Gabriele Moroni, who has already done 22 routes 9a to 9a+, has sent Stefano Ghisolfi’s Erebor (9b) in Arco. The Italian is a former successful competition climber who took the bronze in the Euro Boulder Championship in 2004, at age 16. He stopped competing in 2018 after he had won his first Boulder World Cup. In 2023, he made his comeback and his best result was #25. (c) Enrico Veronese

Can you tell us more about Erebor?
It has been a long process! I briefly tried it once or twice after I did Trofeo dell’Adriatico at the start of 2022 and found out if I ever wanted to invest my time on a 9b, Erebor could be the right one. Pretty much my style and not too far from home.

During the fall of 2022 I started working more seriously together with Stefano Carnati and Luca Bana. We spent several weekends trying hard and sharing betas and we all made fast progress. I actually started falling at the redpoint crux so I thought I was close. It was around December. Then I went to Siurana for a couple of weeks.

I finally got back on Erebor at the end of January and it took me a few sessions to get back to where I was in December. I fell at the redpoint crux another few times till one day I hurt my knee on the route and it was game over for the season.

This fall I wished I could start trying it earlier but it was very warm till November. I trained a lot and since the beginning I felt really strong on the route and after a few session I already matched my old highpoint. It took me another handful of days for the send but I felt this season the route went pretty fast!

What are your 2024 plans? I don’t have many plans for 2024. Like in 2023 I will try my best to fit and combine everything I do. My jobs, training and the outside projects! So let’s see what happens. No more comps 😜

Jan Štipek, who won six European IFSC competitions in 2023, has onsigthed 12 routes 8a and beyond including El ball del triceps (8b).

Can you tell us more about your outdoor climbing this autumn?
Since I grew up in the crags on the Elbe sandstone, I couldn’t possibly forget about climbing outside and this year I managed to send a couple of good routes like Pain makes me stronger, every day (8c+) in Frankenjura. (This route seemed easier than 8c+). Then I climbed Ninja želva (8c) in Mišja Peč. After these trips, I got the chance to go to Margalef with Jindřich Hudeček and Richard Litochleb.

I managed to get a lot of good onsights. I sent 8x 8a onsight, 2x 8a+ onsight, and then and Alzeimer brothers (8b+) on my second attempt. I also managed to improve my onsight grade with El ball del triceps (8b).

It was a great trip and I definitely plan to go back there with the routes Pal norte (8c+) and Wild Publico (9a) in mind.

Any specific plans for 2024?
I would definitely like to climb Underground (9a), Sanjski par extension (9a) and the two just mentioned routes in Margalef as well as Temná hmota (8B) boulder, but I’m not much of a projecting type, I prefer onsights. I also have big plans for comps cause I will be able to climb comps for adults.

Jorge Diaz-Rullo, who last year did his first two 9b+', has sent Catxasa (9a+) in Santa Linya. The Spaniard has done more than 70 routes 9a and beyond and he is #2 in the 8a ranking game after Adam Ondra. (c) Javi Pec

"Starting the year in the best way possible! I needed 5 days of work on the route and I felt like 9a+ but it’s definitely different how I did the crux with kneebar than how the other ascensionist did this crux, I decided to note us 9a/+."

Sierra Blair has done Trust (8A+) at Oak Flats, video. The 29-year-old is a former competition climber who 23 times has been Top-30 in the World Cup, out of 29 events. (c) Queen Creek Bouldering

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
On my first session I did all but one move (the finishing sequence in the headwall). In the second session, I figured out how to clear the head wall and had each move down but couldn’t link them. And in the third session, everything just clicked. Very excited to send this boulder and for whatever project comes next!

Jernej Kruder, who won the Boulder World Cup in 2018, has done Martin Krpan (9a) in Mišja Peč. “I would like to expose something here: I spent many tries on this one, because my endurance is pretty bad, but I chose not to use kneepads since I respect the first ascent. Using kneepads would help me rest just before the crux. This would make grading equal to Konec Mira (8c/c+). Kneepad would also make me rest after the crux, where I was mostly falling. This would make the route even easier. So people, if you decide to disrespect the first ascentionist with using kneepads, then at least be true with yourself by not calling it 9a!”

Can you elaborate a bit more?
We live in society where we only think about sending. I'm not completely against kneepads, but some things went too far. We all want to speed up the process of sending, and that's where all the greed comes out. Some people have too much work, some are too short, some are just simply too weak, but they still want to grab something that's above their limits. How can you say I can't do the moves in FRFM and still call it the 9b with the kneepad? Obviously you can't do the moves. Now call it 9a or face the fact you can't climb on such level.

Second story: you're against kneepads, but your trip is about to end and your project is wet. There's an option to use a kneepad to avoid the crux and you don't want to wait for another year to come back. So you're gonna use it anyway, because you can't face the fact of coming back next year. Oops I dabbed...I don't have time to try it again, I'll just call [claim it]

Another story. A guy climbs 9a with a kneepad and says, oh, but it still feels 9a to me! Hmm, so I'll just go around the globe, start choosing the 9a's that are obviously not 9a with a kneepads, and I'm gonna collect 10 9a's in a year. Sounds great for my sponsors! No one really cares anymore if I've done it with knee pads... I'm Jernej Kruder and everyone will believe me and give me kudos for that. Unacceptable! I can stay true to myself and I won't be sad if I need to leave my project far away from my home, even if I'm never coming back. At least I gave it all at the time I had and if I want to finish it, training is my only "cheating" way of doing it.

What could be the solution and what is the responsibility for the media?
It's quite impossible since this truth would hurt too many climbers.

The 34-year-old has previously done ten routes 9a to 9a+, including the DWS Es Pontas. He has been an active IFSC competition climber for almost 20 years. Last year, he was #6 in the European Championship which he won in 2020. The Slovenian is known for not training indoors but instead mainly preparing for the comps outdoors also by doing multi-pitches.

Jules Marchaland, who was #10 and #11 in two World Cups this summer, has done Chocholocco in Carros. Some 18 months ago, the 22-year-old broke his left little toe and he has since been climbing with the toe sticking out of his shoe.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and having done three 9a's in a week?
I did Chocholocco in two sessions, including one in October. The resting hold was so wet and I couldn't put chalk after so I did the last crux with a wet hand 😅. After a big fight, I could clip the chain 😉. Three 9a's in 8 days (not a real week haha) but yes I'm very happy. I don’t think I’m necessarily in excellent shape, but I think I’m very successful. I put a lot of effort into the routes and I manage to chain them together quickly, it’s pretty boring haha.

What is the status of your toe?
My toe, same haha… no progress but with more time I'm sure one day it will be ok! I tried a Tenaya and the pain was really less powerful.

What are your plans and ambitions for 2024?
I really want to do a final in a World Cup and continue to progress to do hard routes outside. Do some 8c onsights and a 9b redpoint…haha.

Carlo Traversi, one of the best multi-discipline climbers in the world, has done the FA of The Dark Side (8C+) after trying it for 50+ sessions since 2013. ”The perfect line in the perfect place. The infamous project of Camp 4 on the left side of the Thriller boulder. Too many days to count on this one. By far the hardest thing I've climbed. Such an insane condition battle. Split tips, too humid, too dry, too warm, too cold...an endlessly frustrating battle. Started sitting, pulling off the ground on the far left side of the obvious jug rail. The grade is a suggestion. It's always hard to tell, especially when you dive this deep.”

Carlo started making 8a headlines in 2008 and he has sent a dozen 8C and beyond, one 9b and a 9a (+) trad. In total, he has logged almost 1 000 ascents any many of them with interesting comments like when he did his first 8C but have it a personal 8B+ grade back in 2008. ” The culmination of a tumultuous year as a 21 year old, filled with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, I must say I am very grateful for the life that I am able to live. Life has never been better. As for the grade: I see this as the next level for me, so 8B+ seems appropriate. I normally avoid crimps like it's my job, so how could I skip a grade in the style that I'm worst at? I certainly don't believe that I am a V15 climber...”

What does a normal week look like for you nowadays?
I’m climbing 5 days per week. 2-3 days in the gym for 1-2 hours each session. 1-2 days outside each week usually climbing all day. No specific training just climbing.

I own a gym in Sacramento, California and spend most of my time operating it. I route set, make facility improvements, help manage the staff, do various cleaning tasks, some marketing work, etc. All the joys of owning a business!