Michele Reusa has done his first 8c, Une arquée pour le criquet in Fournel, after just three sessions. In 2017, his father Iuri made the headlines doing his first 8c+ at age 43. With two 8b+' this year he is tied #2 in the family with Matteo (12).

They train three times a week and on the weekends they are pushing it outdoors. The trainer of the youngsters is Daniele Martina. Next up is Tout a Bloc which which the brothers won respectively last year as they also did in the Italian Championship. In the picture is also big brother and boulderer Elia.

Antoine Girard has done Practice of the Wild in Magic Wood in just three sessions. Video on his Insta. "For me it is an hard 8b+ comparing with my other 8b+. Moreover I can’t count it as my first 8c I want a real 8c for my first one."

During July, the 20-year-old has logged another 13 boulders 8A to 8B+ in Magic Wood, included Dark Sakai 8B in the picture. In the8a monthly ranking game, he is #3.

" I started climbing some 12 years ago and begun outdoor climbing 3 years ago. I have built my own training center in my barn. I’ve got a special school planing which permitted to train myself 20 hours per week."

Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, the very best female competition climber in the early 90'ies and also the third female to do 8b+, has done Bierstadt 7C+ in RMNP. (c) Ryan Arment

How much do you train lately and how many sessions did it take to send?
I'm not really training, just getting outside more. I got Bierstadt the third time I tried it. The two previous times I got to that particular boulder after trying too many other boulders and I was tired. The moves were fun with fresh skin. :-)

Robyn runs the ABC Kids Climbing and she has coached many of the best in the USA like; Emily Harrington, Margo Hayes, Colin Duffy, Natalia Grossman beside her children Brooke, who has qualified to Tokyo 2021, and Shawn. She did her first 8c at age 49 and just three months ago she did yet another 8A boulder.

Katie Lamb has done two more 8B's in RMNP; Freaks of the Industry and The Wheel of Chaos 8B as well as Wild Cat 8A (+). In the last month ranking game, Katie is #4 among the female. The Wheel of Chaos: "Proudest to date. 4 sessions, first try from the bottom today, thought it would get epic but pulled some endurance out of nowhere. Beta for all shapes and sizes on this one. Felt the park magic - something special about screaming in the talus. MEGA!"

Here are some further more philosophical comments, "My friend Wildcat Bill is the tallest man in Chaos Canyon and he showed me how to use his string bean physique to pounce on the big moves on Wildcat 8A+ like our house cat Uni hunting a marmot prey, meow! With the send secured on Wildcat (after a scary run in with a real wildcat on the top out!), I needed my other friend Skipper Fraker to get me up The Wheel of Chaos, legend boulder in Chaos Canyon. Skipper told me to float like a flower and dive deep into the oceans of life. I had all the tools I needed, and before I knew it I was on top of my most epic boulder ascent, whooping. My pride mood shines from inside :)"

" I’m 36 years old and I climb since 1995 (when I was 10). In the early days, I dedicated almost 100% to the competitions. I won eleven times a Brazilian championship (6 lead and 5 boulders). In the World Cup my best place was #15 in 2009. During the last two years I tried so hard to make it to the Olympics. One month ago, after 23 years I announced my retirement from the comps, so now, only rock! Hehe. Pure dreaming is my first 9a I need to make my account on 8a.nu!"

Solveig Korherr, who did two 8c+' in 2019, has done King of the bongo 8c in Rottachberg. The 154 cm tallis #2 in the 8a ranking game. "I was trying the route over four days. The lower part before the crux sequence had some very big moves where I had to be creative as a shorter climber to find a solution that fit me. The crux consisted of several difficult cross moves and a power endurance sequence. I kept falling on one of the cross moves in the crux. After changing the beta on my fourth day, I sent it immediately after." (c) Niklas Dormanns

"I started climbing with my father when I was very young. I come from a competition climbing background as a youth. During the lockdown, I trained intensively on a fingerboard at my home. The last couple of months I basically trained during the week and climbed outside on the weekend. I am feeling very fit recently after this training cycle."

Natalia Grossman, who got two silvers at Youth Worlds last year, has done her fourth 8B during the last ten weeks, Freaks of the Industry in RMNP. In the monthly 8a ranking game, she is #12. (c) Brooke Raboutou

” Weather issues... Day 1: worked out all the beta and gave one attempt before I called it quits and it started hailing. Day 2: Got to warm up on the moves for 10 minutes before it started raining. Day 3: Super greasy but somehow managed to stay on and send 2nd try! As always, thanks to Brooke for all the encouragement and positive vibes :)”

During the last three months, the 19-year-old has done 53 boulders 7C+ and harder and she comments on Insta. "All my life I have been so focused on competitions that I never allowed myself the time to explore the hundreds of boulders in my own backyard. At the end of spring with all the competitions cancelled, I started to focus on outdoor climbing. I decided to make it a goal of mine to send 50 new double-digit boulders before summer ended/school started and to explore the amazing areas that Colorado has to offer."

Maggie Odette, who did her first 8c last year at age 49, has done Mutton Bustin 8b+ at Pipe Dream. "Shocked. Went directly from 3 hangs to the send. I guess the comeback is complete!" (c) Woohan Ong

Her husband Chuck (64) is getting closer on his first 8c, T-Rex and by doing so he each time passes the 8b+ anchor of Millenium which he the first time did in 2007. The retired full time climber since five years started to climb in 1978 and did his first 7a+ at age 34.

"I've repeated Millennium three times now this year and fallen higher on the T-Rex finish each time. This past Monday I fell 5 bolts from the top. It has 26 bolts! I skip 3 or 4 typically. I was only a couple of moves from a rest and typically won't fall after that no matter how tired or pumped I am. I finished with a strong one-hang on wet holds due to heavy rain hitting the finish. So, I've one-hung it 3 times and done it from a low point starting below the Millennium crux. If I can stay healthy, no injuries, I can get it done. Hopefully I send before I die of old age... ha, ha!

I feel like I'm climbing smarter now. I have to rest twice as much so progress is slow, but if I take my time, NO rushing, and I allow things to happen organically, I usually find success. The most important thing is that my passion to climb is still strong. The desire to push limits is equally strong. I will wait to climb "just for fun" when I'm in my 80's... maybe 90's :)"

Alex Puccio seems to be in the best shape of her life having done Paul Robinsons's Reverse logic 8B+ Coal creek and then, after two hours driving, Daytripper 8B in Upper Chaos. "Either REALLY suited me or it’s more of an 8B! Time will tell! :) Did it second try from the start, second day on it. Sent this and Daytripper in RMNP in the same day! lol." (c) Robin O'Leary

FA Paul Robinson comments, "Alex and I have very different styles so it is really cool to see her crush that boulder!!! She is such an impressive boulderer." In total, the runner up in the World Champion in 2014, has done eight 8B+' and 30 8B's which should be at least double as many as all other female. In the last month ranking game, she has only four male in front of her.

Stefano Carnati, who the other week did Jungle Boogie 9a+ in Céüse, has made the FA of Moon Landing 9a in Passo della Presolana. "The whole line following the limestone pillar from the bottom to the left top. 50 moves of pumpy climbing into a 15 moves final traverse to the left on bad crimps and poor footholds. Huge thanks to Luca Bana and Berni Rivadossi for showing me this awesome crag and giving me the chance to try this outstanding project! I go for 9a, hard!"