Simon Lorenzi reports on Instagram that he has done Burden of Dreams (9A) in Lappnor. It was put up as the first-ever 9A boulder problem in 2016 after Nalle Hukkataival had projected it for three years. In April, Will Bosi did the first repeat of this five move testpiece. It is characterised by a pure, minimal style that requires on tiny crimps at a 45 degree angle and has repelled some of the very best climbers in the world.

Lorenzi has previously done the FA of Soudain seul (9A) and repeated Alphane (9A), which makes him the only climber to have done three 9A graded boulder problems.

Sera Gearhart, who previously has done ten boulders 8A+ or 8B, has sent Morphine (8B) at 221. "It took me 4 sessions. I went after work in the dark one day to try moves, came back to do it another session and really messed up my skin, then tried one day with my fingers completely taped and ended up leaving because it didn't work at all haha. I did it second try going back the 4th day."

Do you have your sights set on 8B+ now?
I'd love to try 8B+, I really haven't tried any yet. I think the obvious ones that suit me well are mostly outside of the United States and I can't leave the country because of my job. I'll find something to try soon!

Can you tell us about your profession and what a typical work week looks like for you?
I work as a government contractor for health care quality improvement:) I really enjoy it but I can't work outside of the country because it's a security risk. I work a lot and it's dark a lot of the time when I'm able to get out in the winter. Right now it is not fun hahaha. I try to leave early twice a week after work to sneak in a shorter session and I climb as much as I can on the weekends. I don't climb inside very much at all :) [I] usually don't climb inside in a week.

Benjamin Guigonnet has done Comité d'accueil (9a) in Séranon. The 35-year-old mountain guide, alpinist and big wall climber is having his best sport climber year ever having done three 9a’s and two 8c+’. “I tried the route for seven days in December. I fell many times on the same move in the crimp crux!

What's up next for you?
I am going to Gréolières where I have many projects and maybe look at Bon Voyage in Annot.

Lilli Kiesgen has been on a short trip to Ticino where she first sent Alphane Moon (8A) in Chironico. Then she moved to Brione and sent Darkness (8A+), "Nice one. Went down in an hour."

On the next day she warmed up on Disney production (8A+) and did it in just 30 minutes. "Felt way to easy for 8a+. I would suggest 7c+ but it suited me really well."

The 26-year-old is a former competition climber who was #9 in the World Championship in 2016. In the 8a ranking game, she is #10 but without all her personal grades, she would have been higher up. Interesting is also that half of the ten 8A's she has done in 2023, she has sent within an hour.

What about going for an 8B as you can send 8A and 8A+ so quickly?
Haha, we are only here for a couple of days and I think I will need more time for an 8B 🙈 I tried Heritage (8B+) last year and I definitely want to try that one more. But at the moment It's just a bit too cold 😅. Next year for sure 😇

Jakob Schubert reports on Instagram that he has done Alphane (9A) in Chironico. The Austrian started working on it last winter and the send came after a dozen sessions. Shawn Raboutou made the FA last year and this was the fourth repeat after Aidan Roberts, Will Bosi and Simon Lorenzi. (c) Misha Photography

"The ride had it all, from inconsistent progress and setbacks, a slip after the hard part, having to wait out bad conditions before feeling worse again on the boulder but somehow battling through, a story of personal perseverance that I'm grateful climbing can provide me with 🥳🥳"

Taisei Homma, who the last two years has been #2 and #3 in the Lead World Cup, reports on Instagram that he has onsighted Fish eye (8c) and Paper mullat (8b+) in Oliana. "It was a very long battle in Oliana, each route being 50m. My arms were definitely sold out🪫🫠." (c) Toni Mas Buchaca

Tomoa Narasaki, one of the very best competition climbers during the last ten years, reports on Instagram that he has flashed Gakido (8C+) in Chigobutai. Narasaki suggested 8B+ for Gakido and later he made the FA of the sit start, Ashurado (8C). The four-move boulder was put up as an 8C+ and one year ago Ryuichi Murai repeated it indicating it might be easier. Murai has also tried the Sit and commented, ”The low start project joins Gakido after four crimpy moves like V13 [8B].” Yesterday, Yuta Imaizuma uploaded an Instagram video giving it an 8B/+ personal grade.

8B+ has been flashed some ten times before and, actually, some were originally graded 8C. Tomoa has previously done a couple 8C’s and in 2019 he flashed Decided (8B+).

Solveig Korherr, who previously has done 28 routes 8c and beyond, has added to her tally while in . (c) John Thornton

Les petits chefs du néant (8c): "This route climbs much better than it seems at first glance. Great power-endurance testpiece! Ended up taking a bit longer than expected :D It is relatively short and very sustained. The first time up, I did all the moves rather quickly and the second try already felt quite promising, but I totally underestimated the difficulty of clipping some of the draws and the overall pump since there were no resting positions. Another climber who was trying it as well broke several holds, so I ended up adjusting my beta a few times. In the end, it took me a quite a bit longer than I expected at the beginning. I had a lot of fun trying this route and it was a great power-endurance challenge!"

La ligne claire (8c+): "Unreal! I can’t believe, I just sent it on my first redpoint try. Hard boulder problem at the beginning to a complex traverse on mini tufas to some tiny crimps at the top - incredible line! 3 days. I tried it once before on a previous trip but that didn’t go so well since it was very hot and it was impossible to hold some of tiny crimps. This time with luckily much cooler conditions, I was able to do all the moves very quickly. After two days of checking out every section and trying up some wet tufa parts in the middle, I felt ready for redpoint tries after a rest day. With no high expectations on my first redpoint attempt, I somehow managed to fight my way up to the anchor with no falls. Those are the best moments when I can exceed my expectations!"

Alex Ventajas has done Sanjski par extension (9a) in Osp/Misja Pec. In total, the 24-year-old has now done 14 routes 9a or 9a+ and all of them the last 2.5 years. "Last try, best try! After falling several times in the crux I decided to make a little change in my beta and it was exactly what I needed. Sometimes a small adjust can result in a big satisfaction! 1 try two years ago and 5 days this year 💪🏻"

How did you adjust the beta?
For me, the hardest part of the route was the crux section just before the first chain. It seemed hard to maintain the body tension with low feet in a 90-degree wall, so I rapidly managed to do the move with a very bad heel hook on my right hand. I thought it would have been the correct beta for me since I could do the isolated crux that way many times, but when I was coming from the ground I kept falling. It was strange because I was feeling good and I wasn’t so tired from the previous moves, but still, that beta wasn't allowed me to pass through.

Yesterday after falling two more times the same way I wasn't even sure I might give it a third try. I realized that maybe I was missing something, so I returned to basics, touching the holds all over again. Finally, I found out that with the feet low, with a different hold I hadn’t considered before, and changing one single step of the sequence, the crux was even easier compared to what I was doing! I gave it one more try and it worked! I sent the route right after changing the beta, on my last possible go for this year! It’s hard to reconsider the crux‘s betas when you feel so close and the only thing you want to do is to save energy for the next attempt, but sometimes a small adjustment can change completely your perceptions making the difference!