On Sunday Adam Ondra conquered the most difficult climbing route in the Czech Republic, which is called Zvěřinec and is located in the Lidomorna sector of Holštejn in the Moravian Karst. “For me personally, this is probably the second hardest route of my life, right after the world’s first 9c,” said the Czech Olympian, recalling the Silence route at Flatanger, Norway, which he conquered in 2017.
Il seraglio has a difficulty of 9b+. “For me, Holstein is a matter of the heart, I’ve spent a lot of time here since I was little,” smiled Ondra.
“I was here for the first time when I was seven and managed to make several groundbreaking ascents here,” revealed the 29-year-old global sport climbing icon.
“I was working away this April when I wanted to find a project close to home, as my wife and I were expecting the birth of our son,” the Brno native explained in a recording from the Sport Invest agency, which represents him.
At the end of April, according to him, he made some really good attempts, but in the end he didn’t succeed, and on May 2 he celebrated the birth of his son Hugo.
He did not return to Zvěrinec again until autumn. “It’s too hot for this summer trip,” Ondra clarified.
However, the climatic conditions have not played in his favor even in recent weeks. “The hottest days this autumn were not very favorable for extreme climbing in the Moravian Karst, as too hot a day and a cold night mainly meant that the rock was very compact and it was almost impossible to climb,” said the treasury. times world champion of difficulty climbing, who also boasts a gold medal in bouldering.
Sunday, when he went to Zvěrinec again, was also not entirely ideal. “It was quite cold for a trip of this nature, which is endurance and climbs for quite a long time. It was around freezing, maybe a little below, and it was cloudy,” described Ondra.
“But the combination of climbing and warming up at home and then going as fast as I could and trying the rock meant I didn’t freeze and lose feeling in my toes. And at the same time I was able to take advantage of the really ideal friction and rock dry,” praised this year’s three-times European Championship medalist after the successful attempt.
