Andy Gullsten, with some ten 9a's under his belt, reports on Instagram that he has completed Thor's Hammer 9a (+) in Flatanger after a fight lasting nearly an hour. "So happy I climbed this route! It’s a king line in the cave and for sure my hardest send to date!" (c) Tor Johnson

Can you tell us more about the ascent and what goes through your mind being in upside land for an hour?
I’ve done some of the other long routes in the cave like Sledgehammer (8c+) and Sledgehammer (8c+) that also take quite a lot of time to climb 😁 but for Thor’s was quite different because the first part tires you out so much that the second part of the route feels sooo much harder. I was working on it for around 2 weeks in June and then had to come back in August to finish it.

I mean there’s not much going through my mind other than, don’t mess it up because the hard part is already done 😅 I fell twice at the end of Thor’s, once on the last rail and once on the jugs 1m from the anchor.. 🙈

What is coming up next?
🤷🏻‍♂️ need to plan some trips in the winter! Any suggestions?

What about Yosemite?
Not yet 😄... but psyched to follow the trip of Hannes [Puman] and Matilda [Söderlund]! Keen for more hard sport climbs and maybe some short bouldering trips.

Lucia Dörffel, who was #16 in the Paris Olympics, has done Father and Son (8c) in Frankenjura.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
It was more of a side project. I came to Frankenjura to just enjoy a few days here because I ended my comp season after Villars. It was really warm and I remembered this route I tried a few years ago. I checked it out one day and could send it the other day just in a few tries. I was happy about the send since I felt really tired after the long season. But Frankenjura is always so lovely for a short vacation.

Talking side project, do you have any big projects this autumn?
Unfortunately not because I’m injured and I need surgery at the beginning of October. I ruptured a ligament in my right foot in April two weeks before the WC in Salt Lake City and the OQs. The compromise was to try to qualify for Paris and get it done afterwards at the end of the season.

How has this affected your climbing this season?
It was challenging. Especially mentally in the beginning because I felt in such good shape and then I had to learn how to land on my foot when falling from boulders and also jumping on my foot. It’s also not that stable and hurts sometimes because my tendon is now sniping over my ankle quite often because the ligaments can’t hold it anymore.