Yuta Imaizumi has amassed some impressive bouldering footage on his Youtube account Imax over the last few years. In total, he has done six 8C's as well as the only repeat of Dai Koyamada's Nayuta (8C+). Yuta says his favourite 8C is Rokudo (8C) which he completed in three days (see video).

Over the just the last year, Yuta has done Ukiyo (8B+), Asagimadara (8C), Fūjin (8B+), Gakido (8C+) and Ashurado (8C).

Last month he was #5 and #11 in the Japan Lead and Boulder Nationals. "I’ll participate in the first Lead World Cup in China [this year]!" The 23-year-old made his debut on the international scene placing #35 in a World Cup at age 16. His second and last World Cup was Meiringen in 2021, where he was #25.

How does a normal climbing week look like?
I train with a routine of two days of climbing and one day of rest afterwards . I mostly climb spray walls from basic level to high level and sometimes go climbing at b-pump Ogikubo as well. I train lead climbing once a week. Some days I do endurance training and try hard routes. During rock climbing season, i don’t do lead climbing but climb crimp routes on a spray wall. In the season, I go outdoor climbing once a week.

Tom Bolger reports on Instagram that he has done the FA of E.L.L.I.E. (9b). "This hybrid route of both boulder with pads into a route (where I low level decked a bunch of times )😅 has its own unique character. For the mathematicians out there it works out at 8A+/B Boulder - into an 7C+/ 8A Boulder into an 8c+ route … it’s a Lot of steeeeepppp climbing ." (c) Esteban Lahoz

The 36-year-old did his first 9a in 2011; in 2022, he did his first 9a+ with the FA of The journey (9a+) and last year he repeated Maya (9a+). The Brit has lived in Catalunya and put up several hard lines there over the last decade, but he often still travels back to the UK for work.

Stefano Carnati has made the second ascent Vicious Circle (9a+) at Mišja Peč, which is a bouldery 8c+ start linking into Sanjski par extension (9a) that Adam Ondra put up in 2016. "9a+/b. 40 movements, extreme power endurance climbing with a hard crux. Broke the first hold and the entry section got slightly harder (climbed it second try before then and had to spend another two days to solve it again ), I used kneepads which helped for some rests. In my opinion, the first half itself is much harder than the second (i.e. “Sanjski par”), but the second is definitely the redpoint crux. What a process! 2nd ascent and 2nd hardest route I climbed so far!" (c) Nicholas Hobley

What was the process like on this one?
It took me 3 sessions for “Sanjki par extension”, the second half of the route, and 10 to 12 more for Vicious circle, out of which 7 at least only for the first part. During my stay in Slovenia I gradually attempted to make up this condition in order to feel up to projecting something that was continuously pushing me to my upper limit. For the nth time in my climbing career I ended up in the loop of projecting, the typical process made of progress, setbacks, pressure, vacillation and so forth affecting all lovers of the sport. But, last Saturday I found the key to break this endless loop! Now it's time for some extra slices of cake and looking forward to diving into another upcoming loop!!! My warmest thanks to all the people who made this process so enjoyable! Proud! 🙌 🍻 🍰

Last year, the 25-year-old Italian did Erebor (9b) as well as Vecchio Leone Sit (8C+). Currently, he lives in Slovenia and he's in his second year of PhD studies in environmental and chemical sciences.

How do manage climbing and your PhD program?
As I mainly work in a lab, my schedule is rather busy, so I train mostly in the evening. I generally train three days a week and climb outdoors during the weekend.

What is next now that you have done almost all the routes in Misja Pec?
I’ll be in Slovenia until May so I am really looking forward to visiting some other crags around (e. g. Ter, Čreta…). Hopefully, they will dry soon. I also left some unfinished business in Istria, but the weather went from cold and rainy to too warm in a few weeks, so I’d rather save these crags for another season.

Ben Hanna sent Ace of Spades (9a+) at the Poptire 17 months ago, but kept it a secret. ”I’ve been wating a long time to post this! [Climbed it] First time making it through the boulder, and I’d be damned if I was going to fall on the top and have to fight through that boulder again”. (c) Ian Dzilenski

What was it like keeping it a secret for almost one and a half years?
It was hard at first for sure, but after awhile it actually became quite fun. I had been thinking about this idea of making a climbing film with a few hard climbs which nobody knew I had done and when I sent Ace of Spades I decided this was my chance to make that film. I never thought it would take more than a year to make the film but in the end I’m really glad I committed to it.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I had tried it a few times over about a year and a half. I was able to do all of the moves the first day but linking the first boulder problem was quite hard for me. A lot of people fall on the last boulder problem, and I had belayed my friend on it a lot and watched him fall at the top a few times which was was really getting in my head. The day I sent it, I made it though the boulder to the first rest for the first time ever and I remember thinking “damn I really don’t want to do that boulder ever again” and so I just decided right there I wasn’t going to fall no matter what, and I was able to take it to the chains.

What is on your agenda now?
I am in Spain until the 7th of April, hard sport climbs! I’ve been here for 3 days. Still trying to figure out what I want to try.

Sierra Blair has repeated Chris Sharma’s Captain Hook (8A+) in Oak Flats and here is the video. ”First send post break…and possibly since 2003 pre-break haha.”

Can you tell us more about Captain Hook?
I saw Captain Hook for the first time when I was 11 years old and remember thinking it was impossible at the time. Last season I looked at Captain Hook and saw a hold broke. I put a few tries into the boulder and once again thought it was impossible (especially with the break). I made it a goal to send Captain Hook this season and was excited to get the boulder done in a few sessions. It’s definitely a very proud line at Oak Flat.

William Bosi planned to have a rest day but could not resist trying to flash Lethal Design (8A+) in Red Rock (NV). ”Very happy to get a no beta flash on this classic.” (c) Teresa Coimbra

Was it like a comp flash with just some observation?
Yeah, so I thought about the moves for a couple of minutes whilst I tried to quickly warm up and put shoes on.

How did you warm up? Was it the first climb of the day?
Yes first pull on of the day. I took max. 5 min of dynamic stretching and wiggling my fingers and then went for it as we didn’t have much time, so I knew I only had one quick go. Then I went and did the classic, The Pork Chop (6A). Was meant to be a rest day as my girlfriend was the one climbing that day, but those two problems looked too good.

Beckett Hsin, who last year sent The Game (8C) , has done Mind to Motion (8B+) in Elkland. ”Amazing boulder, had to find different beta for the beginning and top out sequences. I almost died on the top.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and about your dying moment?
Mind to motion is around 18 moves in total. The main portion of the boulder is techy compression on crimps, until you reach a flat jug. After that you have to compose yourself for the sketchy top out. I started trying it with my brother Sam, and after a few sessions we were both able to send!

“Almost dying” was a bit of an exaggeration, haha. The top out climbs right over a ledge, if you happened to fall there you’d most likely roll down the hill. When I got there on my send go, there were a few times where I almost fell. Luckily I was able to push through and make it to the top.