Adam Ondra’s First-Ever V13 Flash on Grit

Adam Ondra is joined by Ben Moon, Jerry Moffat and others for his tour of classic areas in the U.K.

Gripped March 6, 2023

Sheffield is the epicentre of climbing in the U.K. The proximity of the Peak District and its limestone and gritstone crags makes this town really unique for climbers. Adam Ondra checks wet holds on Hubble 5.14 and goes bouldering in Stoney Middleton.

During his visit, Ondra made the first flash of The Ace V13, established by Jerry Moffatt in 2001, which is also the first-ever flash of a V13 gritstone boulder. The Ace is a low start to another of Moffatt’s problems called The Joker V11. On 8a.nu, Ondra said, “Freak moment! Executed just perfectly!” He thanked Moffatt for being on hand for the session.

About The Ace, Moffatt wrote in Climber magazine, “If the truth be known, it had been my goal for the last three years; either I’d just not been in good enough shape to try it, or the conditions were not right. As soon as I started trying The Ace everybody who had done The Joker was attempting it this way, which added to the pressure. My advantage was that I felt good on The Joker. If I could just get into the top moves feeling strong, I knew I could do it. My sequence didn’t feel right though and I was intrigued to find out about an alternative sequence Ben Moon had been trying. First chance I had I went straight back to the crag and tried his method. I hit the top second go but couldn’t hold it. The friction wasn’t good that day, but I returned in better conditions and got it done.”

Ondra pays homage to the first feature-length bouldering film called The Real Thing in this film – watch The Real Thing here.