Felipe Camargo has made the FA of Cavalo de Troia (9a) in Passa Vinte. The Brazilian has previously sent 9b and boulders up to 8C. (c) Fabio Moreira

”My hardest first ascent in Brazil so far! Incredible route...really steep and physical 8c/+ to a taxing no hands kneebar into a powerful v10 (7C+) boulder problem to the anchor!”

Can you give us a few more details about this route?
It’s an old project that Enzo Oddo and Gabri Moroni bolted in Brazil in 2013. It took me about seven days.

Is there more left for you to do in Brazil?
[Yes] Gonna focus on Brazil this year and try some hard projects here!!

Solveig Korherr has sent Shogun Part I (8c) in Basler Jura. ”Two days. Great finger strength testpiece. It had the perfect length to get back into sport climbing after mainly bouldering this winter. Got inspired by Lucien‘s (Cousin) send of Im Reich des Shogun (9a) last week🔥”

Can you tell us more about your and Lucien's ascents?
Last summer I moved to the Basler Jura for work but I didn’t climb there so much yet. The summer was a bit too hot. Over the winter, I spent a lot of time bouldering in Ticino. There were a few routes on my list that I wanted to try and Shogun was one of them. I got lucky that my friend Lucien who has been trying the historic line Im Reich des Shogun met up with me and could share some of his beta. Both lines share the bottom crux.

It’s a very fingery & sharp route. There is this big lock-off move to a tiny crimp and then an under cross move to a mono. I was quite surprised that I could already do all the moves on my second try and some good links on my third try on it. The best part of the day was that he sent Im Reich des Shogun at the end on his fourth try. It was very impressive to see him fight and witness the 5th ascent of this route.

This week I went back and the first two tries didn’t feel so good on it. That’s why I had no expectations on my third try but somehow fought my way to the anchor. I guess that’s when the magic happens. I’m psyched to check out the second part of „Im Reich des Shogun” in the future but for now I’m enjoying some trad climbing here in Cadarese :-)

Cédric Lachat, who has previously has done nine 9a+ graded routes, has made the FA of At Home Cornus 9a+ in Vercors, which Romain Gendey bolted in 2015. It is a crimpy 10-meter extension to a 30-meter-long 9a (8c+). (c) Jérémy Bernard

"Being close to my house, I often went there. The length of the route reminds me of long efforts [routes] such as, “Pachamama” or “La Rambla “. Nevertheless, I invested more time in “At Home Cornus” than the former. Compared to the previous 9a+ I did, the difficulty is that this one is new: a first ascent, there is no video, nor betas served on a plate." More quotes on Fanatic Climbing.

Cedric won 17 medals in a storied World Cup career. In 2007, he took the bronze at the World Championship in both Lead and Boulder. Seeing as how he has also done some very hard multi-pitches, the 38-year-old should be regarded as one of the best multi-discipline climbers in the world.

Alex Barrows has done Fabela pa la enmienda (9a) in Santa Linya after projecting it for some 12 sessions during three weeks. "When I first went to Santa Linya I thought climbing the whole way out of the steep part of the cave looked like one of the coolest bits of sport climbing going. That was 13 years ago (god I feel old)... Back then there was no chance of me doing it - my hardest route was 8a+ and the easiest way out of the steep part was 8c+.

The last few years I've mostly been psyched for onsighting when we've been at long Euro crags, but this year I thought it would be cool to go back and try Fabela pa la Enmienda, a 9a coming all the way out of the steepness. Maybe by now I'd be strong enough, fit enough, or at least have amassed a large enough collection of kneepads...?" (c) Ella Rusell

A couple of days later, he sent Rollito Sharma extension pa la Enmienda in the big cave. "Brilliant last day pump out. 3rd best line in the cave for me, after Neanderthal and Remeneo-Enmienda."

What is next?
Now we have to go home, unfortunately, so it depends on the weather in the UK! I have two projects at Kilnsey I'd like to try this summer if they're dry, though I think one might be too hard for me and the other needs quite a bit of loose rock removal so it's hard to know how they'll go!

Eva Hammelmüller has done Pungitopo (8c+) in Arco. During the last two months, the Austrian has sent 15 routes 8a and harder out of which half onsight or flash. In the 8a ranking game, the 22-year-old is #2. (c) Felix Mast

Can you tell us more about the quick double send of the route?
So happy I could tick this beautiful route after struggling really much with one move and a nasty cut in my last sessions! After the send, we decided to film the whole route, so I tried it again - and found myself on top of the route a second time! I have never re-climbed a route as hard as this before, especially not within an hour :D