Jakob Schubert reports on Insta that he first did the second repeat of Daniel Woods' La Force Tranquille 8C in Magic Wood in just one session. On the next session, he opted for the original direct exit and within an hour he made the FA of the direct and although a bit harder, it remains 8C. (c) Michael Piccolruaz

The 29-year-old Austrian, who has qualified to Tokyo 2021, has been the best male Lead competition climber the last ten years. In total, he has won 21 World Cups, out of which 18 in Lead. Including also one 9b+ and four 9b's, Jakob should be considered the runner up climber in the world after Adam Ondra during the last ten years together with Alex Megos.

Lucija Tarkus from Slovenia has done her first 8c+, Beautiful pain in Kotecnik.

"At first, I didn’t intend to dedicate myself to climb this route. Instead, I wanted to send Butnskala 8b+. When I sent it on my first attempt day, I decided to just try to climb Beautiful pain. I couldn't send it the same day as I only tried the moves. Then, on the next day succeeded on my 5th attempt yesterday."

In 2018, she won two Euro Cups and last year she got the bronze in Bouldering in the Euro Championship. The picture by Fabian Poels is from Arco.

Alex Totkova, the 15-year-old, who did her first 9a this spring has sent Memento mori 8c in Golyamata Dupka. It took her six sessions but that was because she did not find the right beta. "It was my mistake so therefore it took me a long time".

Last year, she won A Euro Youth Cup in both Lead and Boulder, and in the World Championship, she got the silver in Combined.

Iziar Martinez has done her fifth 8c, MotivAcción in Cueva del Arnal. "Well I went to this cave in Cantalejo, it's like my comfort zone. I go there since I was 11-years-old and I only had two routes left and one of them was the 8c. So I tried and I did it on my 6th go."

Olga Niemiec, a mother of two from Poland who is an international route setter, has done her first 8A+, Amores perros in Botzeta. (c) Marcin Ciepielewski

"I am excited that I can climb on this level and continue to improve as a climber. It’s hard to reconcile intensive training and being a mum of 2 active kids, but I am happy that it’s possible :)" It took me 5 sessions in total (including 2 sessions on the first part of the boulder, which also has a different ending called "Amores Perros dla leszczy" graded 7C+). After sending the easier version it was obvious that I should try the harder one. Which I thought is graded 8A, so it seemed reachable. Despite doing all the moves in 30 minutes, linking them all took three more sessions, and in the meantime I realised it's graded 8A+ :)"

Giuliano Cameroni has done the FA of Baba Yaga 9a in Val Bavona. "Took me one session to clean and bolt the route. The process was crazy because the first days I tried and thought it was going to be at least 9b. Then, on day five, first day of good conditions, I moved way better and understood that it was more a question of friction than a question of power. So I waited for good conditions and was able to climb it the next session. This winter I m planning on climbing in Ticino, trying everything I get psyched on, boulders, routes, first ascents or repeats!

The 23-year-old Swizz has during the last two years previously done two 8C+', eigth 8C' and one 9a, out of which six FAs. Add to that also 15 FAs 8B and 8B+ during the last year and it is easy to understand he is one of the more influential hardcore FA boulder in the world. Yet, he calls Baba Yaga, "Maybe my best FA so far." on Insta (c) Stefan Kuerzi

Martin Keller, famous for his long term solo projecting, has set yet a new standard taking down Unendliche Geschichte 8B+ in Magic Woods after working on it for 16 years. (c) Hannes Kutza

Finishing his work as a teacher in a university in Zurich at 4 pm, he sometimes drives 2.20 h to Magic and starts bouldering at 7 pm. Although he has to wake up at 5.45 am he is normally not back and in bed until 2 am. "Can be 4 or directly to work as well... not recommended though ;) For all kilometres CO2 compensated at least... and commuting to work by train only... at least."

The 43-year-old is also one of the first who started using fans and he is a condition/friction expert often carrying several fans as well as a humidity meter. A separate article is coming up. More info on his Insta and on his Coaching page.

In total, he has done seven 8C's out of which Ninja Skills Sit is his hardest and it has not been repeated. "Ninja is one off the best boulders for sure. An interesting fact is that I managed to close down so many of my nemesis-boulders during the last two years... its cool to see to be able to step up your game with 43 again and keep dreaming about those lines :)"

My “Never Ending Story” started back in November 2004 when I had been able to send “Part 2” for my second 8A-boulder. But the first part of the line with its crazy river polished slopers always had puzzled me. The friction was so poor that I constantly dryfired off somewhere. In 2007 we had a session during a thunderstorm. The holds started to condensate but the friction suddenly had been amazing! It turned out that these polished holds had way better friction when they were totally humid! Something totally new for us! A few thunderstorms later and I had climbed the first part as well and I had started to try to link the two parts. But somehow the first move of the second part kept throwing me off on link. I did go back every year since and came close many times but somehow never managed to stick that move. Eventually, the weather always turned “too dry” and/or I had been sidetracked with other projects!

This spring was different though! Despite approaching my 43rd birthday I was clearly in the best shape of my life as I “suddenly” had been able to send several hard-multi-year-nemesis-projects of mine like “Riot Act, low, 8C’ish” in the Frankenjura , “Ill Trill 8B+” and “New Baseline, 8B+” in Magic Wood. So when the warm and wet conditions had arrived, I was back at “Never Ending Story” and really did stick my nemesis move after a few sessions for the first time ever! The bummer was that I slipped off from the last moves before the top. But I was just super happy to have done that move that had shut me down for the last 13years.

Unfortunately, the conditions got too dry soon after and I started to feel too tired from the long season! I took my usual summer break from bouldering. After that, I worked myself back in shape only to fall off again with totally numb fingers on the last move during an early snowstorm. A few sessions later and another slip off the last moves I finally was able to finish it up! Despite numbing out in the end and therefore overpowering and injuring my ankle while going for the top hold I was able to keep it together and finish off my personal “Never Ending Story”. 16 years after touching this beauty for the first time my dream had come true! But looking back at it the last 16years have been the real dream. So grateful for that journey and its experiences!"