eclipse is an impressive climb. I did the moves of the crux above the ledge quite fast, but the roof was already seeping, two undercuts were wet, but I had thought it could still go. Initially I had found it quite difficult on the lip of the roof, but in the end I found tricky way to drop my knee and that made it way less powerful, but it is still a move one can easily fall off.

On the second go I slipped off the first crux, the third go I made it through the crux, got into the roof, but found out that even the clipping hold is seeping. I managed to clip, but didn't manage to pull on those two wet undercuts. The grade 8c+/9a seems appropriate to me, though I have no idea what the roof is like with good conditions and how pumped you are on the lip. The moves in the crux are reachy, but I believe there is a sequence even for shorter climbers, slightly harder, but still possible."

Adam has a quick comment for John himself:

"Impressive achievement back in those years John!"

And what is next for Adam Ondra?

"I am going to [the World Championship at] Arco, and training hard for it!"

Thanks Adam - and well done!


Adam Ondra is sponsored by: Black Diamond , Montura , La Sportiva , Beal and Hudy Sports

More photos of Adam at Malham can be found on Vojtech's website.


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7 Jun, 2011
" I believe there is a sequence even for shorter climbers, slightly harder, but still possible" I do believe thats the sound of a giant gaunlet being laid down!
8 Jun, 2011
This is the third time in two months that John Dunne has been 'bigged up' in 3 different non-story `news` articles. Is there some kind of agenda here that we should be aware of?
8 Jun, 2011
John Dunne used to be a fixture at the cutting edge of Malham, the agenda might be that as his routes get done, he gets mentioned, seems fairly reasonable to me. the fact that total eclipse is probably the last, hardest, unrepeated route is also fairly relevant I'd think.
8 Jun, 2011
Very true, also the Big Bang would be in that category
8 Jun, 2011
Fair cop.
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