UKC

Robin Dahlberg interviews Adam Ondra

© Lars Lindwall
Adam Ondra  © Lars Lindwall
Adam Ondra
© Lars Lindwall

When Adam Ondra was in Stockholm for the Legends Only competition in October last year, my friend and colleague Robin Dahlberg grabbed the opportunity and made an interview with the young Czech for a new Stockholm based website.

The interview covers topics like grades, ethics, future and more.

Enjoy!


This post has been read 5,553 times

Return to Latest News


2 Jan, 2012
Really interesting interview. English-language transcript here http://stockholmsklattring.se/intervjuer/adam-ondra/ plus the clip of his first two 8c blocs. His comment on trad and grit: "R) You do most sportclimbing and some bouldering. What’s your opinion on traditional climbing? A) Traditional climbing where use of bolts is out of bounds, I’m not against it but in for example on gritstone in Peak District I feel that the ethics is quite strange. In my point of view once you set off you can never return to the ground but some of the routes are climbed in a way that you set off climbing a couple of metres put the gear in climb down and then start climbing again with the gear in place. I’m definitely not saying that the gritstone should be bolted but what inspires me more is where traditional climbing really makes sence because it is more efficient and faster and that’s in the mountains."
2 Jan, 2012
One I found surprising and little sad to be honest... R) Would you bolt a route that could be climbed safely without the bolts, for example a hard crack? A) I do think I wouldn’t hesitate to bolt it but if ten years later someone comes who could do it in a tradtional way I wouldn’t be against the chopping of the bolts and keeping it this way.
4 Jan, 2012
I'm not sure it's a good idea to call the views of the best climber in the world 'silly'. Anyway, what's for sure is that apart from being in a much better position to speak and be listened to Ondra expresses his view more intelligently and sympathetically than you. jcm
Loading Notifications...
Facebook Twitter Copy Email