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Adam Ondra: The Best Climber in the World

By Jake · · Updated

Contents

Bio

Adam Ondra is one of the best rock climbers of this generation and is widely regarded as the best in the world. He is from Brno, Czech Republic, and has been called the “best climber ever” (The Economist) and a prodigy who has become quite famous in the rock climbing world. He grew up with climbing parents and led his first 5.10 at age six, and he rose to fame quickly. He appeared in climbing magazines and to this day he is still accomplishing some of the most impressive accomplishments in the climbing field.

He holds an incredible number of “firsts” in his climbing career. Some examples are:

  • First to redpoint a 9c (Silence) – 2017
  • First to redpoint a 9b+ (Change) – 2012
  • First to flash a 9a+ (Supercrackinette) – 2018
  • First athlete to win the overall World Cup in both lead (2009, 2015, 2019) and bouldering (2010)
  • First athlete to win World Championship titles in both lead and bouldering in the same year – 2014
  • He’s also had so many first ascents that it’s nearly impossible to list them all in one place.

Stats:

Height: 6’1” DOB: 02/05/1993 Ape Index: 1.01 / +0.4″

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where sport climbing made its Olympic debut, Adam finished sixth in the combined event. At Paris 2024, where speed was split off from a combined boulder and lead event, he again finished sixth.

In 2023, he released an awesome video revealing the secrets behind the scream that he’s so well known for. The video is well worth the watch.

Outside of his climbing career, Ondra is married to his longtime partner, Iva Ondra, and the couple has a child.

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A post shared by Adam Ondra (@adam.ondra)

Ondra still climbs at the highest level and keeps working on some of the world’s toughest projects. By 2022, he had reached 35 IFSC World Cup podiums, including 15 lead wins and six boulder wins, according to Climbing.

For recent information about what he’s up to, you can follow along with him on social media:

Notable Climbs

Adam Ondra has an insane amount of notable accomplishments, but we’ve selected the top ones and put them in order from most recent to further past. Spoiler alert: there’s a lot.

Super Crackinette (9a+/5.15a) – 2018

In February 2018 at Saint-Léger du Ventoux, France, Ondra flashed Super Crackinette (9a+/5.15a), the first flash of a 9a+. Adam said on his website: the “route is a dream, the ascent was a dream.” There’s a great video of that day by Reel Rock.

Silence (9c 5.15d) – 2017

In September 2017, Adam Ondra became the first climber to send a 9c with Silence in Flatanger, Norway, after about four years of effort. Other climbers have since proposed 9c routes, and in October 2026 Jakob Schubert made the first repeat of any 9c on DNA in France.

If you have twenty minutes to spare, the video is definitely worth the watch.

The Dawn Wall on El Capitan – 2016

Often called the hardest and longest free climb in the world, the Dawn Wall is located in Yosemite National Park in California. Twenty-three year-old Ondra claimed the 2nd free ascent of the 32-pitch route in November of 2016, after eight days on the wall. There’s a detailed full write up on Adam’s experience here at Climbing.com. The route was first free climbed by Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson in January 2015, and their ascent took 19 days.

120 Degrees (9a) in Flatanger – 2016

Adam has spent a lot of time in Flatanger Cave in Norway (as you’ll see in previous climbs on this list, there are quite a few here) and has several first ascents there. In June 2016, he added 120 Degrees (9a) to his list of hard Flatanger routes.

Vicious Circle (5.15a/b) in Slovenia – 2016

In March 2016, on a short trip to Slovenia and Croatia, Adam climbed Vicious Circle (5.15a/b) at Osp in Slovenia. He also reported fast ascents of several hard routes in Croatia on the same trip.

2nd Ascent of Sharma’s Stoking the Fire (5.15b) – 2016

At the time, Stoking the Fire was one of two unrepeated Chris Sharma routes in Santa Linya cave in Spain, and Adam claimed the 2nd ascent back in 2016. It took over a year, but after a couple visits he was able to clip the chains. After this climb, it seemed as if he had done almost every 5.15b and 5.15c available, so the climbing community was anxious to see what would come next for the leading climber in the world.

5.15a FA for Ondra: Predator – 2015

After several 5.15a first ascents for Adam, Predator (5.15a) seemed like no big deal. The new route, which he climbed in November 2015, is in the Bohemian Karst of his home country, the Czech Republic, and became the hardest route in Bohemia.

New 5.15b in France C.R.S. – 2015

After a few months of flying under the radar post-Three Degrees, Adam’s name popped up again in climbing news as he claimed the first ascent of a new 5.15b route in southern France called C.R.S. in November 2015. Adam called it the “ultimate power endurance testpiece, combining desperately physical overhang with extremely thin holds on the very top.”

2nd Ascent of Three Degrees of Separation (5.15a) – 2015

Another Chris Sharma route, Three Degrees of Separation was originally thought to be a 5.14d, but after Adam claimed the 2nd ascent he suggested it was a 5.15a because of “three massive dynos into perfect jugs” (dynos are a type of jump) that were made more difficult by getting pumped out on the previous 20 meters. This route was previously on Adam’s list of “The Routes I Cannot Climb” in an old Planet Mountain interview but he was able to send it, taking advantage of his height in those difficult dynos.

adam ondra

Photo: Pierre Delas/Kairn

Flashes Jade (V14) in Colorado – 2015

A few days after White Noise, he reportedly flashed Jade (V14) in Rocky Mountain National Park. He had just placed third in the Vail World Cup then completed the “hardest flash in the world” (quote by Dave Graham). He also flashed Don’t Get Too Greedy (V13) while he was there, both of which he had hiked to before heading to the airport.

White Noise (V14/15) in Colorado – 2015

While in the Vail, Colorado, area for the World Cup bouldering competition, Adam visited Rocky Mountain National Park, where he reportedly sent White Noise (V14/15) in only a handful of tries and flashed Bear Toss (V13). These quick ascents were quite impressive, especially right before the competition.

Necessary Evil (5.14c) – 2015

As part of a rare American trip from Ondra, he spent some time in Squamish (British Columbia) and the Southwest. In Squamish, he made a valiant flash attempt of Dreamcatcher (5.14d) but a wet finger lock prevented his send. He then went south to Arizona’s Virgin River Gorge, near Las Vegas, where he was able to pull off a quick send of Chris Sharma’s Necessary Evil (5.14c) after a failed onsight attempt.

Another 9a Onsight – TCT in 2014

In Gravere, Italy, Adam onsighted his 3rd 9a/5.14d with TCT. It stands for Tito Claudio Traversa and stands as a tribute to the young climber who was killed in 2013 in a tragic accident. The route was established only a month prior by Stefano Ghisolfi.

Photo by: Petr Chodura

First Round, First Minute…First Repeat (5.15b) – 2014

In early 2014, Adam Ondra claimed the 2nd ascent of First Round, First Minute (5.15b), a short, power route first climbed by Chris Sharma in 2011. Ondra had visited a couple of times over the years, but consistently ran out of time before completion and made it his 2014 goal. He clipped the chains in February 2014.

Sends Biographie (5.15a) and Onsights Another 5.14c – 2014

In between competitions in 2014, the year he won world titles in both lead and bouldering, Adam took a few days to finally finish off Biographie (5.15a) at Céüse, France. This was two years after his flash attempt, and it was the route’s tenth ascent since Chris Sharma’s first ascent in 2001. During this time, Adam also onsighted Superplafond (5.14c).

Another 5.15b/c in Norway – 2013

In 2013, Adam had another successful trip to Flatanger Cave in Norway. He claimed the first ascent of Move (5.15b/c), which joined his other first ascents in the cave, including Thor’s Hammer (now graded 5.14d), Iron Curtain (5.15b), and Change (5.15c).

Another 5.14d First Ascent for Ondra – 2013

Back in Norway’s Flatanger Cave after his ascent of The Change in 2012, Adam Ondra bolted and sent four new routes – 5.13b, 5.14a, 5.14c, and his new route Illusionist (5.14d). This was quite a productive time period, but his climbing partner Petr Pavlíček said it was “just a little warm up” before the “really super hard projects.

Sends La Dura Dura (5.15c) – 2013

At the time, La Dura Dura (5.15c) was considered the world’s hardest sport route, and Adam made its first ascent in February 2013 after about nine weeks of effort. Located in Oliana, Spain, the route received a proposed grade of 9b+ (5.15c) and he said that it felt harder than his Change route in Norway.

Adam Ondra sending La Dura Dura

Two 5.14 Onsights – Pure Imagination and Golden Ticket – 2012

While he was in Red River Gorge for Southern Smoke Direct (5.14d), Adam also successfully onsighted Pure Imagination and Golden Ticket (5.14d). Though both were estimated to be 5.14d, Adam suggested low end 5.14c for Pure Imagination and high end 5.14c for Golden Ticket.

open air

Photo: Ales Rozsypal

Flashed 5.14d/15a – Southern Smoke Direct in 2012

Adam was the first climber to flash a 5.14d and he chose Southern Smoke Direct in Red River Gorge. This was only the second ascent of this route, which Adam Taylor established in 2011. While on this trip to the Red, Adam Ondra also was able to onsight Omaha Beach, Transworld Depravity (both 5.14a) and many other routes in Madness Cave.

Sends 5.15c in Norway The Change – 2012

On October 4, 2012, Adam Ondra completed Change in Norway’s Flatanger Cave and graded it 9b+ (5.15c). It was the world’s first route of that grade and the hardest route in the world at the time.

More From Norway: Nordic Flower and Others – 2012

One day after The Eye of Odin (5.14c), Ondra had some great accomplishments in Norway. He pulled off an onsight of Nordic Flower (5.14d) and had brought along 30 quickdraws for the 55 meter route. He said “I was so heavy at the beginning that it felt like a crux.” On this trip, he had also put up Thor’s Hammer (5.15a), as well as a hard boulder problem, Blood Redemption (V14/15).

The Eye of Odin (5.14c) – Adam Does His Thing in Norway – 2012

Just a few days prior, Eye of Odin (5.14c) had its first ascent reported. It took three of the best sport climbers working together to get first ascent (first sent by Ethan Pringle then Dani Andrada). Pringle was quoted saying “the wizard” (Adam Ondra) “will onsight it,” which came true a few days later when Adam onsighted it. This was Adam’s 10th 5.14c onsight, not including the ones that he downgraded to 5.14b.

Flash Attempt of Biographie (5.15a) – 2012

In one of the most watched flash attempts, Adam tried his hand at Biographie (5.15a) in France. There was lots of people at the crag, as well as a slew of others watching through Facebook and Twitter feeds. Unfortunately, Adam would fail this flash, but would return for completion in summer of 2014 while he was in between competitions.

To Tu Ještě Nebylo 5.14d First Ascent – 2012

Adam Ondra’s first ascent of To Tu Ještě Nebylo (5.14d) in the Elbsandstein wasn’t necessarily anything new, but he made news for bolting it on lead instead of rappelling down like normal. This area is one of the oldest free climbing arenas in the world and has a strict code of ethics that Adam respectfully followed. He took several lead falls with a power drill in hand, but Adam stepped up to the challenge for sure.

2nd Ascent of Gioia (V16) – 2011

Gioia means “joy” and the boulder problem is located in Varazze, Italy. First established by Christian Core in 2008, Adam was the first climber to successfully repeat it, even after several attempts by some of the strongest climbers. In 2011, this was potentially the hardest problem in the world.

Another 5.14c Onsight – L’Avaro in 2011

After failing to qualify for finals at a 2011 IFSC Lead World Cup but before heading to the World Championships in Arco, Italy, Adam stopped by for some climbing. He was able to onsight another 5.14c, L’Avaro, at the Italian crag Tetto di Sarre.

Second Ascent of Overshadow (5.15a) – 2011

In May 2011, Adam Ondra completed the second ascent of Steve McClure’s Overshadow (5.15a). Located at Malham Cove, UK, the route didn’t come easy for Adam and he agreed with the original suggestion of 5.15a. During this visit, Ondra also claimed the 2nd ascent of Rainshadow (9a – first repeat since 2003), climbed the first ever 8c onsight in the UK on Bat Route (7b to 8a+ headwall), and almost got the first repeat of Total Eclipse (8c+/9a).

References

  • Wikipedia
  • Planet Mountain
  • AdamOndra.com
  • Climbing.com

Cover photo from AdamOndra.com, quote by Ondra added afterwards.

Sources

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