Miles Perry, who last year did the FA of a 9a, has completed Grand Illusion (8C+) in Little Cottonwood.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
This one has always been on my mind but for a long time it felt like it was still out of reach. Then last spring my brother Eli Perry was able to put it down. This got me stoked watching his process on it and the fact that he said I definitely had a shot at doing the climb pushed me to start trying from the ground this season and after about 20 days up there I found myself on top definitely one of the most enjoyable climbs of my life.

Chaehyun Seo has onsighted Humildes pa Casa (8b+) and redpointed La Morenita (8c+) in Oliana. In November, the 22-year-old has sent nine routes 8b+ up to 9a+ and she is number three in the VL ranking game.

Can you tell us more about those ascents?
Humildes was hard because I didn’t have a knee pad! I had a good fight for the last section of the route because I’m not really adapted well for tufas.

For the 8c+, it wasn’t super hard for me at the Marroncita section but the final crux was way too hard. Somehow I managed the move but fell there twice before I finally stuck it!

Dylan Chuat, who previously has sent eleven routes 9a to 9b in 2025, has made the first ascent of Terre sacrée (9a+) in Rawyl. The 24-year-old is runner up behind Laura Rogora in the VL ranking game.
”Last week, I did what is probably my most beautiful first ascent. Not the hardest route I’ve ever climbed… but definitely one of the most incredible, if not the most incredible. When Jean-Élie told me he had bolted a new hard line in Rawyl, I instantly knew it was meant for me. Rawyl has always been a special cliff for me. Every time I climb there, I feel good, light, disconnected from the world but deeply connected to the rock. That flow state we’re all searching for in climbing… I find it almost every time in Rawyl. And it’s a drug I never want to come down from. That’s also why no route in Rawyl has ever demanded much work from me — I’m completely in my element.

Yet, it started off pretty badly. For some reason, during my very first “warm-up” go, I decided it might become an actual send attempt. And it almost worked: I stuck the upper bloc but fell in the jugs right after from a flash pump + a hand slip. On my second go, I put in the perfect run — pure flow. I didn’t have to fight at any moment, I floated through the upper bloc again, reached the top out with jugs in my hands… and this time my foot slipped. And yeah, I was not happy.

But on my third try, completely unexpectedly, I topped out this king line. I think I loved this route so much that my subconscious wanted to send it three times in one day — which is basically what happened 😂. Lesson learned: don’t neglect the easy top-outs…

Sacred Ground starts from Cabane au Canada up to about three-quarters, then moves through ten easy but super flowy moves to a solid hanging rest. From there, you hit a first mini-bloc with two super stylish moves: a high lolotte to reach far into a perfect crimp, then a shoulder “clock move” to switch onto the left hand… and that’s where the real bloc begins, on the best rock in Rawyl.

The holds are absolutely wild: a tiny magical pinch, a 6 mm crimp, a flat pocket worthy of Céüse, a key flat edge, then a series of beautiful positive crimps. All of this with tiny feet — just enough to make the line perfect, demanding, and unforgettable. A true king line. Huge thanks to Jean-Élie for the vision and the bolting. I’m convinced this route will become a classic — maybe even historic — in our little country. And thank you to Charlotte for all the belays. Soon it’ll be your turn to shine in Rawyl ✨”

Jakob Schubert reports on Instagram that he has made the first repeat of Nicolai Užnik’s Mount Doom (9A) in Schleierwasserfall, after eight days of work. © Moritz Klee/Nodum Sports

”An absolutely amazing line! Long, steep, crimpy and sustained until the top - so very much my style.”

Interestingly, Schubert comments that Janja Garnbret broke a key hold creating a new mini crux which took two extra days to solve. The Austrian has previously sent Alphane (9A) and made the FA of B.I.G (9c). Furthermore, the 34-year-old is a four-time Lead World Champion and a three-time overall World Cup winner. He also secured Olympic bronze in the combined event at both the 2020 and 2024 Games.

Lukas Mokrolusky, who placed 19th at the World Championship six weeks ago, has done The Big Island (8C) in Fontainebleau. With the rope, the 17-year-old sent Action Directe (9a) in April and won silver in Lead at the Youth World Championship in August. (c) Frantisek Danda

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I came to Fontainebleau to try Big Island because it’s very much my style… big moves, heel hooks, and not too long. During my first session, I spent just 30 minutes trying the moves and actually did pretty well.

The next day, the boulder was completely under water, but we dried it out and I managed to get a good try in. The third session was only three attempts, but I did a split, so I stopped climbing because I knew I could do it after a rest day. In the final session, it went down on my first try of the day, so I was really happy to do it so quickly.

How do you summarise your great competition year?
Competition year was super great for me. I did semifinal in WCH and Top-10 in Innsbruck. It gave me a super motivation for next year and great experience