Adam Ondra

Even the master of the impossible sometimes faces profane problems. “Get in, I still have to find a parking space,” Adam Ondra tells me when we meet two weeks ago at the agreed place in the centre of the northern Italian city of Trento. The 25-year-old Czech is one of the top stars of a sports festival to which he has travelled with his van from his hometown Brno.

Ondra has been pushing the limits of sport climbing for years. Already at the age of 13, he climbed a route with a 9a degree of difficulty on the French scale which is commonl in the sport climbing scene – which in the rating of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Association (UIAA) corresponds to a route in the eleventh degree. For comparison: Reinhold Messner mastered the seventh degree at his best times as a rock climber. At the end of 2016, Ondra succeeded the first repetition of the “Dawn Wall” route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, which is considered the most difficult big wall route in the world, in just eight days. In September 2017, he mastered an extremely overhanging route in a cave near Flatander in Norway – the world’s first 9c (twelfth degree in the UIAA scale). The climbing world bowed once more to Ondra, nobody doubted his rating.

After guiding Adam to the parking garage in Trento, where my car is parked too, we use the way back to the venue for the interview.

Adam, you’re climbing since you were a little boy. Can you imagine that one day you’ll get tired of it?

Adam in the Route “Silence”

I think this would be a moment being just tired but not necessarily by climbing. Sometimes it’s definitely necessary to recharge the batteries and to feel fresh again. But I think that has nothing to do with climbing. Climbing is so great. And this is why I don’t think I’ll get tired of climbing, because there are so many different disciplines. It’s obviously very different climbing a two-meter- high boulder or a 1,000-meter wall. And by switching these disciplines, I think I can always keep the motivation very high.

What are you doing to relax from climbing?

Every December I take two or three weeks off from climbing. After the whole season of training and climbing a lot, my body needs it. And mentally, as I said, it definitely helps me to change between climbing gym and rock climbing, from competitions to climbing outdoors. All this helps me to be always 100 percent motivated.

Does one have to be a little crazy to climb such amazing routes as you do?

What really motivates me to climb harder and harder is not necessarily that I want to push my limits and be happy about it or show the others who’s the best, but also because climbing harder and harder routes is somehow more fun. The harder routes you climb, the more interesting the climbing gets and the more crazy moves you are forced to figure out. And once you know how it feels to climb a certain grade you don’t really want to go back because you don’t have the same feelings.

Adam Ondra: Somehow more fun to climb harder and harder

You have a climbed the world’s first route in the French grade 9c (UIAA grade 12) in a cave near Flatander in Norway. First you called it “Hard Project”. When you had finished it, you named the route “Silence”. Why did you do that?

Normally when I reach the end of a super hard route I just scream of joy. But that moment the emotion was that strong that I was unable to say anything. And it was one minute of silence.

What was the reason for that?

I don’t know. Maybe I just didn’t realize that it finally happened. If you are working on a single project for fourteen weeks and have trained specifically for it for like two seasons and when it finally comes together, this is what happens.

“It fits my style”

Do you think this route will be repeated? And if yes, when and who might be able to do it?

I don’t know. I wish it could be repeated, but let’s see. There are definitely people like Alex Megos who is in my opinion capable of doing a 9c. At the same time I don’t really think that it fits his style. He would definitely be able to climb 9c on pockets or small crimps. My route “Silence” is very special in terms of style. And I do admit that I chose this route because of its style because I thought that it really fits my advantages.

Adam Ondra: Silence fits my advantages

That’s exactly what Alex told me.What is the special challenge of your route?

It’s the route that took me the most time ever. I did most of the 9b+ routes in the world and I consider that it’s a route that really fits my style. And that’s why I had the courage to say: This is the world’s first 9c. If I wasn’t really sure about it, I would rather step back and call it 9b+. But if it’s ever been downgraded, it will be total embarrassing for me. (laughs).

Ondra at the World Championships in Innsbruck

You also take part in climbing competitions. You took second place in the Combined Olympic Format at the World Championships in Innsbruck last September. Are the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 a goal for you?

Yes, definitely. The next big goal is the Olympics. The next year I am gonna do both World Cups in Boulder and Lead and take it as a preparation for the season 2020 when the Olympics will be the biggest goal.

I remember that you were one of the critics of the Olympic format – the combination of speed climbing, lead and bouldering – when it was decided that sport climbing would become an Olympic discipline for the first time in Tokyo. Have you changed your mind?

In the competition

That I’m still against the format, doesn’t change anything. I always wanted to go for the Olympics, no matter how critical I am towards the format. And I am still critical nevertheless. But I have to accept it, as long as I want to compete in the Olympics. That’s the format, there is no option. The only other option is not taking part.

So it’s the bitter pill you have to swallow.

Yes, exactly.

Can the Olympic Games push climbing in any way?

I would still distinguish the world of competitions and the world of outdoor climbing. I believe it can definitely improve the competitions themselves. They will become bigger, there will be more mainstream media interest. It could even be a better show. At the same time it doesn’t have to have a negative influence on rock climbing because that’s a world for itself. And I don’t believe that the potential disadvantage is that our sport eventually gets just too big and that our climbing spots will be just too crowded. I think as the competitions are getting more popular, there are much more people going into the climbing gym. The number of people climbing outdoors will maybe growing as well but not as significant.

Adam Ondra on the possible effect of the Olympics on climbing

Adam in the route “Dawn Wall” on El Capitan

At the end of 2016, you repeated the route “Dawn Wall” on El Capitan for the first time, in eight days. It took Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson, who succeeded the first ascent, 19 days and more than seven years to prepare.

I needed one month all in all.

How was it for you to climb such a difficult big wall route solo?

For me, it was definitely a very new experience because I was a total beginner in terms of big wall climbing. And as one of my first routes I happened to choose the one which is considered the hardest in the world. I learned a lot, but in the end to learn these big wall intricacies might not really be that difficult. The difficult part is really the climbing itself. For sure it’s hard and it took me quite a long time to adept to this specific style. But I finally succeeded. But I must say the reason why it took Tommy and Kevin such a long time and why it’s so impressive is that they first had to find how to climb the wall. For years they were not even sure that it would be possible at all. And that’s why it is super impressive to me. I already knew everything and I just needed to have the climbing level to climb it.

Adam Ondra on climbing Dawn Wall

Pushing the limits until the age of 35

That sounds as if you enjoyed it but not as much as sport climbing.

No, I definitely enjoyed it a lot. But for sure big wall climbing is a lot of work. (laughs) And I don’t think it will be a good idea to only climb on big walls even in terms of training. In order to climb such a route very fast, you first need a very high sport climbing level. And you reach this level most of all by – just sport climbing. And if you have very high physical fitness you can go to Yosemite and try to climb it fast.

Do you think that the 9c grade is the limit for you?

I believe that humans can climb harder. If it’s gonna be me or someone else who will climb 9c+, I don’t know.  It would be nice to climb one day a 9c+ but I am definitely sure that I can never climb a 10a even though I believe that it’s possible. But in like 20, 30 years, I’m pretty sure that there will be 10a routes.

You’re only 25, but the day will come when you notice that your physical strength is weakening.  Have you already thought about what will happen after sport climbing?

I’m pretty sure that I will be sport climbing for as long as I will be able. I am definitely sure that I maybe can push my sport climbing level until I am 35. But then it probably won’t be possible. At the same time I am definitely very interested in trying to bring everything I learned into the bigger walls, not necessarily climbing eight-thousanders but like six-thousanders where the main difficulty will be really rock climbing with bare hands and climbing shoes. That’s something that is very interesting for me in the more distant future.

Adam Ondra: Pushing the limits until I am 35

So you’re not afraid of the cold you’d have to stand on six- or seven-thousanders?

For sure. But that’s part of the game, a little bit of adventure to make the climbing more interesting.

Chris Sharma (© PRana)

Actually, it is recommended to use superlatives only with caution. But it’s undisputed that Chris Sharma has been one of the best rock climbers in the world for many years. The 35-year-old American and the 24-year-old Czech Adam Ondra have so far been the only climbers who have mastered a 9b+ route (on the French grading system) – partly extremely overhanging, actually impossible to climb. Currently the measure of all things. Chris is living with his wife Jimena Alarcon and the little daughter Alana in Barcelona.

Chris, you have been climbing at the highest level for so many years.. Do you think that you one day  get tired of doing it? 

For me, climbing is my life, my passion, the way I realize myself. I don’t foresee myself getting tired of climbing forever. It’s something that is so connected to who I am and I am so grateful to the position I am in. As we go through life, it’s always that our relationship is changing, because of the different phases. I am a father now, I have a daughter. For sure, this changes my relationship with climbing a little bit but it’s actually only enhance my passion for the sport. I’ve gone through many different cycles in my life. Every time you go into a kind of a new phase, I’ve noticed my love of climbing is actually deepening. If anything, I am more passionate about climbing than before.

Chris Sharma: My love of climbing is deepening

Do you have the feeling that you’ve already reached your limit or do you think you’re able to push it on and on?

I feel like I have potential to climb harder things. That’s interesting, after climbing for over 20 years, to still be able to push further. It’s like an existential question in climbing, because climbing is so much about progression. There are so many different ways to progress as a climber. One way, for sure, is to climb more difficult things. That’s something that inspired me a lot that I loved to work on. But at the same time there a lot of different ways to deepen our experience as climbers. And these are all forms of progression. For me, even as an example, starting a climbing gym, finding to share my passions with more climbers, is a progression in climbing. The point is like our life journey and climbing is totally connected. As we develop in different ways as people, our sort of relationship evolves and progresses in different ways.

You are now 35 years old. Other sport climbers say that they have passed their zenith at this age. Do you feel that you have to change your priorities?

For now, I feel like still climbing on my highest level. So I don’t feel like that right now. But as I said before, it’s important to look at it in a bigger picture way. I think, that’s the beautiful thing about climbing, it’s not like typical sports, like gymnastics or soccer. It’s really like a lifestyle sport that you can do for your whole life. To look at just in terms of extreme sport climbing is a very limited vision of it. For now, I feel this potential to continue pushing. So, of course, that’s what I’m gonna do. But that’s just one side of the experiences of climbers. You have little kids climbing as well as old people in their seventies. That’s really the essence of climbing to push your limits, to try something that is outside of your comfort zone and maybe appears impossible for you. And then through this process of working hard towards your goals you’re discovering that you’re capable something more than you thought. That’s really like a universal thing, whether you’re climbing a 6 a or 9 a, it’s the same experience – for you, for myself, for anybody.

Chris Sharma_ The essence of climbing

You have been living in Spain for many years now. Would you say you’re a sun climber, needing the warm climate around you?

I am from Santa Cruz, California, it’s like a town of surfing. When I got into climbing, it was through a climbing gym. In this way I am really one of the first climbers of this new generation from climbing gyms. In this way my introduction to climbing wasn’t like for example other people in the Alps. So my connection to climbing has been through sport climbing. Now what I love is Psicobloc, deep water soloing [climbing sea cliffs completely solo, without ropes or gear. If you slip, you just fall in the sea]. For me this is combining my two worlds, the mountains with the sea. I’m more of a beach person than an alpine person.

Psicobloc, extreme climbing on coastal rocks (© PRana)

Many sport climbers who are getting older turn to the Himalayas, saying: We are good rock climbers, very experienced now and try to transfer our climbing from the rocks at lower altitude to high altitude. Is it an option for you to do it this way?

You never know. It’s a point of my life I can’t imagine going there, honestly. I have other things to work on closer to home, but you never know. I mean, see what happens. I am open to anything, actually.

Have you ever been in the Himalayas?

I’ve been in India and Nepal, just walking around, not climbing mountains.

Didn’t you experience that thrill, looking at these mountains and thinking, I have to climb them?

I have a really big appreciation for mountains and for alpine climbing. But honestly, the dangers of climbing in the Himalayas with avalanches and all this stuff, it’s not so interesting to me right now.

Chris loves the warmth (© PRana)

Are you speaking as a father now?

Yes, for sure. I think, for that sort of thing, it’s worth it for the people, this is their life passion to do that. But to do it as just kind of a side thing maybe it’s not worth the risk. If it’s your mission in life to do that, then you are comfortable with that risk. But I’m not a mountain climber, I’m a cliff climber. I think, whatever you do, you have to be very focused and make a strong decision that you gonna do this. At least now in this moment I don’t have that. That’s not very clear in my head, so it doesn’t make sense so much to me in that way.

In November 2016, Adam Ondra made headlines by free climbing the “Dawn Wall” on El Capitan in Yosemite.  Many compare you and Adam. Is there a kind of competition between you or would you say, I only compete with myself?

I’d say I have only competition with myself. Honestly, it’s an honor to climb together with Adam. For me sometimes it has been hard in the past that I always climbed alone on these projects. Adam and I have been climbing together in Spain. It’s really great to climb with somebody. That can push me also.  There are so many different ways to approach things. Imagine, you have two of the best musicians in the world that come together. It could either be like an ego thing and try to decide who is best. That’s kind of a waste. The interesting thing would be that they sit down and play music together and make something even more incredible. That’s what Adam and I have been able to do. It’s pretty cool. I appreciate Adam, all the stuff he’s doing. I really like to have a chance to climb together with him.  

Chris Sharma about Adam Ondra

What do you feel when you have completed a climbing project successfully?

As I said, for me climbing is the way I realize my potential. It’s what I dedicate my life to. When you have these moments that everything comes together in a perfect way, these are really like transcendental moments, in climbing and life, when all this work, everything is perfected in a way that it flows perfectly. There are really magical moments.

Adam Ondra cheered after his success

What a hotshot! The 23-year-old Czech Adam Ondra succeeded his free climb through the mostly vertical, partly overhanging “Dawn Wall” in the granite of El Capitan within only eight days. It was the only second free ascent of the rock route, which is regarded as the most difficult in the world. At the beginning of 2015, the Americans Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson had “freed” the “Dawn Wall” after 19 days in the approximately 900-meter-high wall, a milestone of climbing history. They had been preparing for it for more than seven years. Ondra spent just two and a half weeks on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Kevin Jorgeson finds the success of the young Czech “totally badass”, as he wrote to the magazine “Rock and Ice”: “For Tommy and I, the question was whether it was even possible. We left lots of room to improve the style and Adam did just that! Super impressive that he was able to adapt to the Dawn Wall’s unique style and sort out so many complex sequences so quickly.” The German climbing scene is also thrilled.

“As if Bolt had won the marathon”

Climbing also in the night

Alexander Huber, aged 47, the younger of the Huber brothers, writes to me, that Ondra’s performance “equates to his ability: masterly, brilliant”. Alexander’s older brother values Adam’s success in a similar way. “This is the statement of the new generation per se,” tells me Thomas Huber (who, by the way, celebrated his 50th birthday on Friday last week): “For me it is the greatest achievement in climbing of our times. Now the bar is high!” Stefan Glowacz is also blown away. “I’ve been climbing for more than 40 years, but this performance is simply unbelievable,” writes the 51-year-old on Facebook. “It is amazing to see how the young generation catapult climbing into ever new dimensions that were hardly thought possible hitherto.” Ondra’s performance is “a kind of fusion of passion, obsession and extraordinary ability, but above all, an unprecedented mental performance,” says Glowacz, pointing out that it was Adam Ondra’s first big wall experience: “Somewhere I read this comparison: It is as if Usain Bolt had won the marathon race too.”

“Dawn Wall” within in 24 hours?

For years already, experts believe Adam Ondra to be the world’s best sports climber. During his climb of the “Dawn Wall” on El Capitan, he was accompanied by his countryman Pavel Blazek and the Austrian photographer Heinz Zak. Ondra led all 32 pitches ofthe route. “The first two days I was as nervous as a cat,” Adam said in an interview with the Czech climbing website emontana. In his words climbing the two key pitches (No. 14 and 15) was “like holding razor blades. But apart from them there are the pitches which I consider to belong among the best ones I have ever climbed.” It is quite possible that Ondra will soon be back on the route. “I would love to climb it a lot faster than this time”, says Adam, putting the bar high: “I think climbing ‘Dawn Wall’ in 24 hours is a nice challenge. It won´t be my ambition for the next year, that´s what I am sure of. I would like to take a mental rest for a few seasons but it would be interesting as a dream for life.” As absurd as this dream may sound, this hotshot could really do it.

Colourful spectacle

Thomas Huber

His younger brother Alexander and he themselves had participated in some competitions as young climbers, “rather poorly,” says the 49-year-old. But at that time climbing competition was in its infancy. “When I look at the Boulder World Cup today, I am thrilled: Colourful, spectacular routes, almost artistic. There’s a lot going on.” Indeed climbing, as the Alpine clubs mention, is adventure, but not only, says the older of the two Huber brothers: “It’s an attractive, serious sport. I also train like a competitive athlete when I want to go on expedition e.g. to Pakistan.”

“That’s nonsense!”

Czech Adam Ondra, aged 23, one of the world’s best, if not the best sport climber currently, rejects the plan to combine all three disciplines – Lead, Bouldering and Speed Climbing – at the Olympics and to give medals to the best three of the overall standings. Thomas Huber agrees with him: “These are different disciplines. You cannot lump everything together. That’s nonsense! If the officials do that, they haven’t understood what’s climbing. In this case forget about that.”

Turning away from the essence

David Lama has a more fundamental problem related to sport climbing at the Olympics. The 26-year-old top climber from Austria was a very successful athlete when he was a teenager, but then left the climbing competitions to concentrate completely on alpinism. Climbing, says David, “developed from man’s urge of discovering, from the motivation to climb mountains and to get into adventure. That is the essence of climbing, and in this form, there are still no rules.” However, clear rules need to be introduced to guarantee a fair competition, says Lama. For that reason alone, competition climbing had to distance from “real climbing”.

“Apples and pineapples”

Lama believes that the sport will distance even further from its essence after it will have become Olympic: “But is that bad? As long as we are aware that a competition has never reflected and will never reflect the basic idea of climbing, it is neither good nor bad. It simply doesn’t matter.“ It is difficult to compare apples and oranges, says David: “If I myself had to make the decision, I would clearly vote against the Olympics Games, so that the climbing DNA won’t be further diluted in competion climbing. Otherwise the appropriate comparison would soon be between apples and pineapples.”