Stefano Ghisolfi did the FA of Omen Nomen in Arco last week but as he did it in just his third try after finding the right beta, he suggested 8c+ and as so it did not make any headlines in the media. Now Silvio Reffo and Alex Megos have repeated it suggesting an upgrade to 9a. Reffo projected it for few days and Megos did it in a session. What are the important criteria when you give FA grades? I compare the route with other routes I climbed, with the same style, and I compare my shape too. Then I also consider the time I spent on it. For example, I'm trying a project now, I think it is 9a+, because I've already tried it for eight days. It has a similar style to Jungle Boogie in Céüse and probably the same difficulty. For the 9a+ that I've done, I have always worked between two to ten days. (c) Vertical Eye - Matteo Pavana. Time Comparison Grading Theory by 8a

No Foot Contest 8 (15/04/2017) from EscaladeAlsace on Vimeo.

Switzerland, Part One od Kevina Takashi Smitha na Vimeu.

No Foot Contest 8 (15/04/2017) od EscaladeAlsace na Vimeu.

Wrestling with an Alligator 8b. Maltatal from Michiel on Vimeo.

Wrestling with an Alligator 8b. Maltatal od Michiela na Vimeu.

Adam Ondra vyhral majstrovstvá sveta v obtiažnosti v 2009, v ten istý rok preliezol sedem ciest 8c na OS, flashol tri bouldre 8B a od spomínaného dátumu je každým rokom lezcom roka podľa 8a. V roku 2010, keď mal 17, vyhral svetový pohár v boulderingu, vyliezol svoje prvé dve 8C a spravil dva 8c prvovýstupy na Madagaskare. Suma sumárum je tomu už tak po deväť rokov. Na čokoľvek sa Adam sústredil v tom exceloval, napriek tomu, že sa púšťal do extrémnych výkonov, ako napríklad prelez Dawn Wall len dva mesiace po tom, čo vyhral majstrovstvá sveta na obtiažnosť a v bouldringu skončil druhý. Aj keď je pravdepodobne najviac známym vďaka prelezom troch 9b+ a pätnástich 9bčiek kategória, v ktorej má najviac navrch je lezenie na OS. Adam bol prvým lezcom, ktorý onsightol cestu obtiažnosti 9a, no osobné hodnotenie dal nižšie. Keď počítame aj jeho prísne osobné hodnotenia, v súčte onsightol pätnásť 8c+ a tri 9a. Žiadny iný lezec zatiaľ nenazbieral viac ako jedno 8c+ alebo 9a OS. Čo robí z Adama Ondru unikátnym je jeho schopnosť podávať svetové výkony všade, od silových výbušných párkrokových bouldrov cez vytrvalostné dvadsaťminútové cesty až po lezecký ultramaratón, ktorým bolo 8 dní strávených v Dawn Wall. Počuli ste už niekedy o bežcovi, ktorý by podával rovnaké výkony na 60m dráhe a zároveň na maratóne? V tomto článku z roku 2009 sa autor snaží vysvetliť Adamov náskok pred zvyškom lezeckej špičky z hľadiska techniky, taktiky a mentálnej prípravy. Ďalším možným vysvetlením je jeho flexibilita. Je známy používaním "kozích nôh" a takisto tým, že vie nasadať vysoko na nohy. Často hovorí, že nie je tak silní ako tí najlepší a že musí liezť rýchlo, keďže nemá najlepšiu vytrvalosť. Dôvodom prečo je Adam špičkou čo sa týka multi-disciplinárneho lezenie nie je teda len jeho sila, spája sa tu viacero faktorov. Autor: Jens Larssen

Adam Ondra won the Lead World Cup in 2009, onsighted seven 8c's and flashed three 8B's, and has since been the 8a Climber of the year. In 2010, at 17 years old, he won the Boulder World Cup, did his first two 8C boulders and put up two 8c multi-pitches in Madagascar. In practice, it has been like this for nine straight years. Whatever the Czech has been focused on, he has delivered even if he has gone for the extremes like doing the Dawn Wall just two months after he won the Lead World World Championship and was runner up in bouldering. Although, possibly most well-known for his three 9b+' and 15 9b's, the category the 24 year old is most superior in should be onsight. In fact, he was the first to onsight a 9a graded route but for which he gave a personal down grade. In total, he has, with his tough personal grading, onsighted 15 8c+' and three 9a's. No other has onsighted more than one 8c+ or one 9a. What makes Ondra a unique athlete is that he performs at the highest level on everything from few moves explosive ultra power, to 20 min endurance climbing to an ultra marathon 8 days up on the Dawn Wall. Have you ever heard about a 60 meter runner performing also in an ultra marathon? Here is an article from 2009 which tries to explain why Adam is superior more from a technical, tactical and mental point of view. Another possible explanation is his flexibility. He is well-known his knee-drops but at the same time he can sit higher up on his foot like no other. Adam often says that he is not as strong as the best guys and that he has to climb fast because he has not the best endurance. So the reason why he is unique when it comes to multi-discipline superiority in a physical sport, is mainly related to other aspects of climbing rather than the ability of his muscles.

James Noble has made the second repeat of Mike Adam's new Bordello in Earth Quarry giving it a personal down grade to 8B+. Ned Feehally did the first repeat some ten days ago. "Very nearly broke me (literally), that's the hardest I've pushed my fingers on any problem. Used Mike's left hand sidepull crimp sequence on the stand but a slightly easier sequence on the sit hence the personal downgrade. Still the hardest thing I've done."