Matty Hong

Matthew Jacob Hong (born September 4, 1991) is an American rock climber, filmmaker and photographer. In 2018, he became the fourth American to climb a route graded at 5.15b (9b).[2] As a filmmaker, he directed the 2017 film Break on Through, which documented Margo Hayes completing the first female ascent of a 5.15-rated route, featured on the Reel Rock Film Tour.[3]

Matty Hong
Hong in 2019
Personal information
Born (1991-09-04) 4 September 1991[1]
Boulder, Colorado, United States
EducationUniversity of Colorado Boulder
OccupationRock climber, film director, photographer
Climbing career
Highest grade
Known forBecoming the fourth American climber to send a 5.15b (9b) route
Hong competing in 2019

Biography

Hong was born in Boulder, Colorado in 1991. He began climbing at an early age, brought to climbing spots in Rifle Canyon as a baby by his father Steve Hong and mother Karin Budding, who were both pioneering rock climbers.[4] He joined a climbing team in middle school and began climbing more seriously at age 15, when he climbed his first 5.13d (8b) and 5.14a (8b+) routes in Rifle.[5]

In 2011, Hong recorded the first ascent of Bad Girls Club in Rifle[6] and in 2015, he bolted and completed his first route, La Cucaracha in Wicked Cave, also in Rifle.[7]

After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production at the University of Colorado Boulder,[8] Hong climbed his first 5.15a (9a+) route, Papichulo 5.15a (9a+) in Oliana, Spain, in March 2016.[5]

In May 2018, he climbed the 5.15b (9b) Fight or Flight in Oliana, Spain, becoming the fourth American to climb the grade[2] after Chris Sharma, Ethan Pringle and Daniel Woods.[9]

In October 2021, Hong completed the second ever ascent of Flex Luthor, first sent by Tommy Caldwell in 2003. Hong suggested the grade be revised to 5.15b (9b) from 5.15a (9a+) after multiple holds broke making the climb harder.[10] [11]

Hong competed at IFSC Climbing World Youth Championships in 2009 and 2010 in the Male Youth Junior (age 17–19) category.[12] He has also competed in the senior climbing circuit, making the final at the 2011 IFSC Lead World Cup event in Boulder, finishing sixth.[13]

Notable ascents

[14]

Onsight
  • 5.13a (7c+)
    • Logical Progression, El Gigante, Mexico
  • 5.14b (8c)
    • Mind Control, Oliana, Catalunya

Redpoint
  • 5.15b (9b)
    • Fight or Flight, Oliana, Spain, 2018
    • Flex Luthor, Fortress of Solitude, Colorado, 2021
  • 5.15a (9a+)
    • La Rambla, Siurana, Spain, 2017
    • Papichulo, Oliana, Spain, 2017
    • Joe Mama, Oliana, Spain, 2017

First ascent
  • 5.14d (9a)
    • Bad Girls Club, Rifle, Colorado, 2011
    • Planet Garbage (5.14d), Rifle, Colorado, 2014
    • Stocking Stuffer (5.14d), Rifle, Colorado, 2017
  • 5.14c (8c+)

Boulders
  • V15 (8C)
    • Warrior Up, Lincoln Lake, Colorado, 2012
    • Dreamtime, Ticino, Switzerland, 2020

Competition

Sixth Place

    • 2011 IFSC Lead World Cup, Boulder CO

Filmography

References
  1. "Matty Hong". Scarpa. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  2. Anderson, Sam (October 13, 2021). "Matty Hong Claims First Repeat of 'Flex Luthor,' 5.15b, 18 Years After First Ascent". explorersweb.com. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  3. Davis, Shannon (November 20, 2017). "Behind the Lens of Reel Rock, Climbing's Best Film Tour". REI. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  4. "Strong Climber Matty Hong Grew Up in a Climbing Family". Gripped. April 29, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  5. Chrobak, Ura (April 28, 2018). "Generation 5.16: Matty Hong". Climbing. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  6. Carpenter, Hayden (August 15, 2016). "Margo Hayes, 18, Breaks the "Boys Club" of Bad Girls Club (5.14d)". Rock & Ice. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  7. Purtell, Joe (December 7, 2017). "Snapshot: Matty Hong – Raised on Rifle". Rock & Ice. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  8. "Matty Hong". Black Diamond Equipment. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  9. "Matty Hong Becomes Fourth American to Climb 5.15b". Rock & Ice. May 3, 2018. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  10. Potter, Steven (October 18, 2021). "Matty Hong Sends Tommy Caldwell's Flex Luther—Upgrades to 5.15b". Climbing. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  11. "Breaking News: Matty Hong repeats Flex Luthor, proposes 5.15b". Gripped. October 13, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  12. "Matty Hong — IFSC". International Federation of Sport Climbing. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  13. Fox, Amanda (October 10, 2011). "Austrians Rule American Roost: Lead World Cup". Climbing. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
  14. "Matty Hong". UKC. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  15. Salabert, Shawnte (March 12, 2020). "The Extraordinary Effort of Margo Hayes". Outside Online. Retrieved October 19, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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