BD athlete Adam Ondra making the first ascent of Chaxi Raxi (9b) at Oliana, Spain

Black Diamond athlete Adam Ondra made the first ascent of Chaxi Raxi, a massive 9b line at Oliana, Spain in late April. This is likely one of the hardest sport climb in the world. We had Bernardo Gimenez on the scene to document Adam’s efforts and he was fortunate enough to be there for the redpoint. Below is the outstanding video Bernardo edited together, as well as brief recap from Adam. Stunning. Impressive. Inspiring. Absolutely bad ass. Congratulations, Adam.
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Oliana is one of my favorite areas in the whole region of northern Spain. It’s a stunning 50-meter long wall of orange and blue limestone with complex climbing. The wall dries out rather quickly, so I had the opportunity to try out one of projects that Chris bolted called Chaxi Raxi already the first day after the period of rain. It felt very difficult at the beginning, especially the very first crux. I could do every single move, but to link two of them seemed incredibly difficult. The top part seemed more possible—I could link the moves without serious problems except two of them, where I found terrible extra-powerful beta skipping two holds, until Chris told me to try it differently, a much more crimpy and static way. Though crimps are what I excel at and Chris prefers big moves on reasonable holds, our initial betas had been completely the other way around.

Getting back to Chaxi Raxi, I stunned myself that I managed to send the easier variation, skipping the first bouldery section via a detour of 7b, which could be around 9a+ on its own right. There was the time now to work a lot on the lower boulder problem and then I might be able send. But that was hard. I didn't go very well, but I steadily kept progressing, and the sixth day I manged to get through the first crux, which could a hard 8B+ boulder problem on its own. I took a rest on the tufa and continued. I made it through the crux sections, but in the end of the last difficult, being 100% confident of success, my left heel slipped. And I did not manage to get through the bottom again that day. I got through it once on my 7th day, I fell a few moves below my highpoint, as I didn't hit the hold right while making dynamic move. I got pretty nervous, since I knew I was able to send it, but I had mere one day left and there are so many sections to make a tiny mistake which might ruin my attempt and also the day, because it is very hard to link the bottom twice in a day. On the first go of my last day, I made it through the first crux somehow, got to the rest and stayed there for a few minutes. This rest is actually enormously useful for the whole route, without the place to shake out it would be undoubtedly 9b+, but it is also a place where you can easily get nervous and think about potential failure. That is what happened to me. The way I continued climbing one can't call efficient at all, but the route was tiny bit below my absolute limit after eight days of work, and despite getting pumped, I got somehow to the anchor and could enjoy the feeling of victory on the last day of the trip yet again. This is probably my hardest route I have ever done.

— Adam

Enzo Oddo: The First Time

就是這小夥子，太厲害已經爬完5.14C，2002就爬完5.14d
就連Sharma 的5.15a 也已經Redpoint

有關他的報導請見
Climbing 雜誌

BD 鉤環的製作流程

Black Diamond Carabiner Manufacturing from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

原來我們用的鉤環是這樣做出來的

Paul Robinson: The Schengen Files

Paul Robinson: The Schengen Files from Prana Living on Vimeo.

The Schengen Files is a movie about my most recent trip to Europe. During the first three months of 2011 I was fortunate enough to climb in both Fontainbleau, France and Ticino, Switzerland. This video will document some of the hardest climbs I accomplished during the three month period. The video is planned to premiere later this Summer after it has been edited all together. This video is about the purity of climbing, the high level of psyche that I have for climbing at my limit, as well as the amazing rock that these areas have. This film was shot to document some of the hardest climbs I have ever done and to show my perceptions of the truly magnificent climbing within the confines of the Schengen Union.

Stay tuned for more updates and enjoy!

~Paul Robinson

Hardest of the Alps

Hardest of the Alps from story.teller on Vimeo.

In the summer of 2010, Iker and Eneko Pou decided to visit legends. Travelling the Alps in their camper van, they met the godfathers that changed climbing forever.
Walking on the footsteps of Manolo, Alex Huber and Beat Kammerlander, they repeated some of the most iconic routes in the history of big-wall climbing: itineraries that show the way to the new generations.
Enjoy,
STORY.teller COLLECTIVE

小山田大 AGARTHA V14

AGARTHA V14 from project_daihold on Vimeo.

小山田大

Adam Ondra 5.15b

BD athlete Adam Ondra onsights Mind Control (8c+), Oliana, Spain from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

BD athlete Adam Ondra reports on his astounding same-day 9b redpoint and 8c+ onsight at Oliana, Spain

相關報導請見下方連結
Adam Ondra 5.15b (9b redpoint & 8c+ onsight)

The Peach (WI5 M8)

BD athlete Raphael Slawinski makes first ascent of The Peach (WI 5 M8), a multi-pitch, bolt-free mixed line in the Canadian Rockies.

BD athlete Raphael Slawinski on The Peach (WI 5 M8), a multi-pitch, bolt-free mixed line in the Canadian Rockies from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

Black Diamond athlete Raph Slawinski has climbed ice all over the Canadian Rockies from fat ice flows to desperate mixed lines, bagging tons of first ascents along the way. Recently he teamed up with Grant Meekins to make the first ascent of an impressive bolt-free mixed line, The Peach (WI 5 M8). Raph was so stoked about the route he later returned with Jerome Yerly to make the second ascent, this time with Wiktor Skupinski along to film the action. The video deftly captures the demanding nature of the steep climbing, as well as shows just how chossy Rockies choss can get.