Slackliner, alpinist and passionate sandstone climber.

Biggest achievements:

Slackline:

• 2016 highline world record 1020 m, the 1st kilometre in slackline history - Aiglun, France

First lines in the mountains:

• 2017 Les Aiguilles du Diable - 55 m, Chamonix
• 2019 l'Aiguille de la République 110 m , Chamonix
• 2019 Campanile Basso 220 m, Dolomites
• 2019 Campanile di Val Montanaia, Dolomites
• 2020 l'Aiguille de Roc 45 m, Chamonix
• 2022 Les Aiguilles de Blaitieres 80 m, Chamonix
• 2022 Campanile Toro 108m, Dolomites

Climbing:

• 2018 - Les Droites - Czech gully M6, WI5, 900 m
• 2020 - Sasso Pordoi - Via Fedele M6, WI5, 800 m
• 2021 - Tête de Gramusat - New generation M8, WI 6, 300m OS
• 2022 - Petit Clocher du Portalet - Avec Cesar 7c, 300m RP
• 2022 - Cadaresse - The Doors 8a, Bookcake 7c+, Turkey crack 8a, Mustang 7c, Django 7c
• 2023 - Grandes Jorasses - Slovene-Croz M6+, 1200m
• 2023 - Greenland expedition - Nalumasortoq - British route 7c, 700m OS, Ulamertorsuaq 7c+, 1100 (almost, RP)
• 2024 - Mont Blanc - pilier rouge de Brouillard - Incroyable 8a PP + Arete de Brouillard on Mont Blanc

Which do you prefer?

Do you fancy rigging a highline somewhere outside the mountains of Europe?
Sure, one day we'll link up the ears of Ushba, though that depends on where you draw the line between Europe and Asia... And then apparently there would be a nice line between Everest and Lhotse.

Are you heading to the high mountains in the future, or to big walls, or does the combination appeal to you?
Climbing the highest mountains doesn't appeal to me. Too little oxygen, too little technically hard climbing and a lot of "suffering". I'd like to see the Karakoram and similar areas some day, but at most some six-thousander. Big walls, on the other hand, appeal to me a lot. Hauling the pig there is quite a grind sometimes too, but climbing in rock shoes in a sea of granite is great.

Aren't you afraid that guiding will take away the time and energy for your "own climbing"?
It happens, but I think I'm starting to balance it well and I'm climbing better than ever again, even with lots of days in "easy" terrain. It's really important to learn to plan the season well and to know how to rest and train at the right time

What do you enjoy about guiding and what winds you up?
Days out in the mountains I usually enjoy, even when they're demanding and stressful sometimes; the worst part is the long drives and leaving home, and then also when the weather forces me to change location and come up with a plan B, rebook huts, juggle the conditions so the days work out as well as possible. Sometimes I spend a whole day sitting on my backside watching every possible weather forecast for dozens of locations, working out suitable tours for the situation, and then my head is smoking, I'm stressed and paralysed by a choice that might not come off.

Do you try to "educate" your clients and steer them away from the overhyped destinations?
Educate, no, I'm far too badly brought up myself for that, but I like coming up with unusual tours for people and I try to take them to overlooked, wilder corners of the mountains away from the popular spots. Or sometimes it works out to go to a well-known destination outside the usual season and catch the conditions of an ideal season.

Who has influenced your climbing direction the most, and how?
There's no way to list them. In general, though, definitely mates from the various sandstone communities. I've spent plenty of time with all kinds of mates from different climbing communities, from absolute sport climbers to totally orthodox traditionalists, and they all gave me something. And then definitely the instructors, the mates, the mountain guides taught me an awful lot.

Do you train for climbing systematically, or is it more punk?
Punk. Regularity is the weak spot of my climbing life. When I manage to climb and train a bit regularly, my form goes straight up.

Have you ever thought about moving out of the Czech Republic for good because of guiding?
Yeah, but there's always some woman involved. But I'll never give up home in Bohemia on the sandstone. I can't imagine not climbing on our sandstone with mates for a few months a year.

What does your season as a mountain guide look like?
Different every year. But I guide the most days in winter on skis. Early summer is ideal for me in Chamonix, or the Western Alps in general, then summer in Adršpach and autumn in the Dolomites and the Tatras.

What's your favourite Tendon rope and why?
The neon Master Pro 9.2 for sport routes and sandstone, the black single Master Pro 8.9 and the green-orange 7.6 half ropes for the mountains.