Max Bertone has flashed Lazarus (8B) in Fontainebleau. ”King line !! Thanks Oriane & Adri for the beta. So happy to flash that gem.” Video.

Four days later Oriane Bertone also sent it. ”So good to spend some time in the forest and to send this project before the summer and the comp season. Two sessions to find my beta and 2 tries at the third one to send the boulder. Thanks paps, Adri and Max (so good to see you to flash it. Congrats!).”

Last year, Oriane won the World Cup and was runner-up in the World Championship. The 20-year-old won almost every youth competition she entered as a teenager, and her track record outdoors was equally impressive. In total, she has completed 15 boulders graded 8B and harder, as well as six routes graded 8c or 8c+, all between the ages of 12 and 16.

Her sibling, who is three years younger, has focused mainly on lead in the competition arena. He won the Euro Youth Cup in 2023, and last year he was runner-up in the Bali World Cup. At age 15, he climbed his first two 9a routes, and last year he completed his first 9a+.

Sachi Amma, with three 9b’s under his belt, has repeated Chris Sharma’s Sleeping Lion (9b) in Siurana. In total, it took the 37-year-old some 30 days over four trips to send. (c) Jan Novak

”Sleeping Lion’ felt like a massive mirror reflecting the emotions hidden deep inside me. Anger, sadness, loneliness. But also joy and excitement. The route has been a significant journey for me as a climber. ”

Sachi stopped competing after he won the World Cup in 2014. The next year he did five 9a+’ and his first 9b. In 2016, Sachi shared some philosophical thoughts in an 8a/Vertical-Life interview: Changed Horizon. "I can not find any value to be a better person by comparing myself with other climbers. That is why I stopped competing...."

What made you first attracted to the route?
When I first heard that Sleeping Lion had been established by Chris Sharma, and saw the footage of him climbing it, I immediately thought, “I want to try that.” A steep limestone wall where you keep moving dynamically, only to face the final crux when you’re completely exhausted—it felt like a route that suited me perfectly. But in reality, there were fewer sections where I could truly use my strengths, and I struggled more than I expected.

What was most challenging?
Sleeping Lion can be divided into four main sections. Each section by itself comes relatively quickly, but once you try linking two or three of them, you’re suddenly faced with a completely different level of difficulty. I always felt like I could climb it someday, but I had absolutely no sense of how far away that “someday” was. That uncertainty was the hardest part of the challenge.

How many sessions was needed for the send?
Over the past two years, I organized four trips. The first was one week, the second and third were three weeks each, and the fourth was four weeks. The third trip fell during a period of heavy rain, and I was only able to try the route for five days. In total, I think I spent around 30 days actually working on the route.

What is your 2026 plan?
I am thinking to go Ceuse in June and Squamish in Summer. And then I will decide if I go deeper into hard sport route or Yosemite in the winter season.

Enrique Beltrán Blasco, who sent his first two 9a+’ three months ago, has done The Full Journey (9b) in Margalef. It was bolted by Tom Bolger and Alex Megos did the first ascent in 2022. (c) Jorge Diaz-Rullo

Can you tell us more about doing your first 9b and the process behind?
To be honest, I didn’t choose that route for any particular reason. I’d been climbing at Finestra for a year and a half, so it was the logical next step.

The full journey is divided in two parts. The 9a+ first anchor has a very prominent boulder problem where two holds broke, making it harder now. It has a stamina section that leaves you tired by the time you reach a good rest halfway through. That’s where the second pitch begins: three very dynamic moves that lead you to the boulder problem of the second part, a small crimp with a heel and a one-finger hold. From there, it’s eight moves of pure endurance where you can fall many times.

The process was quick as I was very adapted to the wall. Also, January and February, when it rained a lot, I took advantage of the time to train and felt very fit. From the first day, I was able to make quality attempts.

The most difficult thing has been managing my time. I work as a route setter which takes up a lot of my time and is difficult to juggle. It stressed me out not having many days to send it, but at the same time, it made me very motivated. Focused on the task and making the most of my attempts.

I think it might be 9b but to be honest I’m a bit lost regarding grades right now. I feel very fit and well adapted, and if three references like Megos, Stefano, and Jorge say it’s 9b, it might be, but to be honest, I’m very lost when it comes to grading.

What is next?
The main objective was to do a 9b, not this specific line, but it was certainly the logical thing to do. I’ve started trying a bit of Perfecto Mundo. In summer I will do a specific training for this but now I’m more focused on the upcoming season of work and training. I’ll be setting the routes for the Madrid Bouldering World Cup, so I’ll have to train a bit.

Marco Müller, who last month sent his first 8C+, has completed Captain Nemo (8C) in Valle Bavona. It is an 8B+ sit start into a good knee bar followed by Finding Nemo (8A+) that was put up by Pietro Vidi two years ago.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I started trying the boulder back in November. I struggled a lot with the first two moves back then. After the rainy winter, I returned in February and March, and the starting moves felt better. I managed to climb through the first part twice but fell on the stand start, “Finding Nemo,” as it’s quite hard to have much body tension left when coming from the ground. I finally made it through the boulder last weekend, feeling more refreshed :)

How many sessions did it take and what about special training during the period?
I think it took me 9 sessions. Between November and February, I climbed a lot outdoors in Bishop and Cresciano. I guess this was my special training ;)

Michiel Nieuwenhuijsen has repeated Giuliano Cameroni’s Baby Shark (8C) in Tegna and here is the Instagram video. ”Super cool little boulder in the most chill location ever. Crazy marble [like] holds, one little mistake and you slip. I think I never found anything that suits me as good as this one: low foot and crazy heels.”

The 39-year-old, who is 187 cm tall, is peaking, having sent ten 8B+ boulders and harder over the past year and a half.

How was the process taking it down?
It is located on a unique place that feels a bit like a beach. All the way down in the valley near Locarno. The downside of it is that it is warm there, so I had to wait most of the day for the temps to drop a bit (it is in the shade all day, but still). When it is ideal climbing weather that is kinda weird (for me). So keeping calm and focussed was key.

The boulder itself is on the most slippery marble-like rock. For both hands and feet it is super important to be precise. For me, that made the first few moves the most difficult.

How can you best explain your recent peak?
I don't know if I am at my best right now, hard to say. But I feel good and as long I can stretch this shape for a few more years I would be happy.

How does a normal climbing week look like and how much outdoors?
Usually 4x on the local spraywall and a day of setting. Nothing special hahaha. I do change a spray sesh for a Kilter every once in a while.

We don't have any rock in the Netherlands. So a day outside is not an option. I usually go on multiple trips a year. I prefer a week over a few weekends.

Iris Bielli, who in January sent her first 8c+, has completed Riti Tribali (8c) in Angelone on her 13th go.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Overhanging climbing and, in general, any move that requires a minimum of strength or dynamism, isn't exactly my strong suit. I've always preferred technical climbing on vertical terrain: that's where I feel capable and comfortable. Being completely denied in terms of physical strength, unable, to this day, to link six pull-ups in a row, I've often avoided leaving my comfort zone, convinced that progress was nearly impossible for me. A few weeks ago, however, finally driven by curiosity, I decided to test myself on Riti Tribali: a rather physical and overhanging line at Specchio del Grifone. The first attempt was brutal, but I didn't want to give up, and by trying a little more those moves that had seemed inconceivable at first glance, I soon managed to internalize them and then, with unexpectedly rapid progress, to execute them with ease, or almost.

So, last Tuesday, I completed a nice project that reminded me how much you can improve even where you feel incapable, and that often the hardest thing to overcome isn't a physical obstacle but a mental block.

Stefano Ghisolfi, who did his first 8C+ last month, has sent The Story Of 2 Worlds (8C) in Cresciano. First ascended by Dave Graham in 2005, the name was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the grade inflation debate at the time, something Graham later addressed in follow-up statements as well as down grading many of his hardest ascents, that helped curb the trend. Today, some have called it a soft 8C due to the use of kneepads. (c) Sara Grippo

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I tried it for 4 days. I struggled a lot on the first shoulder move and had to find a beta that worked well for me, but I kept falling a lot there.

How crucial is it to use a kneepad?
In this boulder probably doesn't change much, it just makes the first moves before the shoulder a bit faster and easier. Someone says it's an easy 8C, I say there's no such a thing as easy 8C 😅

Michaela Kiersch, who moved to Innsbruck in November, has made a trip to Arco and quickly done Pungitopo (8c+). It was bolted by Francesco Morandi and then Adam Ondra did the first ascent in 2022. Interestingly, everyone who has star rated it, has given it five stars.

The Doctor in Hand Therapy has climbed more than 20 routes from 8c+ to 9a+ and around 20 boulders between 8B and 8C, almost all in the last five years. At 31, her progression has been nothing short of meteoric. (c) Kevin McNally

Can you tell us more about the trip and the ascent?
I went to Arco for a quick weekend trip to enjoy some sunshine. Pungitopo is such a beautiful line so naturally it was on my list for years. Once I figured out my beta for the bouldery crux it went down in a few tries. The hardest move for me was the iron cross in the bottom, I think if my ape index was even 1 cm shorter I might not have been able to span it.