Adam Ondra Just Onsighted 5.14d
He says the onsight is one of his proudest achievements to date
Photo by: Petr Chodura
Adam Ondra is having one of the best weeks of climbing of his life. After redpointing his second hardest route (5.15c) last Sunday and bouldering V15/16 on Tuesday, yesterday he onsighted 5.14d. The route he onsighted is the popular Klemen Bečan route, Water World 9a (5.14d), located in the Osp Cave in Slovenia. On 8a.nu, Ondra suggested that the route is likely lower-end 9a, especially with kneepads, but that that the unobvious nature of the climbing made it a difficult one to onsight.
Water World is not Ondra’s first 5.14d onsight, but it is his first in over eight years. In July 2013, he was the second climber in history to onsight 5.14d with his send of Cabane au Canada in Switzerland. Alex Megos was the first to onsight the grade with Estado Critico in Siurana, Spain in March 2013.
Via Instagram, Ondra summed up his send of Water World: “9a’s are still quite rare, 9a’s that are good or at least possible to onsight are even more rare. This time it was one of those rare moments when the perfect route, conditions and shape got aligned.”
In 2014, Ondra onsighted two other 5.14d’s: Il Domani in Baltzola, Spain and TCT in Gravere, Italy. Ondra has now onsighted four 5.14d’s in total, although he has since suggested that Cabane au Canada might be 5.14c. He has also flashed 5.15a, with his famous ascent of Super Crackinette in Saint-Léger du Ventoux, France in 2018.
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
