Gripped Magazine
Pepa Šindel Climbs an Adam Ondra 5.14d
On April 2, Czech climber Pepa Šindel sent Adam Ondra’s Biologico 5.14d (9a) in Arco, Italy. It was the young 18-year-old climber’s thirteenth of the grade according to his 8a.nu. He was only fifteen when he ticked his first 5.15a, and has since added another to his resume.
“Despite being the weakest [5.14d] climber, I managed to send this beauty on the first day of the easter holidays,” said Šindel on Instagram. “Really a nice one! The route was FA’d by Adam Ondra, and it starts with a boulder leading straight to the crux move, which is this awesome double dyno into a tufa. Then you have a good rest and an endurance finish, where I messed it up once before sending it 8th go.”
Biologico was originally envisioned and bolted by Loris Manzana, but it was then 19-year-old Ondra who got the first ascent in 2012. Italian climber Gabriele Moroni made the second. Stefano Ghisolfi, Filip Schenk and Gio Placci are among the many climbers who have repeated the route.
Šindel’s has an impressive resume. His first 5.14d was his FA of Hypoxia Extension in Harmanec Krpcovo, Slovakia. In November 2022 he climbed Chiroptera 5.15a in Súľov, Slovakia, his first of the grade. Last year was very sendy for Šindel. In May, he climbed Nid De Fadas 5.14d in Kyparissi, Greece in February and Classified 5.14d/5.15a in Frankenjura. In July, he sent the iconic Action Directe 5.14d as well as Nice Freshly Baked 5.14d, both also in Frankenjura. In the fall, he climbed Harmatanec 5.14d and Procesor 5.14d in Slovakia.
Šindel was the second youngest climber ever to send 5.15a – the youngest ever to climb the grade was Ondra. In 2024, Šindel was featured in a film with Ondra, which you can watch below. The two spent a day climbing at a new crag at Harmanec Krpcovo in Slovakia. In the video, Ondra makes the first ascent of Ratatouille, a 5.14d line envisioned by Šindel.
Adam Ondra and Pepa Šindel Cragging in Slovakia
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