Petr Blaha, who did his first 8c+ when he was 35 years old, is four years later in his best shape ever having done two more routes of this grade, La totalité and Le côté obscur in Gorges du Loup. The great and inspiring story is that he started climbing more than 20 years ago!

Matteo Menardi has done Open Project 8c+ and his comment says it all,"Thanks to Hannes Pfeifhofer for bolting this line and most of the routes in Landro." During the last three weeks, the Italian has also done four 8c's, for two out of which he gave a personal 8b+ grade, and onsighted three routes 8a+ and harder. Including a 9a done this spring, the 16 year old is #3 in the 8a Junior ranking game and you start to wonder if he would not have had great chances in the current Youth World Championship in Arco.

Jernej Kruder has together with Gregor Vezonik done the first repeat of Mattias Trottman's Hattori Hanzo in Titlist Nordwand, which, at 8b+, is considered the hardest European North Face. Last year, Jernej was #2 in the Boulder World Championship and won in Arco. This year he has moved his focus also to routes, having done two 8c+'s. Check Kruder's nice report from his MP experience. Day one: wet Day two: one try in each pitch, but last one Day 3: Vezi linked first and second (5b, 6b) I was following, next 2 pitches I linked (7b, 6c), after i did 8b+ on my first go, belayed Vezi for 2 tries, led next 8a+ and almost fell, led 7a on sight without energy left and almost died of dehydration and cramps, but I did it amd I was standing on the top :D