Adam Ondra climbs the El Gran Bellanco route (8c+/9a) in Montanejos, Spain, in his preferred climbing style: onsight. Ondra's most recent success ranks alongside Cabane au Canada (9a), TCT (9a), Il Domani (9a) and Water World (9a) among his most difficult onsight ascents.
Adam Ondra manages another tough onsight ascent in the Pilas Alcalinas cave in the Spanish climbing area of Montanejos: El Gran Bellanco (8c+/9a). “I am very happy that I was able to onsight climb this route that I had had in mind for a while,” says the strong Czech.
The execution went perfectly and I made no mistakes.
Adam Ondra
Hard onsight ascents: a test of patience
Adam Ondra has already emphasized several times that it is difficult to find routes in the ninth French degree that are suitable for onsight ascent. Accordingly, the climbing professional usually saves potential routes for a long time in order to wait for the perfect moment to attempt one. A strategy that has already led him to success on several occasions.
In 2013 he climbed with us Cabane au Canada In Rawyl we onsighted a 9a route for the first time. In 2014 he got there TCT (9a) in Gravere and Il Domani (9a) in Baltzola two more very difficult lines in the same climbing style. The onsight inspection followed in 2022 Water world, the 9a route by Klemen Becan in the Osp climbing area.
Apart from these 9a's, Adam Ondra has repeatedly attracted attention with difficult onsight ascents in the recent past. For example with his Short trip to Switzerland, where he climbed an 8c and an 8b+ onsight.
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Credits: Cover picture @pet.phot and @pan_verner