Yves Gravelle, who the last week did his first ever 8C, has done the FA's of So What 8C and Turn & Burn 8B+ in Kanata Treblant.

How can you explain this extraordinary peak?
I’ve been focusing a lot on gaining power endurance. I think this was the key for me to reach that next level. I was always very strong on single moves but ran out of steam after a few seconds. Another keys factor was to improve my flexibility and mobility. I think I also gain a lot of confidence and motivation after sending Low Miall’s (8C).

So What 8C FA: "A dream came true today! The link-up of Thessalhydra into Miall’s ahead. I’ve been working on this line for 4 years now. Had to spend months training my shoulders, lats and mobility to be able to do the first moves and doing laps on Miall’s ahead to build the power endurance to link the 2 sections. Fells like V13 into V14.

Turn & Burn 8B+ FA: "Some of the craziest moves I’ve ever done outside and another boulder I never taught I would send. I’ve been playing on this thing for years and could never link more than one move. Sit start next! Definitely V15 (8C) or maybe even V16 (8C+). I feel it might add another V13/14 section into the stand.

Baptiste Dherbilly reports on Insta that he has done the first repeat of Fred Rouhling's Empreintes 9a (b) in Saint-Pierre en Faucigny. Interestingly, Dherbilly has previously also done the first repeats of two other very old Rouhling FAs: Mandallaz Drive 9a and Salamandre 9a. Noteworthy is that he has only done two more 9a's, the FA of La Horde Intégrale and the first repeat of Les Rats Sous Marins. (c) Leá Delacquis

So how was the process taking it down?
I had to find my beta because there was no video of the entire route, so it was really cool. On one of the cruxes, bolts are far away and it’s hard to work on the moves precisely. When you fall, you have to go up on the rope as there are only four bolts on 15 meters. I have talked about this with Fred. He wanted a hard-working route without hang-dogging bolts.

Why not taking the easier way repeating some popular 9a's?
I like to discover, brush, find the beta and all about the process! It’s more interesting for me! It is harder and not only consuming?

Do you know why Fred graded it 9a/b and how hard is it in comparison to the other 9a's you have done?
I think it’s easier than the other routes. I think I have found an easier beta than Fred. So maybe (I don’t know how Fred did it) with Fred's beta it’s 9a or 9b. I really don’t know why Fred has proposed 9a/b? Grades are not so important to me. I just want to climb the old route and take pleasure! I want to say a big thank to Fred for the vision and the bolting of these routes. Mandallaz is the hardest route I have ever tried.

Why this focus on Rouhling routes and what is next now when you have repeated all of his hard ones?
It’s not a focus on Fred's routes. I love forgotten lines. To rediscover these jewels. Fred opened some route near to my house so I tried these routes because there are hard for me. Next is some route of Laurent Laporte! Only he made the FA, so I want to brush and discover again!

Joshua Ibbertson, who made his first 8a headlines at age 10 doing two 8a's, has done Batman 9a/+ at Malham. The was the 17-year-old's third 9a and harder and all of them with Steve McClure as the FA. (c) Marsha Balaeva

"Batman is hands down one of the coolest routes I’ve ever done. The sequence is just awesome. There are lots of deep drop knees and interesting body positions. I was inspired to try this route after I did Rainshadow last year. I got pretty close in the spring when I got on it after lockdown, but in the end it got too hot. I realised that I needed to work on my power endurance so that I would have enough left in the tank for the final boulder problem. So during the Summer, I got on lots of routes that would help with this.

Getting back on the route a few weeks ago I felt I’d made massive progress, especially my power-endurance. I was able to consistently have good burns into the crux. The send go was a really great experience, everything came together nicely. The route flowed well; the conditions were good. It ended up being much less of a fight than I expected. The crux, where I’d been spat of lots of times before felt so different! After I’d got through that it was just a matter of staying relaxed on the headwall. By comparison, the climbing is not as hard, but it’s still droppable if you lose concentration or are pumped out of your mind! This season has been so much fun, climbing with family and friends …trying hard, sharing beta, cheering each other on, having the crag banter…for me that’s it’s what it’s all about."

Molly Thompson-Smith has done her third 8B in 2021, Steppenwolf in Magic Wood. Interestingly, all her 8B's she has done on her second session. Video on her Insta, where she comments. "Unfortunately I hurt my pulley on this go so that could be the end of my climbing here🥲"

On which hold did you get that pulley injury and how were you able to continue?
I think it was after I matched the second hold… I caught the third one really badly on that try but somehow stayed on. Then there was a lot of intense full crimping afterwards.

Laura Rogora reports on Insta that she has done the first repeat of Stefano Ghisolfi's Erebor 9b/+ in Arco. Ghisolfi comments, "I just want to tell you that Bibliographie is not so much tougher. If you haven't booked your 2022 holidays yet take it as a suggestion 🙂. " (c) Overchalked

As it stands, only six male climbers have done routes harder than 9b/+. The 20-year-old Italian, who is only 1.52cm tall, had previously done 19 routes graded 8c+/9a to 9b, which is significantly more than any other female climber. She did her first 9a at age 14, and since then she has won 15 IFSC events including two World Cups.