Gareth Parry, #3 in a Boulder WC in 2003, has done the 55 meter long Nordic Flower 8c in Flatanger. (c) Esteban Lahoz

"Last year I went for a short trip to Flatanger where I mainly climbed os up to 8a+. I had a quick look at Nordic Flower but instantly knew it would take a more focussed visit.

This time I returned with one aim. More time and a relaxed and systematic approach to working it as 3 sections rather than considering it as one massive route meant it kept the progress coming. After climbing the 8b+ 1st around 4 times I managed to pass the boulder after the belay and clip the chains. It was a a dream end to the trip with the route going down on the last go of the last day. That evening we drove home."

Seb Bouin has done the FA of the 60 meter long La Côte d’usure in the Ramilore cave in Verdon. Previously he has done six routes 9a+ and 9b. " I bolted this route 9 years ago, when i was 16 years old. It's by far the most beautiful route I have ever bolted, and climbed." (c) Tilby Vattard

Adam Ondra has done the FA of Interklemezzo 9a in Kanjon Tjesno. This was his 163 route 9a and harder out of which he did his first 12 years ago when he was 13.

"Amazing wall in Bosnia close to Banja Luka. It was bolted by Peter Schwamberger and during two days at Chill&Drill Fest I made the first ascent. First pitch is 8b+, then hard boulderproblem into technical finish. More projects waiting." More info on his Insta, where he says he has bolted a new line.

" It has been a while since I bolted any mega-line and I enjoyed the whole process so much. The curiosity whether the line will go, how the moves are going to be... Lot of uncertain factors but that what makes the bolting so exciting. "

Gabriele Moroni, who won the Boulder WC in Japan in June, has done the second repeat of Hazel Grace in Gottardo suggesting a personal 8B+ grade. Nalle Hukkataival reported on Insta that he did the first repeat just four days ago.

This is at least the fourth time Moroni suggested a down grade for an 8C including Highlander last month. In total the Italian has 21 boulders 8B+ and two 8C's recorded on his scorecard but it could at least have been six 8C's.

Moroni has been an active IFSC competition climber since 2002, when he won the Youth World Championship. In 2004, being just 16 years old he was #3 in the European Championship in Bouldering. In 2009, he was #3 overall and then he did not make any finals until two times in 2018, out of which one he won, see picture.

Cathy Wagner has added two more 8a+' and three 8a's to her impressive scorecard the last two weeks. In total the 53 year old has done 687 routes 8a and harder out of which one third second go. During the last 12 months she has done 70 routes 8a to 8b. She has previously said that one laziness but also explanation for her sending so much is that she skips warming up and go right on it.

Cathy started climbing being 21 yers old back in 1985 and did her first 8a in 1994 and her first 8b when she was 35. You might wonder how hard she would be capable of if she started projecting a route for some months, instead of just doing multiple rather quick sends of routes up to 8b.

Stefano Carnati , who did his first 9a+ when he was 17 years old, has done Biographie 9a+ in Céüse. This was actually the 17 ascent of Chris Sharma's mega-classic from 2001 which makes it actually the third most repeated 9a+ in the world after Papichulo (18) and La Rambla (23). (c) Don Mason

" I started working on it last July and in September I was able to climb the first part a few times. Back on it this year in May, feelings were much better, but most of the times I struggled to find good conditions. Yesterday everything was perfect: with a strong wind blowing, I felt physically good, my mindset was calm and relaxed! I could not lose one of the very last chances to send it this year! And it all went in the right way!" More comments by Stefano.

Katherine Choong, #17 in the Lead WCH in Innsbruck in spite of almost only training on rock, has done Nordic Plumber 8c in Flatanger. In the 8a ranking game, she is #2.

"Unfortunately, the day of the semis in Innsbruck, I woke up really sick. Stomach and head ache (I even vomit :-( ), my hole body was sore. But at the end, I was able to fight in the route and I'm pretty happy with my performance considering the circumstances. I ended 17th.

Then we flew directly to Flatanger. This crag was on my list for a longtime and I have to admit that my mind was blown by the landscape and the impressive cave.

To get used to the very steep roof, I first tried the first pitch of Nordic Flower (8b/+). I was so impressed by the super long line of Nordic Plumber that shares the same start as Nordic Flower that I could not resist to try it : almost 60 meters of dynamics moves, underclings, toe and heel hooks above the head on a perfect granit rock with a high red-point crux at the very very top on a slopey rail, where I fell on my second day. To exhausted to try again, I clipped the chains the day after in a good fight and hard mental game. Everthing I love ;)" (c) Esteban Lahoz

Alex Puccio and Miho Nonaka, (c) Vladek Zumr, were the only ones to do all four boulders in the semi and they did it both in five tries. Keita Watabe won by flashing all four and in total, eight topped all problems. Three Japanese to the final and the World Champion Kai Harada #7.

In the final, Miho and Alex were in the lead from the start and in the super final Puccio takes and early fall but on the fourth move they are anyhow neck and neck on the fourth move until Puccio falls and Miho cruises to the buzzer.

Among the male, Jernej Kruder and Jongwon Chon were also in the lead the whole way. In the super final, they started dancing and the clock is ticking. After a butt bump they speed climbing to the top with Jernej some few seconds ahead... and more dancing on top...

Ekaterina Kipriianova and Tomoaki Takata got the bronzes. Complete results Finals video

Alex Khazanov who has won one Boulder World Cup in 2018 got his revenge after being #50 in Innsbruck WCH by flashing Incubator 8A+ (B). Video on Facebook.

"Probably not hard enough to be a proper 8B, but still a good frustration power flash straight after not making semis in the world championship. Felt like i had to escape to the rocks for the evening. Looks like my physical shape is not bad."

Gholaamali Baratzadeh, #21 in the WCH in Innsbruck, and Jernej Kruder flashed all four boulders in the Adidas Rockstars qualification. Most of the big names from Innsbruck did take part and a total of 19 did do all four boulders.

Among the female, Stasa Gejo was #1 with three flashes and the first to not make it to the semi did not do any top. Also Miho Nonaka, Petra Klingerl from the WCH final made it to the semi. Complete results © Christian Waldegger

On Saturday the semi, Top-20 + 3 wild cards, will be live-streamed 11.00 following IFSC rules. The Top-6 kick-out final starts 20.15 where only the Top-3 remains after the two first boulders. Then these battle for the two spots into the super final starting 22.20 on two identical boulders. If there are ties, achieved holds will separate. In the super final, the fastest that hit the buzzer on the top wins.

Baratzadeh: "It was a great way to celebrate my birthday flashing all the boulders, maybe my best day climbing so far. This is the second year that I’m the best in the qualification; the problems were easier than in the WCH, but I still think it was hard to flash all four of them. So I’m really happy to have made it. I will try to keep my performance up for tomorrow at the semifinal and maybe the final!"

Edu Marin reports on Insta that he has done Adam Ondra's Valhalla 9a/+ in Flatanger. "It has been very important for me to carry out this route after suffering a serious accident falling to the ground from 4 meters. It has been a whole process to maintain the motivation and form during the days of recovery, a whole learning." (c) Esteban Lahoz

Edu has previously done some 15 routes 9a to 9a+ and 8c onsights. The Spaniard has also done MPs up to 8c, boulders up to 8B+ and he won the World Cup in Chamonix in 2006.

Max Bertone has done Pari in Ouaki (video) giving it a personal grade of 8b+ just like his 13 year old sister Oriane. She has done 27 boulders 8A to 8B (+). Max has done three, the first one being eight years old. (c) Antoine Veillard from an 8b Max did this summer.

Mina Leslie-Wujastyk has done Nordic Plumber 8a in Flatanger and her story is really great. (c) Esteban Lahoz

The plan was to go bouldering for two weeks around Trondheim with her partner David Mason. Once realizing Flatanger was so close, she wanted to check it out and do some easier less steep routes but Maria Sandbu inspired her by doing Nordic Flower 8b+. In short, with rainy days that made David do his first sport route ever, Mina was full on the 50 meter super steep Nordic Plumber but no success. After returning back home for a wedding, another ten days Flatanger trip was booked and she sent it on her second last day. Video of the finishing rail.

Piotr Schab has done his 16th 9a, Gancho perfecto in Margalef. In the 8a ranking game, the Pole is #2 after Adam Ondra also including four 9a+' just the last five months. (c) Lena Drapella

"Wow I’ve been dreaming about this route since I saw the „Progression” movie for the first time. Came very close in my 5th try, then fall another few times in the very last moves to finally send it with ease."

Moritz Welt has done his second 9a, Sever the Wicked Hand in Frankenjura. "Three sessions, rather low end 9a imo, but so beautiful! 8A boulder problem into 15m of hard endurance climbing with only one bad rest."

In total the 17 year old has done 235 routes 8a+ and harder and 44 boulders 8A and harder. In the 8a Combined ranking game the young German is #3 after Adam Ondra and Daniel Woods. (c) Manuel Welt

Josh Cornah has done the 60 meter Thor's Hammer 9a (+) in Flatanger. (c) Henning Wang who the day after did Nordic Plumber 8c.

"It took about two months of effort. A lot of mental effort, especially for the the top half which I punted off of two times. Once from the very top. Eventually I found a key bit of beta in the last week of my trip, which helped a lot. Also the bottom seeps a lot, varying day to day. It never dried completely but some days it was un-climbable for me.

Then conditions cleared up and I got through the bottom twice, once I was so nervous and climbed terribly, punting off the last move. Then I got my shit together and next day on I enjoyed the climbing a lot more and sent. After not having much motivation before leaving NZ it was kind of what I needed to get my shit together and my mental game."

Matilda Söderlund has had a great day in Niemisel in the northern part of Sweden when she did one 8b+ and Rich Marcus 8c. (c) Tor Johnsson

"The best place I’ve climbed at in Sweden. 28 m of superb granite, the routes are super high quality - just amazing! It is truly a little gem and the community of climbers up there is fantastic. The style suits me very well, slightly overhanging and quite a lot of small holds."

In 2012, Matilda was #6 in the World Championship as well as onsighted three 8b's. Later she focused on taking a Master in Business Administration. Since two years she is a full time climber again. Next is a DWS competition in Mallorca and possibly Red River Gorge in October. Follow her on Insta.

Mile Heyden has done her second 8B+, New Base Line in Magic Wood. (c) Matti Stanik

"Falling 3 times at the final jug of this incredibly breathtaking line was one of the most frustrating thing I've ever experienced in bouldering but persistence paid off :)

Topping it out with some wet holds was a combination of felicity and heart attack! This line is really one of the most beautiful lines and I'm just super happy, thankful and satisfied to finish this one! More comments and pictures on her Insta.

The male Combined final begun with the big favorite in Speed, Tomoa Narasaki making a false start in the very first race against Jakob Schubert. In the end, Jan Hojer took a controlled victory of Jakob Scubert.

Bouldering got a spectacular start when Narasaki skipped the first zone and instead made a huge diagonal dyno. Later also Schubert and Ondra skipped holds but the record was set by Hojer skipping three holds on Boulder three. Unfortunately everyone flashed the last boulder but apart from that the difficulty level was OK.

Starting last out in Lead was Schubert and once he passed Hojer's score he had secured the gold and the commentators were looking for a Hollywood ending with the Innsbruk son becoming the first to top out. Instead Ondra got his revenge winning by five moves over the Austrain securing his Combined silver.

Overall it was an over three hours packed intense show which the athletes seemed to like. Happy faces all over with the athletes cooperating as usual in every discipline. The race for the Olympic medals that will be handed out in 23 months. (c) Vladek Zumr

Janja Garnbret started with being #5 in Speed where we saw two false starts, resulting in Petra Klingler being #3, after just having climbed one route. Sol Sa, who did not do the boulder final giving her more rest and better skin, was #2.

In Bouldering, Janja was superior doing all four again dynamic coordination boulders. Sol had her hand on two tops but fell to the ground. With 30 seconds left on the last boulder she was fifth in the ranking but with a spectacular she did it and advanced to runner-up.

In Lead, almost all girls were fighting with taped fingers and blood on their finger tips. Jessica Pilz topped and now the pressure was once again on Janja having to climb faster. As in Lead she stopped before the final move but she executed and was ranked #1.

Now the pressure was on Sol Sa, who had to beat Jessica's time to win overall but she fell low but anyhow ended #2 in the Combined after Janja but before Jessica. Complete results
(c) Vladek Zumr