UKC

Adam Ondra Back At Malham

© Catherine Speakman
A year ago the young top gun that is Adam Ondra blasted into The (Yorkshire) Dales and all but mopped-up.

Well guess what? – He's back and straight down to work above the Malham Catwalk...

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Adam Ondra – tearing up the upper bulges of Overshadow, Malham Cove, North Yorkshire last year. © Keith Sharples

Of all the super hard routes that Ondra tried last year, Overshadow was the only route that withstood the onslaught. His tick list from his few days in the UK was outstanding – simply the biggest and best that any visiting rock star visiting the UK had every achieved. My blog entry from the 8th May 2010 summarised his week's activities.

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Adam Ondra's Yorkshire Scorecard From 2010
© Keith Sharples

Ondra said at the time that he thought Overshadow might tip the scales at F9b and, equally importantly, that he would be back for Overshadow in 2011. Some doubted he would return but clearly he's proved the pundits wrong. “Would sir like hot or cold custard with that humble pie...”?

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Malham
© Keith Sharples

Last year he spent three days on McClure's testpiece before switching his attention to the 'easier' of the McClure's Yorkshire routes. Since then, as the well-informed will know, Ondra has been totally ripping up the rule book. Ondra's onsights have risen to the dizzy heights of F8c+ with F8c/8b+ being virtual 'quick ticks'. His redpointing has seen similar hikes as well; F9b now seems to less than a week's work on Planet Ondra. So what's he gonna make of Overshadow this time? I'm not sure what odds Ladbrooks would offer – but I doubt that they would be anything other than pretty short. Be interesting to take a look at Ondra return flight that might offer a clue as to what he thinks. Meanwhile it's a case of watch this space...

Source: blog.keithsharplesphotography.co.uk

Steve McClure proposed 9a+ for Overshadow. See these UKC News reports: Steve McClure Succeeds at Malham. UK's Hardest Sport Route! and Steve McClure On The Grade Of His Route.


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


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13 May, 2011
Inspiring stuff. One point though - the table shows Overshadow as F8b, yet it's mentioned at F9a+/b elsewhere (captioned on the McClure photo on Keith's blog). What grade is it?
13 May, 2011
Why does he keep messing around on those bolted limestone routes? Any climber worth his salt proves himself on grit! Come on Ondra stop messing about ;-)
13 May, 2011
because he want to get a sweat on, i expect he could most grit routes in wellies
13 May, 2011
Is he also likely to visit Raven Tor and have a go at on-sighting Hubble. As well as doing Evolution/Mutation.
13 May, 2011
typo I think Steve McClure On The Grade Of His Route http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=37419 He suggested 9a+ but said "What grade is this new route? How important is it to get it right? I'm not qualified to really say for sure. Others like Graham, Sharma, Andrada, Paxi and Ramon would have a much better idea, their track record of hard routes is greater. All the hard routes I've done are my own, and they are compared to confirmed 8c+ routes, but that doesn't mean they are 9a. This new route felt way harder than my '9's' but that doesn't make it 9a+, perhaps I was doing it wrong, it might be 8c+, but then maybe I was doing it perfectly and it's even harder..... It seems important to stick a number on things these days. If you don't, everyone else will anyway. I suggest it could be 9a+, an estimate based on effort and experience. But then how important is it to get it right? Not important at all! Whats important is honestly suggesting a level. If it gets down graded so what, if it gets up graded, so what again. What counts is its a great route that tested me right to my limit. Had it been 9b or 8c the journey from start to finish would have been no more or less rewarding." And the original Overshadow news report: Steve McClure Succeeds at Malham. UK's Hardest Sport Route! http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=37399
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