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.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Black Diamond
• Adam Ondra
• 8c+
• climb
• sport climb
• onsight
• on-sight
• on sight
• rock climbing

[ovomusic]

I really hate to be this person, but does it look like he's hang-dogging a bit around 7:46??

[BlackDiamondVideo]

@ovomusic Looks like it. But remember, he's got a lot of rope out. Take a look at 8:19 when he grabs the rope... he's certainly not weighting it.

[Pandorum4000]

He's not much interested in using the quick-draws, is he. He's like: hum there's a draw, but hey look, there's a really nasty hand-hold to catch my nail on it, i'll go for that!

[squick1842]

Good for us he didnt fall. Man what a crybaby. And people actually defends this cause hes a world talent

[WeBeChillin420]

@ovomusic

nope heavy rope

[MrOnionpits]

@ovomusic Then don't be that person. He's very capable, and think about the weight of the rope through all the draws. He has to constantly pull against that weight. He clips, then downclimbs to shake out on the jug. Pretty easy to see that.

[jesusgray922]

Your video is a favorite on Austria

[IringPalo]

drzim ti palce adam, si dobry, ak nebudes zbytocne riskovat, dotiahnes to daleko!

[shade3821]

Top 5 climbers ?

[shade3821]

If you had to rank the top 5 climbers 2 day?

[Dnomyar220]

@BlackDiamondVideo word... when that much rope is out it pulls itself taught on your harness like that

[publ1x]

my hands are sweaty just watching this lol....

[MrPengwin95]

ive never seen anyone looking so chill hanging so high up at the end there.