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!