UKC

Adam Ondra & Patxi Usobiaga vs The Project

© Björn Pohl

Adam Ondra on The Project  © Björn Pohl
Adam Ondra on The Project
© Björn Pohl
This weekend Adam Ondra and Patxi Usobiaga visited Klättercentret Stockholm for a Black Diamond event with slideshows, workshops and, of course attempts on The Project.

The Project is a permanent route at Klättercentret Telefonplan which everyone who knows how to lead climb can try. It starts fairly easy and then gets gradually harder...and harder. How hard?

Adam compared it to his own "Project hard" at Flatanger. This begins with a ~25 m 8b followed by a knee bar. Then, the crux of the route, an ~8C boulder section, a rest, and then an ~8B boulder section. This, he says, would probably be 10a or so without the knee bars. Now it's "only" 9c or so, he thinks.

The Project in Stockholm has no knee bars and very few rests.

According to Adam, it's probably around 9b to the lip, and then it gets harder. The ~15 moves to the top weighs in around 8C. Font 8C.

Stronger than he has ever been, having done two 9b's, two 9a+'s and two 9a's in four days, one of which was a rest day, confidence was high.

Patxi is also in excellent form with several 9a's and even 9a+ climbed recently.

I've seen talk here and there about The Project being too hard.

The thing is, the idea behind The Project is that progress is the goal, not necessarily to reach the top. We didn't want to say "this is what we think is possible", but rather "let's see what's possible". Everyone who has tried it so far can definitely get further.

How far is impossible to say, and that's the beauty of it!

Does this mean we now have a new highpoint?

Here's first a video where Adam is working the route, and then the live stream with Adam's and Patxi's best attempts

 

 


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Born in the Czech Republic, Adam Ondra has built up a decorated career since his early competitions, winning his first World Championships medal in 2009 in lead climbing. He was a favourite for Tokyo 2020 gold, but an...

Adam's Athlete Page 140 posts 51 videos



24 Apr, 2017
I think the project is really interesting and while I don't want to take away from that as a very valid news item I think Ondra's last day in in Italy really deserves a separate news item too. He redpointed a 9a+ FA (his third day on it) and then did another 9a FA on his fourth try. This is on the back the other two incredible days just before. In total he did 6 grade 9 routes in four days which surely smashes any previous record for hard routes in a short time by a mile. First day Queen Line 9b FA Ultimatum - 9a+ Second day rest day? Third day Lapsus 9b Perfect Man 2.0 - 9a 2nd go Fourth day Naturalmente - 9a+ FA La Terza Eta - 9a FA 4th go That's truly a jaw-dropping achievement, completely unprecedented.
25 Apr, 2017
I agree of course, utterly mind blowing! The reason it didn't get a separate news item is that we already wrote about his two previous days (9b + 9a+ & 9b + 9a). But yeah, maybe you're right
25 Apr, 2017
Is there now an overview somewhere about who reached how far? Did Adam get further then the previous guys?
25 Apr, 2017
I may be stupid, but I cant work out from the article what the rules are or who is in the lead. how may goes do people get? how much practice? whats the high point? where Adam got to, where is that in relation to the grade? I watched the live feed but the sound was terrible and the commentary was pretty void of any real substance other than 'Venga' being shouted alot
25 Apr, 2017
I am by no means an expert on The Project, but the rules are i believe - you can try it as often as you want and have as many goes as you want and as much practice as you want. The high point is currently Ondra and he thinks the section to the lip is 9B, although the current high point is somewhat below that so i guess around 8C/9A. I only saw Ondra's first attempt so he could have gone a few moves further. The visiting Wads seem to be having a few hours practice on one day, then two live attempts each. I assume they would love Ondra to come back, although i assume he will not be prioritising this route.
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