BD athlete Adam Ondra onsights Mind Control (8c+), Oliana, Spain

Black Diamond athlete Adam Ondra went on an unstoppable onsight spree this past February and March in northern Spain, managing a stunning five 8c+ routes onsight. Five! Only Ondra’s fellow BD team member Patxi Usobiaga has managed a 5.14c onsight, and that was just one. We sent ace lensman Bernardo Gimenez to document Ondra’s onsighting at the mega-crag of Oliana, and he was fortunate enough to be rigged and ready when Ondra onsighted Mind Control (8c+), a gorgeous, 40-meter tufa/colonette/pocket line that was soaking wet on top. Gimenez had a pulley system set up and was able to capture the onsight in one single, flowing take, producing a truly unique record of one of the hardest sport-climbing onsights ever (it's amazing to watch the mental gears turning as Ondra tries to quickly figure out a way to securely engage the wet colonette at the top). None of Ondra's pterodactyl shrieks of max-effort during this onsight, just cool, calculated climbing that belies the demands of the grade. It truly does look like he's redpointing 7c+ rather than onsighting 8c+. Impressive, indeed.
Autore: Black Diamond Equipment

06-04-2011