Ondra Climbing a New 5.15c – His Second Hardest Ever
A new video featuring Adam Ondra sending Zvěřinec, which he said is the second most difficult route his climbed after Silence 5.15d
In fall, Adam Ondra sent what he called the “second hardest route of my life,” with a first ascent of Zvěřinec 5.15c at his home crag of Moravian Karst in the Czech Republic. The route name translates to “menagerie,” and features two distinct halves, a 5.15a followed by a 5.15b.
The new route shares its upper portion with a previous route Ondra put up in 2011, Perlorodka. Originally graded 5.15a (9a+), Ondra believes the route is now more likely 5.15b. The route features a low-percentage, stout V14 crux with “reachy moves and desperate slapping of the completely rounded lip of the overhang.” Zvěřinec includes this upper crux section of Perlorodka but begins with an alternate start, which Ondra says could be 5.15a in its own right. After struggling with poor conditions for two weeks, he took advantage of the high-friction 0°C day to send the route.
“Even though it’s 9b+ [5.15c], which is the same as Vasil Vasil, I think this is quite a bit harder, but I don’t think it’s hard enough to get a 9c [5.15d],” said Ondra in a voice recording sent to Gripped. ” I was projecting this route in April, as it’s close to home and my wife and I were expecting our baby boy, who was born at the start of May. It’s too hot in summer, so I returned this fall. November had cold nights and hot days, which meant the rock was cool and damp. Today, on November 20, it was around freezing during the day and overcast. The friction was good and thanks to having warmed up at home, I didn’t get any numbness in my fingers. I’m very happy to climb a 9b+ [5.15c] after a long time.”
The route was Ondra’s 200th route 5.14d and above. He climbed Silence 5.15d in 2017. He’s previously climbed three routes at the 5.15c grade, all first ascents: Change in Flatanger, Norway in 2011, La Dura Dura in Oliana, Spain in 2013, and Vasil Vasil in Czechia that same year. “My home crag is important to me, as it’s the place where I spend a lot of my time and it’s been where I’ve made several milestones in my career,” said Ondra. For a list of the world’s hardest sport climbs visit here.
Ondra’s New 5.15c
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