David Bermudez Carbonell has ticked Seta total (9a) in Cuenca after some ten sessions. Two years ago, the 15-year-old had 8b as his personal best and now he has done 37 routes 8b+ to 9a. "Very proud of sending this 30m endurance testpiece. I started trying this route after the summer but I was not in good shape and I didn't have enough strength to do the lower part, which is the hardest." (c) Javi Pec

What is coming up next?
I'm not really sure but probably try some harder routes here in Cuenca. Also, I would like to go back to Cuenca and start projecting a route that I finished bolting which could be around 9a+.

Can you tell us more about your first bolting experience?
Bolting is an awesome experience. Every climber should try to bolt a route at least once. I like to create a route of a line that I saw there when I was younger. Bolting is a tough activity, especially in Cuenca where there's no high-quality rock and you must clean a lot. It is around 28 meters and is around 35 degrees steep, with 9 bolts plus the anchor. It has very aggressive moves with very poor footholds. The route has not chipped holds.

Laura Pineau, who had 8a as her personal best four months ago, has done Greenspit (8b) in Valle dell'Orco. “After a journey of 4 weeks climbing on one of the most beautiful european roof cracks, I sent Greenspit! This route has always inspired me since I started trad climbing two years ago! My biggest challenge on this route was to pass the crimp moves. After spending four sessions working on them, I finally passed them from the beginning and knew it was possible! A few days later, conditions finally arrived, I was more psyched than ever and managed to enter a perfect sending flow! What a life! Not only was this day special for me but Marco Sappa also sent La Pura Pura and Giacomo Meliffi sent Greenspit! Dream team action.”(c) Emile Pino

The 24-year-old started climbing at age 17 after previously having focused first on tennis and later on boxing. In 2019, she did her first 7a and last year she sent Freerider (7c+) in Yosemite.

Which are your most memorable ascents?
The first one that comes to my mind is doing the first feminine ascent of the roof of San Peyre (8a) in 2021, a deep water solo line that finishes at 18 meters. It was a journey that taught me how to overcome my fear of falling and showed me how hard I could try on a climb.

The second is having my first Big Wall experience on The Nose (Yosemite, California) in April 2023. I had no partner to do it and met a climber from Quebec named Gabriel who was as psyched as I was on sleeping on the wall for the first time. No matter how good of a team we were, we decided to rappel down from under the Great Roof as another party of Italians told us that a waterfall was coming down changing corner. We had no rain gear, no portaledge, no rain fly, so the best decision for us was to bail. Climbing on my first Big Wall lit up a fire in me and made me realize that these kind of adventures were the ones I was meant to live.

Another special moment was climbing Free Rider this past November 2023 which showed me how I can perform under stressful situations. When you are trying to free a Big Wall, you only get a few tries on the hardest pitches. It is either because of your skin, the weather, or even your energy level. Every try matters and having the right partner in these key moments is crucial.

Last but not least, 2024 has been a year where I have allowed myself to dream big and climb hard single pitch cracks. It first started with The Phoenix (7c+) in Yosemite, then Butterfly Circus (8a+) in Ticino, followed by Turkey crack (8a) in Cadarese, and most recently Greenspit (8b/+) in Valle dell’Orco. I am so grateful for all these amazing cracks who have taught me how to become a warrior through adversities.

What is coming up next?
I did not reveal publicly what’s next yet so I’ll be waiting a bit longer for what’s coming but it’ll be much bigger than greenspit and a first female ascent. That’s all I can say for now 🙏🏻