Adam Ondra climbs 9b again / Neanderthal repeat at Santa Linya

Is a 9b climbed by Adam Ondra still newsworthy? Even if in some respects the Czech climber seems to have a harder time finding one than actually redpointing it? Of course it's big news. Because although Ondra has already redpointed over 20 climbs of these inordinate difficulties, including three 9b+ and Silence, the world’s only 9c, at present there are less than a handful of climbers worldwide capable of sending 9b. So a 9b sent by Ondra, or for anyone else for that matter, is, yes, very much headline news.

During a brief visit to Santa Linya in Spain Ondra has now managed to repeat Neanderthal, the marathon outing established by Chris Sharma and recently in our news thanks to Jakob Schubert who claimed the first repeat. Ondra started trying the route in 2011 and now congratulates Sharma for his first ascent that dates back to 2009, when the Czech youngster was a mere 16 and although the rising star, hadn’t yet climbed 9b. Much has obviously changed during these nine years, but one thing is certain: 9b is still absolutely world class, and definitely headline news.

ADAM ONDRA 9b - 9c
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 Mamichula, Oliana, Spain. 9b, first ascent
04/2017 Queen Line, Laghel - Arco, Italy, 9b, first ascent
04/2017 Lapsus, Andonno, Italy, 9b, first repeat
07/2017 Move Hard, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9b, first ascent
09/2017 Silence, Flatanger / Hanshallaren, Norway. 9c, first ascent
11/2017 One Slap, Laghel - Arco, Italy, 9b, first repeat
01/2018 Eagle-4, St Léger, France, first ascent
07/2018 Disbelief, Acephale, Canada, 9b first ascent
02/2019 Neanderthal, Santa Linya, Spain, 9b repeat

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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