Carlo Traversi, who previously has done eight 8C's, has done his first 8C+, Creature from the black lagoon in RMNP. Previous years, he has done a couple of sessions on it before starting to try it this year, all by himself. Luckily he got it on video which will be released soon. "Weird day. Shitty conditions and wasn’t feeling great, then just randomly climbed it. Gave myself a month to do this thing and it only took 3 days. Gonna have to find some other things to try."

So what is your best explanation for this amazing quick send?
No real explanation. I’ve been mostly trying hard projects in CA this spring/summer and just failing on them. I’ve always believed that climbing on things that are outside of your range is the best way to improve. No hang boards, no weights, no structure, just real climbing with good motivation. It’s definitely my most surprising ascent. I don’t consider roof climbing to be my style, that was one of the reasons I wanted to try to climb this boulder. To improve. I actually almost never climb on horizontal roofs.

Kim Marschner has done his first 9a, The Elder Statesman in Frankenjura and it just took him four tries over two days. "I had no plans or expectations going into the Frankenjura. I just wanted to try something hard. So I looked at that route an thought oh ja that looks pretty cool."

Interestingly is that Kim has been an active competition climber for several years but only once reached the semi out of 18 WC's. Last year he did not do any routes outdoors and his previous best was an 8c. (c) Nici Schall

It seems you are a more talented outdoor climber compared to comps?
Haha, yes but I think if I stop competing I won’t train that hard anymore and get weak. I‘m not in the best shape at the moment because I was a bit lazy the last months without any comps so I have no expectations.

Brooke Raboutou, who has qualified to Tokyo 2021, has done two 8B’s during one day up in Upper Chaos in RMNP at 3200 m altitude; Doppelgänger Poltergeist and The Wheel of Chaos. “So psyched!!! Sent it first try from the bottom! Spent about an hour working out the moves at the end of a long day and then came back and sent!” (c) Alex Puccio

In the monthly ranking game, the 19-year-old is #5 and as a matter of a fact this is he highest ranking ever for a female among the male since 8a started 2000! And, without personal down grading, she would have been #4.

Georgia Tesio, who did her first 8b+ at age 14, when she also did her first 8A+ boulder, has done her first 8c, Mieux vaut une petite bien sure in La Saume. At the same crag Claudia Ghisolfi did her second 8c, Idée fixed.

Giorgia: ”The passed weekend I escaped the heat and went for a short trip to Briançon in France. It was simply amazing! Great crew, perfect conditions in the beautiful crag La Saume located at 2000+ meter altitude.

After my knee injury and the quarantine I’d say my endurance was not the best. When I do some sports climbing I usually pick up a short route, or at least the most bouldery at the crag. I did the same this time. I tried it on Saturday for the first time and after five tries, I managed to find the method, which suited best for me and at the end of the day I fell on the last move! I was more exited than disappointed. I knew it was possible! The next day I warmed up and then gave it a shoot and without even realizing it I found myself clipping the chain of my first 8c! It was a great satisfaction. Without any competitions except for the Briançon World Cup, I changed my focus and found the right motivation again in rock climbing. I had so much fun that I’m already looking forward for a new project, maybe something longer this time, who knows; but for now it has to wait since Briançon competition is coming closer and closer!”

Dylan Chuat has done his first 8C, Foundations Edge in Fionnay. During the last month he has also done three 8B+' and he is #1 in the monthly ranking game. (c) Rémi Degenne

”This year I was selected to the swiss national team, I'm boulder and lead vice champion. I started specific training last year with Christophe Depotter a Belgium coach who brought me a lot of advices. I started to climb outdoors due to the lockdown in March. I've a bouldering spot near my flat, I started there then since all the competitions were cancelled. In March I did my first 8A+ boulder! After that I tried some other boulders and discovered that I was able to flash almost all 8A and do 8B at that session. Later I wanted to try something harder, a big project that would take some time and a lot of work. I started to watch some videos. One boulder became obvious, Foundation's Edge, a big 8C known all around the world. 10 sessions were needed to send it.”

Alex Totkova, who did her first 9a this spring, has done Napred 8c in Karlukovo, after working it for almost ten sessions. Last year she was runner-up after Oriane Bertone in the Combined Youth Worlds and as a matter of a fact, the 15-year-old Bulgarian was the only one to beat Oriane in a Youth comp in 2019.

Stasa Gejo has done her first 8A+, Jack's broken heart in Magic Wood. The Serbian did her first 8b route at age 12 and later she was one of the best Lead youth competitors. Competing with the seniors, she switched more into bouldering and in 2017, being 17-years-old, she won both the European Championship as well as The world Games and in 2018, she was #3 in the World Championship. 2019 started with her falling from the top in Studio Bloc Master getting a knee a bad injury.

"I rarely boulder outdoors in general and I especially avoided it after the knee surgery. But this month I felt strong for trying something hard. Also, the knee felt pretty solid for more agressive heelhooks and falls. It has been more than a year since, it was a very tough recovery path and I will still follow the leg training routine in the future. Now I am back in Munich, where I currently live, continuing the trainings and the preparations for the few competitions that will take place this summer and autumn. The ultimate goal is the European Championship in Moscow in November. And some outdoor lead projects in Frankenjura."

She is a udying M.Sc. in Power Engineering at TUM and apart from that training like 20 hours a week but no specific training partner or coach. She trains 3x a week fitness and 4-5 times climbing training. Since the Covid19 there is also rock climbing almost every week.

Karoline Sinnhuber has done her eleventh 8A+ during the last year, Jack's broken heart in Magic Wood. In the ranking game, the 25-year-old former competition climber from Austria is #5. (c) Fabian Leu

"It is a pity that we couldn‘t go to ZA. I don't like the summer in Austria and Europe cause I can‘t handle those temps. I kinda have two weeks of holiday now after my exams. The plan is one week in swiss (if the weather is fine) and one week frankenjura afterwards. Afterwards I have to work and I think I just train in the gym and get fit for autumn and better temps."