Radek Votocek, with 14 8c+’ under his belt, out of which half sent the last nine months, has repeated Adam Ondra’s Senzace (9a) in Krkavka.

Can you tell us more about doing your first 9a?
It’s a route not far from my home in one of my favorite areas. It climbs a small overhang on tiny holds, which isn’t exactly the style I usually go for. I first started trying the route in 2020, but at that time I was still lacking the strength and mental resilience. Over the years, I kept coming back to this project, but often I wasn’t in shape or the conditions weren’t right to complete a successful send. I’m really happy that it finally worked out.

What do you think made the trick in the end?
Training weighted hangs on a fingerboard also helped me a lot.

Tereza Širůčková, who finished 2024 by doing an 8c+ and then entered the bouldering scene, has completed Rustam Direct (8B) in Holstejn. The 21-year-old has been an active IFSC climber since 2017 and her best result is #14 last year in the Boulder and Lead Euro Championship.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and your fast progress in grades?
I had to take a little break from the rocks lately—my first national team nominations for the season were coming up, which meant shifting focus to indoor training. But once I checked that goal off the list, the weekend brought perfect weather, and the outdoors were calling again.

Home crag. Mission: Rustam Direct 8B. A mostly crimpy line with bad feet and two brutal intro moves. I had this wild little idea: what if I could flash it? And honestly… I nearly did. I stuck the crux on my flash go, but then doubted myself and hesitated in the next part. That moment of overthinking cost me the send. I climbed through the rest easily, slipped once on the start in the next go—and then it went down.

Weirdly, I didn’t feel that hyped. It all felt like: Pam pam pam, moves are easy (yes, imagine it with a jingle). But I know that shape is coming—comps are near and my coach Petr Klofáč is working his magic.

Here’s a little truth: I’ve been climbing for 14 years, but only started outdoor bouldering this season. Kind of wild to admit—but I’ve always been a rope climber, and this whole world still feels fresh and unfamiliar. These are actually my first boulders in this grade range, so when it comes to assessing difficulty, I honestly feel like a total rookie. I used to believe my outdoor limit was around 7C, and I still have the tendency to doubt myself. Rustam Direct felt like it fit me perfectly—tiny holds, small fingers, just my style—and it went down so fast. So maybe it’s 8A+/B? Could be. But I’m not the one to judge… not yet.

Topped it off with two more 7Cs that day. Stoked, sun-kissed, and maybe a little puzzled about how to feel about the grade—but mostly just in love with being back on rock. Days like these fill my soul.

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.