Marine Thevenet, with over 100 boulders 8A and beyond, has completed Juneru (8C) in Albarracín.

Can you tell us more about sending your first 8C?
I had tried the boulder problem in the fall of 2023, and the move that was giving me trouble was reaching for the left-hand undercling with the heel and toe hook. I had managed to do it only once, during one attempt, but I fell at the top-out... Juneru had stayed in the back of my mind, and when I decided to return to Albarracín this year to try it again, I trained specifically for this boulder problem: I did a lot of lock-offs and worked on some weaknesses in my footwork!

The first session on the boulder this year gave me confidence because I quickly managed to do the move that had been problematic last year! Then I focused on the top section, practicing it several times on a top rope to make sure I wouldn't fall at the end. On the day of the send, the conditions were perfect! I climbed the top part on the rope, redid some moves at the bottom, and... I gave it a solid attempt, telling myself, "Crimp as hard as you can," and boom! It was crazy!

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Lorenzo Bogliacino, with two 9a+’ under his belt, has completed A muerte bilou (9a) in Verdon, calling it 9a+. “ After breaking MANY holds I think it is really much harder.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
After a great deal of hard work over the last few months (about 30 days), in the craziest summer ever, going back and forth from the Verdon, with a thousand changes at work and a 4h30 drive after the night shift, yesterday was the day! I climbed focused and determined all the hard sections and every move. Before doing the last movement, which I had fallen to the last few times, I looked at the hold and it was already in my hand! The run lasted about 1h15😅 The route goes straight up for 50 meters the middle of the Ramirole!

Incredible to have climbed this route after monsters like Alex Garriga, Bouin and Tanguy Merard; obviously bolted by kinglines maker Antonin Rhodes! Thanks to my 'hermanos fracasados' Gigi and Umbe for the whole summer, Vog and Clu for the last few days and of course to all the fantastic people I met over the past few months from all over the world! In the next post I will talk about the grade, now I just want to enjoy the moment.

Toby Roberts, the Olympic gold medalist, reports