Video: Ondra’s Early Triumph, the World’s Third 5.15c

Adam Ondra decided to break with tradition in his latest video. Instead of simply climbing yet another elite-level route, he takes a trip down memory lane.

His new video below shows never-before-seen footage of his first ascent of Vasil Vasil. At the time, it was only the third route in the world done despite the mega-hard difficulty of 5.15c.

Ondra first climbed it in 2013 after bolting it himself five years earlier. It’s located at Sloup in the climber’s native Czech Republic, where he’s now established many of the country’s hardest climbs, including this one.

The route’s crux involves a V13 move within a larger V14 problem, followed by a 5.13d section. If that doesn’t make any sense to you, let’s just say it would be a tough nut to crack for any climber in the world.

As for Ondra, he spent 20 days spread over two years working on the route. Now, we get to see the prodigy’s process.

Spoiler alert for Ondra newbies: That means plenty of screaming.

Andrew McLemore

An award-winning journalist and photographer, Andrew McLemore brings more than 14 years of experience to his position as Associate News Editor for Lola Digital Media. Andrew is also a musician, climber and traveler who currently lives in Medellin, Colombia. When he’s not writing, playing gigs or exploring the outdoors, he’s hanging out with his dog Campana.