Joel Kinder has done the FA of Resisting Arrest (9a) in Robber's Roost which Cameron Hörst repeated ten minutes later. Andy Raether bolted it in 2010 and then Joel took it over 2019. One month ago he invited some friends to try it out and in the beginning they thought it might be 9a+ (c) JP Melville

"I started trying it and realized that this was not specifically my story. Normally with the first ascents and routes, I put up I like to see them through on my own and finish the story. But this climb was different as Andy had bolted it. I had prepped it and it was more or less at a very approachable spot which made it a great opportunity to include everybody that was interested in trying the thing. And the word spread fast as the route is such high quality. There were a few of us grouped up sharing beta and sessioning together. It’s like when you go bouldering and you’re all climbing on the same thing together and there’s such high energy. I feel like with sport climbing and especially first ascents you don’t get that vibe much.

Cam and I are both ultra-focused and we feed off of each other. I’ve climbed a lot with Cam in the past year. He is seriously one of my favourite people to climb with. He’s young and strong as f-ck and I learn a ton from him. But he also learns from me because I’m an old guy with all of the experience. Ha ha, it’s so classic.

I’m really grateful to be able to put as much time into my Climbing as I have been able to. I’m older now but what’s weird is I’m climbing better than I ever have in my entire life. And I am sitting here with a giant question mark over my head as to why? All I know dude is that I’m having a good time, I love climbing and I don’t have to answer to anyone (except my wife hehe). That feels f-cking good."

Jules Marchaland, who did his first 9a one month ago, has done his third, Kinematix in Gorges du Loup. "I'm very happy to do this route which is a connection between Total Eclatch a short 8c+ very physical, and Honk a 8b+ very resistant! The whole of the two-section is a very hard resistance effort! I took two sessions to readjust the movements before being able to put good runs and after three falls in the last three movements, I did it! So happy to do it quite quickly!"

Interesting is that he did his first 8c+ at age 16 in 2017 but then his motivation dropped and he did not do any hard routes until 2021. "I have been training very hard for several months and the work has paid off. I knew I had a good level and I am very happy to see the results of the training."

What are your next plan?
Yesterday I went to spot the movements in "Just two fix” a 9a/+ that Pierre Le Cerf did last summer! It's really not easy and really very long. We'll see what happens after a few sessions but it's not for now.

Adam Ondra has during one day in Harmanec Krpcovo onsighted four 8b+, including Tanec s vlkmi which most ascentionists think is 8c. In total, the 29-year-old, who recently became a dad, has onsighted 191 routes 8b+ and harder, using his notorious, personal solid-for-the-grade scale. No other climber has onsighted more than 40 such graded climbs.

Connor Herson, who did an 8c+ 2nd go at age 14 and one year later The Nose 8b+ in Yosemite, reports on Insta that has done Empath 9a (+) in Tahoe on trad gear. The stunning slightly overhung 20 m line on granite tufas and slopers was put up by Carlo Traversi, one of the most accomplished trad climbers in the world, and has been repeated and confirmed several times as a 9a+ bolted route. (c) Christian Adams

Later Ethan Pringle repeated it using jammies, aka sticky rubber gloves, and said that for him, and also due to his height, he thought it was more of a solid 9a. In this case, the grade is rather important as previously in the trad game, 8c+ is the previously hardest climbed beside Jacopo Larchers's Tribe which he did not grade but made comments indicating it should be at least 9a.

Connor sent Empath using the bolts last year on his fifth session. Later he has sent three more 9a's and in his three Youth World Championships, he has always been Top-16.

David Graham reports on Insta that he has done the FA of Euclase 8C+ in Ticino. "With 19 hand movements, 21 foot moves, and 4 kneebars, its a game of connecting body positions. It’s one of the most technical climbs I have ever encountered and challenged my ability to toe-hook, heel-hook, knee-bar, and footwork like, unlike any other boulder that I’ve tried in my life. The top-out adds a crimpy and dangerous no-fall-zone to the equation, completing the line with a real mental factor."

The 40-year-old has previously the last six months done five 8C's and actually he is peaking right now although being one of the leading rock climbers since 1999. Two months ago, we asked him, How can you still progress after 20+ years as a pro climber?
I feel stronger honestly! 😅😅😅, 🤔🤔🤔. Not sure why?? Maybe smarter??? Healthier lifestyle. Ah just eating better, no partying, lots of good rest!! Better attitude about climbing, more patient and also less concerned with conditions. Always finding new solutions, not getting angry. In the past, I would get much more frustrated when I would fail or not do well. These days I think I'm so used to failing that I'm surprised when I succeed. I do boulders that are really my antistyle too. So I assume they should be hard but I think it really helped my mental game, to push longer and harder. Never get pissed, it is not wise!!! I am feeling strong!! But four months of trying hard has been tough, I took the last two weeks kind of easy as the weather was finally bad 😅🤣