Two weeks ago, we reported that Meini Li (10) had done her first 8b+, China Climb in Yangshou. After talking to her mother Emma, the 8b+ story turns out to be something for the record book, as her parents are just beginner climbers and that they live 6+ hours from the crag. Furthermore, she began climbing outdoors last year and normally just climbs three days a week. Nevertheless, she has won 40 national titles including all disciplines the last two years.

When was the first time you realized Meini is super talented?
We do not think that Meini got any talent for climbing until now! She is short and thin. She got no advantage from this but what we really see is she loves climbing and “play” very hard on it. What she likes the most about climbing is having fun. She loves climbing as a part of her and we just follow her step now.

How do you belay her to give her soft falls?
Daddy is often the belayer when she is climbing outside. They communicate more and Meini would share more feelings with him about what is more comfortable for her to climb to the top. That's their way on it!

Is there any sports tradition in the family?
Daddy is a sports fan and he trained spriting when he was at junior and senior high school. We do not have any experiences of climbing before Meini started it. After she got passionate about it, we just begin to climb a little for knowing more about it in order to know more about her. We have to say that climbing is really good for people no matter on being a sport or character-shaping even we are not good at this.

How does Meini handle the mental pressure of giving 100 % being exposed for taking big falls?
She did love roller coaster when she was very young and she loves challenges just like her daddy. At the beginning of climbing, she had similar feelings like with roller coaster. As growing up, she is also afraid of taking falls sometimes when she is far above a quickdraw especially in a high position. The way she handles the mental pressure is trying (taking falls) over and over again. Then you would accept it.

How much does she train and what about outdoors?
Meini trains twice during the week after school for about 2.5 hours and she also trains on Saturdays. We usually go to some new climbing gyms for some new and different routes in the other city which may take us 1.5 to 2 hours by self-driving. Most of the time, she trains indoors and we have nearly no time to climb outdoors except on holidays. We began to climb outdoor just from last year due to “COVID”.

More than half of the 40 Olympians will not do all three World Cup events in Salt Lake City the coming two weekends. Jakob Schubert and Jessica Pilz, from Austria, will as an example not compete the second weekend, so we contacted Jakob. 8a Olympic training interview from March. (c) KVÖ/Heiko Wilhelm

Why will you not compete the second weekend when there is also a Speed event?
Jessica (Pilz) and I will fly back right after the first event because we want some more time for training since this is the time for us to switch the focus to lead training. I was actually planning to not go to the US at all but since the Asian comps were postponed I decided to do the one to get some more bouldering experience. It hurts a bit since I definitely would love to spend some time in the USA and do all the comps but I feel the need for some more lead training before the Olympics, hope it works out 😉

Speed training is obviously still going on, not my main focus but always training it a bit (2 short sessions a week usually). I might do the speed WC in Villars. But in my opinion, it‘s not as important to do speed comps compared to bouldering for example since comps are not so different than training in speed.

Charlotte Frank has done her second 8c in Oliana, Fish eye. "Juhuu such a cool line! Bouldery crux in the middle that turned out to be more technical than I expected. Took me quite a lot of tries. One of my favourite routes so far :)" (c) Toni Mas Buchaca

Moritz Welt has done Gomorrha in Frankenjura, put up as an 8c by Markus Bock in 2009. "Really good line with some brutal crimp moves, originally graded 8c, but a few holds have broken, would suppose 8c+/9a now."

The day before, he did 21 Times Tha Pain 8c+ twice as also getting on tape for yet another uncut video. In total, the 20-year-old has done 17 routes 8c+ and 9a during the last year and he is #9 in the 8a ranking game.

Nacho Sanchez, who did the first ever 8C in Spain in 2011, has done the first repeat of Ruben Diaz' Juneru 8C in Albarracin. In total, Nacho has done some ten 8C and harder problems.

Jorge Diaz-Rullo has done the third ascent of Mejorando Imagen in Margalef, which Ramon Julian Puiblanque made the FA of in 2013 as a 9a. Alex Megos did the first repeat in March and suggested an upgrade to 9b. Jorge took it down after eight working days and thinks it is 9a+/b. (c) Paul Alonso Prat

"8 working days. Incredible line equipped by Iker Pou of short resistance with explosive steps on monos and two-finger pockets. Congratulations to Ramón for that FA and to Álex Megos for the second promotion. For me, more 9a+/b, will see what repeaters will say!"

On his Insta he comments, "Of course, it will be my hardest route without kneepads 😂🥳🦵" Previously, the 21-year-old, who has been #1 in the 8a ranking years for two years, has done six 9b's.

Gianluca Vighetti, who did four 8a's at age 8, has done L'extremacura plus 8c+ in Gravere, which was put up by his father Valter in 2000. Last month, they were in Margalef and Rodellar for one week where the 12-year-old did six 8a and 8a+ onsights. Out of his 21 latest recorded ascents, 14 are onsights 7c and harder. The only other youngster, in the 8a news the last 20 years, with such focus on onsights, is Adam Ondra. (c) Fabio Fin

Could you please say something about your focus on onsights?
I like onsight climbing because it’s like discovering new routes and especially when I’m travelling in new places I like to try to onsight routes. The focus is just not to think, breathe and stay quiet. I had yoga for one year. Flexibility is very helpful for climbing, which is my real strength and to stay relaxed when you climb.

Where have you learnt to speak so good English?
Watching climbing videos on YouTube. My favourite climbing Channel is Stefano Ghisolfi, his English is very good.

Eva Hammelmüller has done the classical Underground 8c+/9a in Arco after just four sessions and eleven tries in total. The 21-year-old, who previously has done a dozen routes 8c and 8c+, is #3 in the 8a ranking game. (c) Tobias Lanzanasto

"As steep and powerful climbing does not really suit my style, I was unsure whether the route wouldn’t be way too hard for me. On my first try, I couldn’t do all the moves, but the sequences felt great and I was amazed by the complexity of the route, including upside down climbing and crazy hooks. However, I made good progress, and when I stuck the last dyno in the first crux for the first time, I climbed to the top!"