Reading about famous climbers it often seems like they never fail, that they send every route they try. Obviously this is not true, but in the world of high-end sport climbing and bouldering 99% of stories are about success when the majority of anyone’s time as a climber is spent failing. This is what makes articles like this interview PlanetMountain did with Adam Ondra all the more interesting. In it, Ondra reviews 9 climbs he has tried and failed on:
There are of course many other routes, even in the lower grades, which I’ve failed to climb, but those I’ve talked about are the ones that, for one reason or other, have frustrated me most. And of course I’ve failed on many more boulder problems, since in bouldering it’s easier to come across certain one-movers that don’t suit my style, or perhaps the line doesn’t inspire me enough to keep trying. But one day I might be back!
Of course Ondra has climbed almost 300 5.14’s or harder in the past five years including many 5.15’s and several 5.14c onsights, so it’s not like he’s been a total failure. Read the full list here.
I read something Dave MacLeod wrote that’s worth remembering. When you see the elite climbers in videos crushing their elite problems or routes, keep in mind these are the cherry-picked moments. They give the illusions that the climber quickly sussed and sent, while skipping the struggles that led up to that moment. All of climbing is a process of trying, failing, refining and trying again, regardless of who you are. That’s one thing that makes the sport so great –the process is pretty much the same at any level.
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To paraphrase Pete Robins, it’s about 90% failure and 10% success!
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and it you don’t succeed, wail like a cow stuck with a lance
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