Cathy Wagner has done Le Coq 8a in Mejannes, giving it a personal 8a down grade, and Soltitud in Pratdip, on her second go. "Another amazing route! A great line, some physical moves but weird bolting." In total the 54-year-old has now done 748 routes 8a to 8b, which should be most by all female. Interesting is that she has done like one third of them on her second go.

Jonathan Siegrist has done his tenth 9a+, by doing the FA of One Hundred Proof in Mt Potosi. On Insta he reports, "I’ve been inching my way higher and higher on this monstrous route over the last 2 weeks, but the process really started over a month ago trying hard on its easier sibling ‘Smoke Wagon’." The latter is a 9a is another FA by him, meaning he has done a total of 47 routes 9a to 9b. In he 8a ranking game, he is #3. Next up is a one month trip to Italy. "I've never climbed there. Very excited."

Toni Lamprecht, who did his first 8B in 1997, has done two more, 60 watt sonne and Postsexueller sog ins nix, both in Kochel. "The two 8B's are basically sections of a project I'm working on. You could combine the start of "Real Absurdistan" (8C) with the exit of the "60 watt sonne" It is 18m through an 8m roof. A nice goal when I'll be back from ten days skiing and bouldering in Italy. Maybe I'll try Ziqqurat 8C, if the weather is good and the snow is not too high."

Gambaro Matteo, who has put up close to 200 routes, has done the FA of Resilienza mecanica 8c+ in Albenga. "It is a line I bolted two years ago. Hard roof and exit in my 8c, Resistentia Mecanica I bolted the year before. Interesting is that the 45-year-old had his best year ever in 2019. His next goal is to finish his big long term 9a FA project, a combination of two 8c's.

Marcello Bombardi, who won the WC in Chamonix in 2017, has done his second 9a, Hakuna Matata in Cubo. It should be mentioned that Cubo is crag with numerous drilled pocket and both Marcello and Adam Ondra, who did the second ascent, of the Alberto Gnerro FA, marked it as chipped. The 164 cm tall was #31 in the Combined WC 2019 and he still has once chance left to make it to Tokyo. His Speed PB is 7.37. "I'm currently training for the European Championship at the end of March where there is one last spot for the Olympics. It will be very hard but as long as there is a chance I will try hard to qualify. If this won't happen then I will happy anyway to take one year focusing only on lead and trying some hard route outside.

Fanatic Climbing reports that Quentin Chastagnier has done his third 9a by the FA of Twist Again in Festival crag. He bolted it some five years ago and it is the neighbor to his first 9a he did one year ago. Interesting is that he has done several 8c+' before including some 9a's he has suggested personal downgrades off. (c) Simon Destombes "About the route, it’s something special, a 12 meters long regular 35/40° overhang with pinches, pockets, edges and original moves with a lot of drop knees (which explain the name of the route). It’s a mix of technical and powerful climbing for a fun effort. The start offers two 7B+ boulder problems until an undercling hole rest (around 8c to this point) before an 8A boulder problem and an easy final slab around 6a. Around 9a, and for sure one of the nicest extreme routes around!"

Maho Normand, who started climbing outside last July, has done his first 8c/+, Cannabis Directa in Rouquevaire. The next goal for the 140 cm tall 14-year-old includes routes from 8c to 9a+. Insta "I would like to win another French Cup and join the French national team. My project outside is to make a 9a in Faron before I turn 15, Then to make several classics like Ufo 8c, XXL 8c+ and in the meantime work on Aubade 9a+.

jose luis palao has done his tenth 9a via the FA of La catedral del mál in Santuario. It took him 15-20 days of projectingnot counting sections shared with other routes. "It is a 25m route with a first part of 8c+, including a technical boulder with knees. After a good rest it continues with an 8c. Very happy to finish this process for me after also bolting it."