Keenan Takahashi, Ethan Pringle and Connor Herson have done Empath 9a (+) in Tahoe which Carlo Traversi opened last year. It has also been done by James Webb, Daniel Woods and Nathaniel Coleman, everyone calling it one of the best. Alex Aristei has taken the picture of the young phenomena who did an 8c+ 2nd go at age 14 and one year later the 8b+ big wall The Nose. The best multi-disciplin teenager inthe world has been Top-16 in the last three Youth World Champions.

How was the process taking it down? Did you use crack gloves like Pringle? (c) Tradisplaid
I think I sent empath on my 5th session, but I nearly sent it on my 3rd and 4th sessions as well. I was able to jam my way past the three of the four cruxes on the route, making each of them substantially easier. I did not wear any tape or crack gloves for the send.

What does tour Insta presentation, "Obsessed with climbing", stand for?
I made climbing a very important part of my life because I enjoy it so much. Whether it’s the amazing locations trad climbing takes me, the try hard of sport climbing, the intensity of competition, or any combination of these, every type of climbing has its own appeal.

Dylan Barks has done Arrested Development on his 2nd go in Mount Charleston suggesting a personal grade at 8c+. It has four ascents in the 8a database out of which two have said "low-end 9a" and the other two did it as their first 9a, including Alex Honnold, who actually also said it might be 8c+. (c) Rachael Melville

"I went up my first try bolt to bolt, being able to do all the moves. I quickly realized the route was my style (dynamic and powerful with a fitness element), but definitely didn’t expect to do it second go. I just tied in and started climbing with no expectations and somehow that led me to the chains! As for the grade, it felt more like 8c+ from my experience, but like I said the route did suit me quite well. Next for me is to switch gears a bit and get ready for alpine bouldering this summer in CO. I would love to come back to the Las Vegas area in the early fall, however, and dive back into the sport climbing there! "

The 26-year-old also did Americas Least Wanted 2nd go the same day, and once again suggested a personal downgrade. Most other repeaters have called it 8c/+ in the 8a database so it might be that both those routes should be officially downgraded?

"America’s Least Wanted and is actually on the same wall as Arrested Development. It’s a lot shorter though, being around 14 moves. I went up and checked the moves on my first try, doing the final jump move a few times. Nothing on the route felt too cruxy, so I knew I might have a chance to do it second try. I ended up tying in a few minutes after my first burn and taking it to the chains! I think the route has been given a slash grade of 8c/+ for a while now and I guess it felt more on the 8c side to me, but again, this felt like a style that suits me quite well so I’m not totally sure."

Stefan Scherz, Combined Euro Youth Champion in 2020, has done his second 9a, Puro Dreaming in Arco which Adam Ondra did the FA of in 2018. (c) Julian Parsert

How do you use rock climbing preparing for the upcoming competitions?
Climbing outdoors always helps me a lot to refocus and to gain fitness for the upcoming competitions. I’ve spent a few days in Arco recently, where I was able to send “Pure Dreaming” despite bad conditions! So, confidence and psych are high for WC Innsbruck in just a few weeks!

Nao Monchois, who last year was #8 in the Briancon WC, has done his second 9a in Céüse, Pornographie. "It is a super nice endurance route in the mythical Biography sector. Quite short, 20m, and intense, it’s a perfect test for comp climbers 😊 I first tried the route for three days one month ago with a little finger tweak, and absolutely no chance to send it. So I came back to Céüse right after the French national team selection comp to decompress, and also retry this route. After a dozen tries and a big fight, It finally went down 😊"

So how was the selection?
The selection went pretty good. I’ll participate in Innsbruck, Chamonix and Briancon WC’s for sure and I don’t know yet for the second part of the season!

Pierre Le Cerf, who previously has done six 9a’s and Punt X 9A+, has done the FA of Just two fix 9a/+ in Gorges du Loup. It is an 8b+ extension, bolted by Cedric Lo Piccolo, to Just on fix 8c+. (c) Sam Bié

"Between two competitions, two workouts and two stretches, I make my first FA! The route consists of some 70 moves on a very beautiful 32m panel. Four sessions of drying the holds and doing move by move, impossible to make a real try due to some wet holds by movement in the track, impossible to put a test because of some wet holds. Then the first dry day I send on my first go. During my send, my body directed my brain and not my brain which directed my body, I was a spectator of this rise... very surprising emotions, state of mind and thoughts during the sequence that signaled me to have the slightest fatigue... the flow? I don't think so but it was not far;). In any case, it is a great gift that this route has offered me."

Daniel Woods reports on Insta that he has done the third ascent of Nathaniel Coleman's Grand Illusion 8C+ at Little Cottonwood Canyon. Sean Bailey, who won the last WC in SLC, did the second ascent calling it 9a+/b. Daniel, who has won one WC and twice been runner-up, has done 30+ boulders 8C to 9A, meaning he is #1 with a big margin measuring tick lists.

How was the process taking it down and how many sessions were needed?
Mmm, think I put in around 22 sessions on this thing. I first tried it last year with Jimmy and Sean Bailey. Sean cruised it on his 3rd day (kids got mad resistance). I kept falling on the last move then the snow came.

This year I came back for 5 days in April but it was too cold to link it (hands would numb out). I returned back middle of may with warmer temps and continued to fall on the last move. Finally, was able to stick it and send. The climb is borderline a route. 21 moves to the final jug. There is no rest. Some of the coolest granite features that I have climbed on.