Adam Ondra calls hardest climb in the world Silence

After his astounding first free ascent last Sunday, Adam Ondra took five days off to reflect and think about the right name for what is undoubtedly the most difficult sport climb in the world. And as of today the first 9c in the world is no longer called Project Hard, but Silence.

Those who read our interview shortly after Ondra’s first ascent won’t be surprised, as the 24-year-old told planetmountain.com that as he reached the anchor he didn’t let out his trademark scream. Instead, he just sat there in utter silence as he felt the tears swell up.

The Czech climber has now provided more insight into that unprecedented moment: "When I was climbing through the crux of this route, I felt like if I was in my own world, with my mind in complete silence, my body relaxed and flowing up the moves in complete harmony despite the extreme difficulty of the moves. When I reached the anchor, I wanted to scream, but I could not. Too overwhelmed to break the silence."

Silence 9c, Flatanger, Norway. (formerly known as Project Hard). When I was climbing through the crux of this route, I felt like if I was in my own world, with my mind in complete silence, my body relaxed and flowing up the moves in complete harmony despite the extreme difficulty of the moves. When I reached the anchor, I wanted to scream, but I could not. Too overwhelmed to break the silence. pic by @bernardo_gimenez @climbflatanger @montura_official @lasportivagram @blackdiamond @mytendon @chimpbars @gardatrentino @ivavejmolova @pavelblazek

A post shared by Adam Ondra (@adam.ondra) on Sep 8, 2017 at 3:00am PDT

ADAM ONDRA 9B and 9B+
03/2010 Golpe de Estado, Siurana, Spain, repeat
02/2011 La Capella, Siurana, Spain. 9b, first ascent
03/2011 Chaxi Raxi, Oliana, Spain. 9b, first ascent
04/2011 Chilam Balam, Villanueva del Rosario, Spain. 9b, repeat
04/2011 La Planta de Shiva, Villanueva del Rosario, Spain. 9b, first ascent
10/2012 Change, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9b+, first ascent
02/2013 Fight or Flight, Oliana, Spain. 9b, repeat
02/2013 Dura Dura, Oliana, Spain. 9b+, first ascent
08/2013 Iron Curtain, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9b, first ascent
08/2013 Move, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9b, first ascent
12/2013 Vasil Vasil, Sloup, Czech Republic. 9b+, first ascent
02/2014 First Round First Minute, Margalef, Spain. 9b, repeat
11/2015 C.R.S., Mollans, France. 9b, first ascent
02/2016 Stoking the Fire, Santa Linya, Spain. 9b, repeat
10/2016 Robin Úd 9b, Alternativna stena, Slovakia, first ascent
02/2017 Pachamama, Oliana, Spain. 9b, repeat
02/2017 Mamichula, Oliana, Spain. 9b, first ascent
04/2017 Queen Line, Laghel - Arco, Italy, 9b, first ascent
04/2017 Lapsus, Andonno, Italy, 9b, first repeat
09/2017 Project Hard, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9c, first ascent

Info: www.adamondra.com, Instagram Adam Ondra, www.lasportiva.com