Niobe 9a - Most Slabby 9a Climb in the World | Adam Ondra

Adam Ondra returns to Arco to attempt Niobe, a bolted slab line the film presents at 9a. The short piece, filmed and produced by Jan Šimánek in collaboration with Mammut, situates Niobe in Arco’s slab tradition: the video revisits older lines such as Sentierissimo (7a) and Tom and Jerry (7c, onsight) and shows Loris Manzana and his Project L1 (given as 8a+/b in the film; the segment notes Manzana bolted that line). The footage focuses on the small-foot friction moves and body positioning that make a slab 9a different from steep, gym-trained routes. The film matters for viewers interested in technique and context rather than spectacle. It pairs climbing sequences of Niobe with interviews and archival references (including Heinz Mariacher) to explain why slab climbing was central to Arco’s early reputation and how those skills translate to very hard grades today. Practical details—route name, 9a grade, and the Arco/Massone setting—are all clearly highlighted, and the video includes contributions from the local climbing community and a musical element by Nicola Segatta.