Janun Hornegger, who two months ago sent his first 9a+, has completed Intermezzo XY gelöst (9a) in Plombergstein.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I started trying the route last year, but to late in the season and the summer heat stopt me from sending. This year I came back to the route much earlier. I was very close from the first day back, but I had to invest another four days this year. And yesterday was special, it did not feel good first, because my feet hurt from the heelhook and I had really bad skin. I wanted to stop because of the pain. Yet i made a last trie in the upcoming thunderstorm and rain, which was successful. Not the most solid send, the moves felt much worse than on other tries, but it was successful in the end :)

The route is another boulder testpiece from the local legend Klem Loskot. It consists of an 8b boulder followed directly by an short 8b route.

Matt Fultz has repeated Aidan Robert’s The Lion's Share (8C) in Brione. The 33-year-old has done a total of 34 boulders 8C or 8C+.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Had an up and down journey with this one. Basically sent it several times but couldn’t finish it because the last V8 section was always soaking wet. Then I injured my pulley on the very last move last week 🤕 Luckily things aligned for me and with a good warm-up, solid H-tape, and adjusting how I grabbed one of the holds, I got it done! Hoping I heal up quickly, but it was worth it! (???) 👌🤞

Jules Marchaland, with four 9a+’ under his belt, has flashed Vecchio Leone (8B) in Brione. The Bernd Zangerl FA from 2004 is one of the highest ranked hard boulders in the VL database. It has 95 recorded ascents and scores 4.9 stars. In 2022, Aidan Roberts added an 8C+ sit start.

Last year, Jules competed in four Lead World Cups and his best result was being #14 in the Euro Championship. With a focus on routes he has previously just sent two 8B+’

Can you tell us more about the trip and the flash?
It was just a short trip with by friends Simon Lorenzi and Diego Fourbet and we just tried super hard boulders for the future as we did not have a lot of time. My friends gave me good beta and it was super nice. This one is a mega classic and the rock is just too good here.

How was the winter and what are your 2025 plans?
I tried to focus only on plastic for comps but I completely missed the selections. I will change the plan and climb only on rock.

Are you still climbing with a whole in your shoe because of your old toe injury?
My foot is completely healed now. I climb when with new shoes without a whole now so that is good.

Ainhize Belar Barrutia has been on a trip to Margalef where she managed to send Aitzol (8c) and On Egin (8c). In the VL ranking game, the 19-year-old is runner up having done eleven routes 8c to 9a+ the last 12 months.

Can you tell us more about the trip?
I spent two weeks in Margalef with the goal of continuing my recovery from injuries, climbing to get back in shape, and testing the projects I had. The weather was very bad and didn’t help much. Now I am in Madrid training.

What injuries have you had, and what’s next?
An inflamed A4 pulley and pain in the elbow tendon. I will be back in Cataluña at the beginning of April to try different things in Margalef and Siurana. I have also been trying Victimas Perez (9a) a bit.

Pietro Bassotto, who did his first 8c+ at age 59, has made the FA of Mata Leao (8c+) in Novalesa, which is a link up of an 8a+ and Karate Kid (8b+). The 61-year-old began climbing at age 24 with a focus in competitions and in 1998, he was #13 in a Speed World Cup. His outdoor climbing progression is a testament to late-blooming excellence: he sent his first 8b at 40, 8b+ at 47, 8c at 56, and 8c+ at 59. Over the past three years alone, he has completed ten 8b routes, ten 8b+ routes, three 8c routes, eight 8A boulders, and an 8A+ boulder.

Can you tell us more about the FA?
The free climb was unexpected because the send was not planned given the time of year, but the weather forecast predicted higher-than-average temperatures, so I went to try the project that had been on hold since last year.

How did a normal climbing week looked like when you were projecting it?
I spend the weeks with two to three sessions on rock, if the weather permits, and two to three workouts in the gym or at home, where I have a mini gym. Of course, if I know I have to try an important project, I take much more care in resting and maintaining the condition of the skin on my fingers.

Why do you think you've been able to improve as you've gotten older?
I believe that in addition to increasing the time I dedicated to it, it was also the approach with which I approached the projects, then the motivation came as a result.

What is next?
For lead near home, I don't have much to do. I have a very difficult project that I performed well on last year. However, I think it will be challenging to find ideal weather conditions to attempt it consistently, especially since it has been raining so often this year.

On the boulder, though, I still have a lot to work on in certain areas, and I think I will dedicate a lot of time to it.

Stefano Ghisolfi has repeated Chris Sharma’s Neanderthal (9b) in Santa Linya. Previously the last month, the Italian has done The full journey (9b) and Sleeping Lion (9b).

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
So this is my third route. I tried it for the first time at the beginning of March and felt good on it, I like the power and endurance style. On the second day I was already able to climb from the ground to the crux move, where I fell 4 times before the send.

After I stucked the move yesterday I didn't fall, but it's actually hard until the top. It took me 9 days in total, same as the full journey.

His next plan is Fight or Flight (9b), to fullfil his goal of doing a 9b in four different crags during the trip to Spain. At 32, he has completed four 9b+ and eleven 9b routes, making him a strong contender for the second-best redpoint tick list in the world, behind Adam Ondra.

Théo Charmasson has repeated Seb Frigault’s Le Dernier Fléau (8C) in Fontainebleau, which is a sit start to an 8B+. ”A mega crazy boulder with a totally insane mono suspension! 8c/8b+? Not enough experience yet to judge...”. Later the same week he sent Mécanique élémentaire (8B+) in just two sessions commenting that it feels more like an 8B.

Can you tell us more about Le Dernier Fléau?
I’m really happy to have sent this 8C, which is quite rarely repeated and requires a strong physical base and a full-body suspension on a mono. Fun fact: beacause I have big fingers, I couldn’t use tape like other climbers to protect my skin, which meant I was limited to only 4 attempts per session!

What is your climbing background?
I started climbing at the Massy club in my city when I was 15 years old, and in recent years, I’ve spent most of my sessions in Fontainebleau. This year, my level has significantly improved, as I’ve sent 4 8B , 2 8B+, and my first 8C in the past 12 months.🔥

Why do you think you level has improved so much the last year?
It’s hard to say, but, it’s probably due to the spray wall training I’ve been doing for the past two years. Also, I had more time to invest in my climbing this year, which gave me the opportunity to work on bigger projects.

Nina Arthaud, who did her first 8B+ boulder last autumn, reports on Instagram that she has done Direct North (8B+) and The Swarm (8B) in Bishop (CA). (c) Clement Lechaptois

The 24-year-old retired from competition in 2021 after making two Lead World Cup finals. For the past 1.5 years, she has focused on outdoor bouldering, sending some ten problems graded 8A+ or harder.

Can you tell us more about the ascents?
Direct is on one of the Peabody, which made the climb extra special. Climbing this huge boulder that starts with your butt on the ground and comes up a few feet later was super cool. The Swarm is the boulder I’ve always had in mind, one of my dream boulders, long before I went to Bishop. I started trying it pretty late in the trip and underestimated how hard it would be because of the “skin factor”. So it turned out to be a good cat and mouse game where I had a lucky day on the last day of my trip. So happy!!

I’m beyond grateful for all the places I got to visit during this trip, all the people I met there & the support I get from my sponsors, especially the Karma8a team!

How does a normal week look like back home?
Lots of board climbing, some running, some strength training and some saunas. I’m back at university [Master in Psychology] back at work [route setting] and training, waiting for some nice days to go climbing outside in the area.

Billy Ridal, with seven 8B+’ under his belt, has completed The Big Island (8C) in Fontainebleau. ”17 sessions since 2021, two dedicated seasons and multiple leg injuries. The first boulder that has kept me hooked for such a sustained period. A big fight even on the send, such a joy to battle through those slopes. Made up.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
The experience with this boulder has been new ground for me. Success, distraction or defeat tends to come within just a few sessions, so to find a boulder that perfectly rode the line of possibility, in a style that continued to captivate me, has been really special.

17 sessions since 2021 and the last two seasons dedicated towards it makes this comfortably my biggest effort on a boulder. It broke me last year, both physically from the intense heel hooks, and mentally as pressure from the weather, my leg and my own head began to hamstring performance.

I tried to learn from that this year, having spaced out sessions and trying to emphasise the joy of climbing, rather than the outcome. I’m not sure I’ve ever really reached that kind of mindset, I’m always looking forward to the next goal. But I think I had some success in a conscious effort to combat my default.

It was clear this year that I could do it, with a high point on my second session, beyond the point that I thought it likely I’d fall. It took another 3 sessions after that, with several falls at the end. More than enough time for doubt to creep in. In hindsight I’m glad It made me fight for it again. Doing it quickly, whilst satisfying, wasn’t the experience I came for. Bettering oneself is what makes a project special, and the changes this boulder forced me to make certainly did that.

I didn’t get the perfect go, things felt off through the beginning, and my feet were sliding around in the top. Despite that, the feedback on my right hand was good and I kept tension hitting the lip allowing a moment to take a breath and squeeze for the cut. It was just enough. I thought it might click and feel easy in the end, it didn’t, and I’m happy with that, I wanted it to be hard.

Lara Neumeier has repeated Alex Luger’s Psychogramm (8b+) in Bürser Platte, after projecting it for seven days. The 26-year-old German has previously sent trad routes and big walls up to 8b. (c) Jacopo Larcher

”Psychogramm (8b) at Bürser Platte – a route where the name says it all. Technically demanding, mentally challenging and with micro-gear as protection: a real challenge. The idea of climbing this route has been on my mind since I spoke to Michi Wohlleben about it last fall. Despite its intimidating reputation and its few ascents, I made my way to Bürser Platte mid of January to give it a try. It was a cold day, the conditions weren't ideal - but I was able to find a beta for the crux move, which I was very happy about as it is known as a reachy move. I was motivated but decided to come back with warmer temperature.

I returned to Bürser Platte at the end of February. It was much warmer, the sun was higher and the rock heated up during the day, limiting the climbing window to an hour or two in the evening shade. In the warmer conditions, the crux felt extremely hard and I only managed to stick to the move on one out of ten tries. Small and sharp crimps, micro footholds and only few placements consisting of micronuts made it spicy, scary and made me doubt: was it really possible to climb the route safely? Was it worth the risk? But, I kept trying it. On day four, I managed to send it on toprope, on day five I checked the gear and ordered a few more micro nuts. On day six, I managed to send it on toprope while placing the gear. After that, I felt ready to lead.

The night before my first lead attempt, Jacopo and I went through the pictures and footage of his ascent, and Jacopo gave me some of the micronuts he had placed at the time. The next day, I went up the static rope once again during the day and made minimal adjustments to my placements. In the evening, the time had come: with Jacopo Larcher and Calum Muskett as belayers, I dared to try on lead - with two ropes to prevent a possible ground fall.

I was motivated and a little nervous but felt well prepared. The first part went smoothly, even though placing the gear was tiring. The crux demanded everything: technique, precision, and trust in the protection. I managed to stick the crux move and climbed on, leaving the last piece of protection below me. The run-out to the belay was big and the last moves were a bit shaky, but I didn't let go. The last move. The last hold. Then clipping the chains. And I sent it. What an experience!”