Adam Ondra and Piotr Schab send 9a+ in Spain

If you head to any of Spain’s crags in winter, chances are you can hear a multitude of different languages being spoken as the country has rapidly transformed into the world’s premier sport climbing destination during the colder months. Two days ago Czech and Polish echoed across the walls of Santa Linya and Siurana, as Adam Ondra had sent Catxasa and Piotr Schab had redpointed legendary La Rambla. Both climbs are graded 9a+.

While Ondra with the world’s first 9c certainly needs no introduction, 22-year-old Schab is less well known. He has sent a handful of 9a+ though, including Biographie at Céüse in France and Gancho Perfecto at Margalef in Spain. Perhaps even more impressive though was his summer 2018 first onsight first ascent of an 8c at Cuenca.

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Catxasa 9a+ Second Czech ascent after @konecnik Jakub Konecny recently, and almost third one, as Tomas Mrazek fell off the very last move in 2010 which could have been first ascent of this line. I tried this line myself first in 2010, and tried it off and on for years, always as a side project. Well, I am glad it is finally in the bag. @lasportivagram @montura_official @blackdiamond @mytendon @gardatrentino Pic by @artofroute

A post shared by Adam Ondra (@adam.ondra) on Feb 8, 2019 at 12:40pm PST

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RAMBLAAAAAA The very first go that I realised it was possible, it has just worked out perfectly Wow, big day Swipe for the send go film ! • @patagonia_climb @patagoniaeurope @scarpa_pl @scarpaspa @iurapl @blackdiamond @sublimeclimbing @wingschalk #climbing #climbing_is_my_passion #climbing_lovers #climbing_worldwide #climbinglife #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #timetoclimb #climb #climber #wspinanie #wspinaczka #wspinaniepl #arrampicata #klettern #outdoorclimbing #escalada #escalade #rocks #rockclimbing #sportclimbing #doyouclimb #climbingrocks #iloooveit #grippedmagazine #rockandice #climberslife #climbingisbliss #training #wingschalk

A post shared by Piotr Schab (@piotr_schab) on Feb 8, 2019 at 12:29pm PST