In the past forty years, the level of difficulty in sport climbing has developed rapidly, but is now flattening out. Where is the limit? Adam Ondra and Magnus Midtbo talk about this during a meeting.
The currently most difficult route in the world opened Adam Ondra 2017 in Flatanger, Norway. In the Hanshallaren Cave he succeeded the first ascent of Silence, rated 9c. Adam Ondra planned the line over several years and trained it specifically for the key points until it worked with the step-through.
Opened in 2020 Alexander Megos. another 9c route, Bibliography in Céüse, which will, however, from 2021 Stefano Ghisolfi was devalued to 9b +. As a result, there is currently only one 9c route, although this has not yet been repeated and thus confirmed.
Even if the limit is currently 9c, the climbing elite agree that there is still more to it. But where is the limit of what is humanly possible? Asked this question Magnus Midtbo Adam Ondra at a meeting on the rock.
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Credits: Cover picture Magnus Midtbo