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Adam Ondra Flashes Old Jerry Moffatt Problem ‘The Ace’ 8B/V13

Adam Ondra is likely the first person to flash the classic boulder problem. It's an impressive achievement — if not exactly surprising for the world's best climber.
Adam Ondra(Photo/Petr Chodura)
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With Adam Ondra, the hits just keep rolling in.

The Czech climbing genius just spent a week in the U.K. hanging out with some of its most famous climbers. From meeting with “absolute legends” Jerry Moffatt and Ben Moon to trying the now-famous crack gym in the Wide Boyz cellar, Ondra looks quite stoked in his latest Instagram photos.

 
 
 
 
 
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Una publicación compartida por Adam Ondra (@adam.ondra)

But of course, it wouldn’t be a real Ondra trip without some seemingly effortless sends of routes that would top the bucket lists of almost anyone else in the sport.

In this case, that means Moffatt’s V13 test piece “The Ace,” which he established at Stanage Plantation back in 2001. It remains one of the hardest boulder problems at the crag, and it’s seen 24 ascents since then, according to Climbing History.

“The holds are there, the holds are big, the moves are small, it’s easy. Why is it so hard!?” said Alex Megos of the problem on UK Bouldering.

For that reason, no one had flashed the problem — until Ondra, of course.

There’s no video just yet (though you can watch Orrin Coley scream his way to the top here). There’s just the stellar photos from Petr Chodura. Even if there was, it takes less than a minute to climb this short but stout boulder problem. But keep your eye on more GearJunkie coverage of Ondra — he’s promised “quite a few exciting videos” of his time in the U.K.

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