Adam Ondra Sends Nine-Year Proj with Neanderthal 5.15b

Adam Ondra has repeated Neanderthal 5.15b at Santa Linya, Spain, which was first climbed by Chris Sharma in 2009.

Jakob Schubert recently made the second ascent, which makes Ondra’s the third overall. Ondra first tried the climb nine years ago when he was 16.

Ondra on Neanderthal
2011: tried one day, made it to the dyno second go, next day it got wet.
2015: tried for like a week, and found out I just could not the dyno from the ground. It felt too had with two fingers in the pocket, and I had no idea how to squeeze my three fat fingers in.
2017: I found better kneebars, figured out how to squeeze my fat fingers into the pocket and stuck the dyno on day one of the trip!! Only to fall off from the nohand-rest above because a foothold broke.
Then, I tried for 5 more days, but never had good conditions or I was just too weak. Second trip of that year I got sick.
2019: Short trip and second-last day of the trip I stuck the dyno and fell higher again, due to brutal flash pump this time.
Last day of the trip, first try falling of the dyno again, sun is slowly coming, I need to go fast. Now, or yet another season.
It was an epic try, but hell – it felt good to be in the sun at the anchor.

Neanderthal 9b, Santa Linya✔ There are not many routes that I can tell about that I really hated then at certain point. But Nenderthal was definitely one of them. Not because the route is of bad quality, just because how many times I failed again and again. Getting over it and finally suceeding was a huge lesson. 2011 – tried one day, made it to the dyno 2nd go, next day it got wet. 2015 – tried for like a week, and found out I just could not the dyno from the ground. It felt too had with two fingers in the pocket, and I had no idea how to squeeze my 3 fat fingers in. 2017 – I found better kneebars, figured out how to squeeze my fat fingers into the pocket and stuck the dyno on day one of the trip!! Only to fall off from the nohand-rest above because a foothold broke. Then, I tried for 5 more days, but never had good conditions or I was just too weak. Second trip of that year I got sick. 2019 – Short trip and second-last day of the trip I stuck the dyno and fell higher again, due to brutal flash pump this time. Last day of the trip, first try falling of the dyno again, sun is slowly coming, I need to go fast. Now, or yet another season. It was an epic try, but hell – it felt good to be in the sun at the anchor. Pic by @jan_novak_photography in Santa Linya, but a different route. Props to @chris_sharma for making FA of this beast 10 years ago, and @jakob.schubert for the second ascent in December. @montura_official @lasportivagram @mytendon @blackdiamond @gardatrentino

A post shared by Adam Ondra (@adam.ondra) on Feb 12, 2019 at 6:55am PST

Adam Ondra 5.15b or Harder

2010 Golpe de Estado, Siurana, Spain, repeat
2011 La Capella, Siurana, Spain. 5.15b, first ascent
2011 Chaxi Raxi, Oliana, Spain. 5.15b, first ascent
2011 Chilam Balam, Villanueva del Rosario, Spain. 5.15b, repeat
2011 La Planta de Shiva, Villanueva del Rosario, Spain. 5.15b, first ascent
2012 Change, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 5.15c, first ascent
2013 Fight or Flight, Oliana, Spain. 5.15b, repeat
2013 Dura Dura, Oliana, Spain. 5.15c, first ascent
2013 Iron Curtain, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 5.15b, first ascent
2013 Move, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 5.15b, first ascent
2013 Vasil Vasil, Sloup, Czech Republic. 5.15c, first ascent
2014 First Round First Minute, Margalef, Spain. 5.15b, repeat
2015 C.R.S., Mollans, France. 5.15b, first ascent
2016 Stoking the Fire, Santa Linya, Spain. 5.15b, repeat
2016 Robin Úd 5.15b, Alternativna stena, Slovakia, first ascent
2017 Mamichula, Oliana, Spain. 5.15b, first ascent
2017 Queen Line, Laghel – Arco, Italy, 5.15b, first ascent
2017 Lapsus, Andonno, Italy, 5.15b, first repeat
2017 Move Hard, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 5.15b, first ascent
2017 Silence, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 5.15d, first ascent
2017 One Slap, Laghel – Arco, Italy, 5.15b, first repeat
2018 Eagle-4, St Léger, France, first ascent
2018 Disbelief, Acephale, Canada, 5.15b first ascent
2019 Neanderthal, Santa Linya, Spain, 5.15b repeat

Watch Adam Ondra as he makes his way toward the finish in 2017 before taking a big whipper.