Andrea Zanone has completed Condé de choc (9a) in Entraygues. The very steep gneiss route, located at 1600m altitude, was put up by Tony Lamiche in 2006. It has later become one of the more popular 9a’s in the world and has 17 logged ascents in the database.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I went to Entraygues for the first time many years a go. I was young and inexperienced as a climber maybe I was approaching my first 7a's but anyway I've got good memories from those days. I sporadically came back for few years always during the deep summer. In 2020 I was in good shape in summer and I achieved the goals to reapeat a few lines like Deltaplane man direct (8c+) and Onde de choc (8b+) with a style that suits me really well.

Last year in May I injured the index finger of my right hand and I had to wait until August to try something at my limit again. I came back again to Entraygues to check the intro boulder problem of the 9a. It took me 3 days to climb the first part. I knew I was ready for the main project.

I came back at the end of September to try to complete the full linefor a full month and I got extremely close to send it. I was climbing the first boulder problem every tries but my power endurance was not enough to reach the chain. I felt more than two tries per day at the last 3/4 moves of the route, day after day and I was feeling the pressure. My body and my mind started to feel the fatigued of the days spend at the crag so my dream disappeared in the cold winter of the French Alps.

This line was stuck in my head for all the winter and the desire to climb on it again was huge. I waited until May 2024 to come back and on my first day of attempts I did this great powerful test piece. For me this route represent a new beginning of who I am at the moment. I worked really hard in the past years especially on the mental aspect, to be a better person and a better climber everyday. Grades are important for the motivation, but I think that living the passion to learn new ways, to express ourselves, is way more important. For sure I will fight again to live amazing emotions like this one in the future.

Aidan Roberts reports on Instagram that he's proposing 9A for Spots of Time, which he put up in February, after working on it for 30+ sessions. "At this level, where style becomes specific and finer details so important, it feels at best a good guess and I feel open to be humbled by missed methods or simple overconfidence in my own ability." (c) Jim Pope

The Brit has previously sent several 8C+ graded boulders, Alphane (9A) and Arrival of the Birds, which he did in March, saying it was harder than Alphane, but a grade has not yet been proposed .

James Webb reports on Instagram that he has completed two Giuliano Cameroni FA’s in Valle Bavona, Solar Plexus (8C) and Eye in the Sky (8C). "This line in particular is on the first of many house sized blocks and is just a dream to climb. Comfy rock, fun moves, powerful yet technical etc etc. Hands down one of the best out there!" (c) Patinaeater

What was the key for the ascents?
I had tried them both before. I sent eye in the sky in the evening. And then the next morning I went and sent Solar Plexus. They both are quite low percentage so I think the key was a bit of luck haha. Especially on Solar Plexus. The first move is one of the more complex and difficult single movements out there. Not to mention it’s on river polished granite so that adds a whole other element when it comes to conditions and the proper friction to stick to the holds.

What are your summer plans?
Right now summer plans are to spend time hiking deep into the Sierra searching for new areas. Possibly a trip to Colorado to try a few things but mostly spending my time here in California developing in the alpine.

Solomon Kemball, who has three 8C ascents under his belt, has repeated Aidan Robert's Isles of Wonder Sit (8C) in Ogwen valley, going with the FA 8C+ grade. "Absolute warfare on this one, 3 [individual] month-long trips and a year and a half of training. 8B for the bottom section is a joke 20+ sessions to get through that. I think the sit section has to be around 8C and the lowest it could be top end 8B+.

Can you tell us more about your process and how it all came together?
I started trying it I think last February when I did the stand which took me around 30 minutes. I immediately got hooked as it's such a striking bloc in a beautiful location but knew I wasn't strong enough at the time so I spent a few months training specifically for it with a couple weekend trips up to see how it was getting on. And then I dedicated the whole month of may to trying to do it which I got close to getting through the sit section but after my best session I slipped on the walk back down and subluxed my shoulder which was probably due to having annihilating it on the boulder 10 minutes previously. That cut the first trip short and then was back to training over summer to come back in autumn which was abruptly ended again this time due to lower back issues. It twisted the beta I used so it became sore and a big drop off of a highball a day after tweaked it and had to crawl back to my car. I tried to let it heal and carry on but tweaked it a second time a few days later and ended the trip there.

Then back to training and rebuilt my board so it was steeper to make a replica of isles which I then trained on once a week mixed in with other specific training till I went back in May 2024 giving myself another month to try, not get injured and actually send it.

By this point I think I have had around 15 sessions on the real thing and once I got on it even with all the training it felt no closer than when I first started trying it. Fortunately after I think 4 sessions I got back into the swing of things and fell on the last move of the sit section which was a new high point, however the next day I came down with food poisoning or a stomach bug and then proceeded to have the shittest 3 sessions not being able to link any of the moves.

Fortunately my mate Dom came up with my the next session which I had in my mind might be the last of the trip as it was starting to aggravate my knee and I wasn't getting anywhere and he brought the psyche and a lot of video analysis which meant I somehow put of nowhere managed to get through the sit section for the first time and drop the last move of the bloc but after 4 hours already there that was the session over.

We came back two days later and I couldn't get through the sit section again my knee was minced and I only had a few days left I thought this would be my last session and it wasn't going to plan. The next day it looked like a storm was coming through so I borrowed a tarpaulin and went back up in the morning to rig one over the top in an effort to keep it dry. The storm lasted two days but gave my knee enough time to heel up enough to give it one more session.

We went up in the afternoon to find the tarpaulin having been ripped off in the storm but some what dry I spent an hour drying it up and then we headed back down the hill to see Dom send his proj. and came back up for around 5 a long warm up and drying the rest of it up and first go found my way to the last move and catching the hold but coming flying off. It was on.

Big rest and it's done another go and I'm back at the last move but again flying off. Another and again last move and off. It just didn't feel right when I was in the position for that last move by this point we had been there for 3 hours and I was feeling done but was just going to stay there until I couldn't get to that last move no matter how tired I was or ruined my knee got. Next go I found myself at the last move but this time it felt right and I knew it was done and shortly found myself on top of the bloc.

Enrique Beltrán Blasco, who did his first, out of nine 9a's, just over two years ago, has completed No pain no gain 9a+ in Rodellar, giving it a personal grade of 9a . "The first methods in the crossing [traverse] were without a knee [pad], now you can rest on that part a little and I think the difficulty changes." (c) Álvaro Lafuente

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
The route impressed me since I was a child, it was a reference and what motivated me the most was that my two friends Dani and Taus equipped it. It is arranged in two parts, a first of 8c+ and then a traverse of small holds of about 18 movements that will be 8c, from there to the chain a small step and an easy part. The route has cost me less than expected, I started two weeks ago to make attempts from the ground and I always advanced a little more, in total it would have been a month

Jonathan Siegrist has made the FA of Anemology (9b) in the Utah Hills. The 38-year-old has logged 76 routes 9a and harder, and his list includes 26 FA’s and six 9b’s. (c) Ryan White

”A season long battle with conditions, torn skin and very hard climbing. Felt impossible at first, especially the bottom. So incredibly psyched to finish this thing just in time as the conditions closed out. Really hard bouldering, varied climbing and no easy moves until the chains! I decided against pre-clipping the third draw as it was a matter of difficulty and not safety. As always, unsure on the grade, but I suggest 9b.

Can you tell us more about the route and the difficulties?
The route starts with a very hard boulder problem - quite unique between flat edges requiring a lot of tension, ending with an explosive move to an undercling. There is also a very hard clip in the middle of this sequence. After this you have an intense and unrelenting section to the finish with some very small crimps and dynamic moves through a roof (red point crux) and an enduro finish. Even getting to the anchor is another small crux.

Totally estimations but the bottom feels like v13 [8B] to me (based on Tension Board grades) and after it’s around 5.14+ [8c+ or so] to the anchor.

Coudert Camille has made the first repeat of Killian Chabrier's Jack under the Box (8B+) in Fontainebleau, suggesting an upgrade to 8C. The 28-year-old sent Soudain seul (9A) in 2022 and frequently suggests upgrades and downgrades for the boulder problems he completes. (c) La Lili

Can you tell us more about this line and your experience?
I tried this boulder three years ago, at the time the boulder hadn’t been made yet and no one had tried it. It took me two sessions to find the beta and I quickly fell on the last movement. Ultimately I didn’t manage to do the boulder at this time then I put it aside and seriously started again recently.

What is your rationale for the upgrade?
Killian and I were not sure of the rating but as he did it very quickly we decided to announce it as 8B+. Finally, now that I have more experience in this grade (and Kilian too) it seemed obvious that the boulder was rather 8C. The boulder is divided into 2 sections. The first four moves are very physical in compression, worth 8B. Then it continues without rest on a movement in 8A+.

I talked about it with Kilian on a trip to Switzerland. We found that it was harder than all the 8B+ in Switzerland we had the chance to do and we found it even harder than some 8C's that we tried. Finally, when I went back there recently with Killian, we had it confirmed. We finally agreed that in Switzerland the boulder would have been graded hard 8C, which is why I decided to upgrade it to 8C.

What about the micro ventilator that can be seen in the Instagram video?
The ventilator just allows me to cool my hands a little because it’s hot these days. When I did the boulder it was 15 degrees, and I am a climber who sweats a lot on my hands. Without the ventilator with such temperatures it’s almost impossible for me. I therefore prefer to use it rather than wait six months for the best conditions.

Kacper Heretyk, who the last month added a third and fourth 8c+ redpoint to his scorecard, has done Stal Mielec (9a) in Dolina Kluczwody. The route was originally 8c+ but then artificial holds were removed in 2012 and Piotr Schab made the FA, four years later. (c) Piotr Drożdż

”I put a lot of work into the journey, both on the road and in training, so I'm even more happy that the risk associated with putting myself into something above the max paid off. It is a long combination of the many routes I have done before. I have been climbing in this cave for years 😅, especially in Stal mielec I spent one month. I love long battles with climbing project, such a "tired" project tastes best to me because I know that I gave 110%, both physically and mentally.”

Mateusz Haladaj, who did his first of now 19 9a's, in 2009, has sent Fabela pa la enmienda (9a) in Santa Linya. "Absolutely new level of pump, so exhausted after absorbing long time endurance on 125 moves. Seems my perfect anti-style, does not feel soft for sure." (c) Zac Moss