Vroni Gaßner , who last year did five 8A's, has done Second Life (8A+) in Chironico. "First of the grade - perfect start of the New Year!"

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I first tried this line during my Ticino trip in winter 2021/22 and already got close to sending it. But as I arrived several times with numb fingers in the end section I realized I need warmer conditions. During my second trip last spring, I couldn’t really try this boulder due to a finger injury. So I arrived really motivated this winter and climbed it already in my first session but with a small dab. This try gave me a lot of confidence and in the next session, I was finally able to send Second Life.

Iziar Martinez has done La Bongada 8c+ in Margalef. Ramon Julian did the FA calling it 8c but later it was upgraded to both 9a and 8c+. (c) Bárbara García García Inés

In total, the 17-year-old has worked the route for three weeks during two trips. Last week, she did Bongadita (8c) which shares the same finnish. On Insta she comments, "¡Last day last try! 🥳Didn’t expect that, I’m so proud of myself. It was really hard to be motivated all the journey, some days were really hard because I couldn’t move in the first boulder and sometimes I just didn’t know what to do (rest, give another attempt, wait for the conditions… )."

Geila Macia has done in Santa Linya. Last year, she won one Euro Lead Cup and was the runner-up twice. The 14-year-old is the daughter of famous Spanish climbers Berta Martin and Israel Gacia. Berta has won the Spanish Championship several times and eleven times made World Cup semis mainly in Boulder.

"This is an amazing route, with a lot of resistance. It has good rests but at the end, there is a very intense long section. During the attempt, it was very stressful because I and another boy started climbing at the same time. He went in by another route but we both have the same anchor. I decided to rest in a good jug to wait for him to make his attempt before. He fell just before the quickdraw we shared and then I went for it. I’m happy because it doesn’t take me so many tries. Now I’m ready to try something harder."

Max Bertone, Lead Youth World Champion in August, continues to deliver in Rocklandsby doing Leopard cave extended (8B) and The Arch (8B). "Strange low ball with strange holds. I felt it clearly easier than The Vice (2 sessions to send it), in the same grade, but it is totally my style." In the 8a junior ranking game, the 15-year-old is #4.

Giorgio Tomatis has done Fuck The system (9a) in Santa Linya. The 19-year-old has previously done five routes 9a and harder, out of which the first at age 16.

"My trip to Santa Linya started on the 28 of December. I climbed some classic routes like Rollito Sharma (8b+) on flash. I did also Blomu L3 (8c+) and then I started to try Blomu L3 (8c+). This amazing route has two hard boulder problems with a good rest in between and then a jump to the last holds. I started trying it with really bad conditions and it made me think it's a tough 9a and maybe it takes me time to send but when the condition improved I felt better on the moves and the day after a really good links day I was able to climb it!"

The 19-year-old is also a successful competition climber having made the podium in Euro Youth Cups eight times, including winning one event in 2021.

What are your 2023 plans and ambition?
When I go back to Italy I restart my training plan and at the end of February, the boulder competition start. My ambition are to do some good result in competition, better then the past season!