Czech climber Adam Ondra has completed his long-term 9c project at the Flatanger cave in Norway, which Adam gave the working title of Project Hard. It is the first route of the grade and the hardest sport climb in the world, which he has since named Silence.

Björn Pohl managed to get hold of Adam for a brief chat:

Yes! Congrats Adam!

Hell yeah, thaaanks.

Hard 9b+? ;)

Yeah, hard 9b+ could be 9c, no? That's what I hope ;-)

Haha, I've got a feeling you're pretty sure it's 9c?

It is hard, much harder than anything else I've done. That's why I hope it's 9c, but I am not sure about it.

Well I guess it's difficult to know for certain at this point. That's the price you pay for leading the way into the unknown realms of difficulty I assume...

Thanks Adam, and congrats once again!

Adam Ondra on Move, 9b/+, Flatanger, Norway © Ondra collection

Adam bolted the project in 2012, which involves steep crack climbing and an impressive bat-hang rest. Adam has described the route as a ~15m 8b to a good but uncomfortable rest, and then a proper ~8C very awkward boulder section, the bat-hang rest, and then another ~8B boulder section near the top.

The three existing 9b+'s in the world, Change (L1+L2) , La Dura Dura and Vasil, vasil, were all put up by Adam, and only one, La Dura Dura, has been repeated by Chris Sharma.

It will probably by a while until we know where 9b+ ends and 9c begins.

Adam announced his success in a short and very cryptic Instagram video. 'I'm just really, really happy!' he says.

Speaking to The Guardian for a news piece, he commented:

'I bolted it in 2013. Back then I only tried it for a few days and thought it was way too hard. Then last season I started again. Over seven trips to Norway, I guess I'd say I spent 40 or 50 days trying it.'

On completing the route, he told The Guardian:

'I could not even scream. All I could do was just hang on the rope, feeling tears in my eyes. It was too much joy, relief and excitement all mixed together … Months and months of my life summed up in 20 minutes.'

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