Ella Adamovska, #2 in the Euro Youth Champ last year, reports on Insta that she has done two 8c's; Los Brňos in Višnové and Insomnia in Krpcovo. (c) Petr Piechowicz
"As I have been training for a very long time for the comp season, even more during the lockdown, I’ve decided to take a short break and spend some time in the crags nearby my country- in Slovakia. During four days I managed to send my longer term-roof project Los Brňos 8c and also the beautiful line Insomnia 8c which took me only 9 tries to complete. Both routes are very powerful, steep and not really my style so it makes me even happier. Also, if I am well informed, I did the FFAs. Now back to the gyms to finish the preparations for Briancon and next comps."

Lukas Mayerhofer has during eight climbing days in Silvretta done 19 boulders 8A and harder including Anam Cara 8B+, which he did on his second session. In the picture, is More Shining 8B. Several videos on his Insta. "I tried to climb as many of the classics as possible but the skin management is pretty hard to handle in this area."

Brooke Raboutou, who has qualified to Tokyo 2021, has done her fifth 8B during the last five weeks, Freaks of the Industry in RMNP. The 19-year-old is #2 in the female ranking game. "Yay! Happy to put this one down! Felt easy when I did it but felt hard when I didn’t do it, classic. One of the rare climbs that I feel is perfect for the grade, felt like a solid 13 to me, not easier or harder!"

Mejdi Schalck, who was Top-4 in the three latest Euro Youth Cups he did, has done his first 8c+, La proue debridée in Roch de rame. "I started to climb outdoors three months ago and I went to Roch de rame, near Briancon, in between two comps. I needed six tries to do this very intense and bouldery route. In less than three weeks, I will be competing in my first World Cup in Briançon."

Nolwen Berthier, who did her first 8c+ in May, has done her fourth 8c in 2020, L’étau d’intérêt in Verdon. It was bolted last year by Antonin Rhodes and Nolwen made the third repeat. (c) Théo Cartier, from another route.

"It is a new kingline on a beautiful single tufa. Powerful and demanding, climbing this line has been a really nice process from finding the beta, breaking some foot and losing a lot of skin, to clip the chain."

In 2018, the French was #14 in the Briancon World Cup. "I always loved rockclimbing but I was more focused on competition until last year. This year I have the opportunity to spend most of my time outside so I take advantage of it as much as possible. For 2020, I’ll go with the flow to push my limit in hard project and travel to explore new amazing lines, while combining my passion for climbing with my working life as an engineer in sustainable development."

Michele Reusa has done his first 8c, Une arquée pour le criquet in Fournel, after just three sessions. In 2017, his father Iuri made the headlines doing his first 8c+ at age 43. With two 8b+' this year he is tied #2 in the family with Matteo (12).

They train three times a week and on the weekends they are pushing it outdoors. The trainer of the youngsters is Daniele Martina. Next up is Tout a Bloc which which the brothers won respectively last year as they also did in the Italian Championship. In the picture is also big brother and boulderer Elia.

Antoine Girard has done Practice of the Wild in Magic Wood in just three sessions. Video on his Insta. "For me it is an hard 8b+ comparing with my other 8b+. Moreover I can’t count it as my first 8c I want a real 8c for my first one."

During July, the 20-year-old has logged another 13 boulders 8A to 8B+ in Magic Wood, included Dark Sakai 8B in the picture. In the8a monthly ranking game, he is #3.

" I started climbing some 12 years ago and begun outdoor climbing 3 years ago. I have built my own training center in my barn. I’ve got a special school planing which permitted to train myself 20 hours per week."

Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, the very best female competition climber in the early 90'ies and also the third female to do 8b+, has done Bierstadt 7C+ in RMNP. (c) Ryan Arment

How much do you train lately and how many sessions did it take to send?
I'm not really training, just getting outside more. I got Bierstadt the third time I tried it. The two previous times I got to that particular boulder after trying too many other boulders and I was tired. The moves were fun with fresh skin. :-)

Robyn runs the ABC Kids Climbing and she has coached many of the best in the USA like; Emily Harrington, Margo Hayes, Colin Duffy, Natalia Grossman beside her children Brooke, who has qualified to Tokyo 2021, and Shawn. She did her first 8c at age 49 and just three months ago she did yet another 8A boulder.

Katie Lamb has done two more 8B's in RMNP; Freaks of the Industry and The Wheel of Chaos 8B as well as Wild Cat 8A (+). In the last month ranking game, Katie is #4 among the female. The Wheel of Chaos: "Proudest to date. 4 sessions, first try from the bottom today, thought it would get epic but pulled some endurance out of nowhere. Beta for all shapes and sizes on this one. Felt the park magic - something special about screaming in the talus. MEGA!"

Here are some further more philosophical comments, "My friend Wildcat Bill is the tallest man in Chaos Canyon and he showed me how to use his string bean physique to pounce on the big moves on Wildcat 8A+ like our house cat Uni hunting a marmot prey, meow! With the send secured on Wildcat (after a scary run in with a real wildcat on the top out!), I needed my other friend Skipper Fraker to get me up The Wheel of Chaos, legend boulder in Chaos Canyon. Skipper told me to float like a flower and dive deep into the oceans of life. I had all the tools I needed, and before I knew it I was on top of my most epic boulder ascent, whooping. My pride mood shines from inside :)"

" I’m 36 years old and I climb since 1995 (when I was 10). In the early days, I dedicated almost 100% to the competitions. I won eleven times a Brazilian championship (6 lead and 5 boulders). In the World Cup my best place was #15 in 2009. During the last two years I tried so hard to make it to the Olympics. One month ago, after 23 years I announced my retirement from the comps, so now, only rock! Hehe. Pure dreaming is my first 9a I need to make my account on 8a.nu!"