Thilo Schröter started off his trip to Hueco Tanks with an inflamed finger which luckily healed. During the first three weeks the Norweigian has done a total of 22 boulders 8A and harder out of which seven flash. More pics by Tina Hafsaas. More pics on his Insta. It’s my first trip to Hueco, so naturally I have a lot of moderate classics to sample, and that’s what I’ve done. Milage is a lot if fun but after a month of rampage it’s time to get on some harder things. Two more weeks in Hueco ahead, and then a week checking out Red Rocks before flying back home. Then I’ll have a month to train and enjoy good conditions in Norway before the BWC‘s start. As of now I’m only planing on competing at the first three that are in Europe, and focus more on rock for the rest of the year with trips to Rocklands, Grampians, Font and the Norwegian west coast. And I plan to do Tokyo as well.”

Tina Hafsaas, #4 in Chamonix Lead WC in 2017, has done two 8A's and Rumble in the Jungle 8A (+) in Hueco Tanks. More pics and info on her Insta, (c) Thilo Schröter. "I’m having a blast here in Hueco Tanks. The style suits me pretty well with steep and long climbing mainly on crimps. I had a great week by sending Le Chninkel and Sunshine each in one session and finish Rumble in the Jungle pretty fast as well. Now I’m sucked into project mode on a few boulders that feel harder for me. They challenge me in styles and techniques I’m not as good at and I hope I will finish them off before we head to Red Rocks. I will do the full lead World Cup and the European and World Championship in lead. I will not aim for the Olympics as the format does not feel like the sport I am passionate about."

Piotr Schab has done his fifth 9a+ the last year, La Rambla in Siurana. The Pole did his first 9a being 16 years old and then he has had seven years of continuous progress and he is #2 in the ranking game after Adam Ondra. "I’ve started trying La Rambla this week, giving it a warm-up go and one try each day. Yesterday during the warm-up go I changed betas in three different sections so sending the route right afterwards was very unexpected. Felt solid all the way up + the conditions were prime. Eventually I sent La Rambla during my 4th day on it, 8 tries with 4 warm-ups included. Such a shame Dave (Graham) fell on the very last move right after my ascent.

Isabelle Faus has done her 35th 8A+, No half way Crooks 8A+ in Clear Creek Canyon. Previously she has also done 17 8B's and two 8B+' "It took me probably five sessions. I felt really close from the beginning, but there was one move that I couldn't do correctly on the try. Once I did it right I did it. I guess next is Memory is parallax (8B+), feeling good about it, but I also wanna check out Everything gneiss (8B+) and try Dark waters (8B), which are both in the same canyon as no half way crooks :))"

Moritz Welt has had two great weeks doing three 8B's and Crashpad Dummy 8B+ in Frankenjura. Amazingly he just needed one session for each boulder. During the last year the 17 year old has done 67 boulders and 8A and harder and 73 routes 8a+ and harder and he is #4 in the Combined ranking. "I think my goal was trying some lines I've never tried before cause I became a little frustrated on my other projects. So expectations were quite low and I was able to be as relaxed as possible while bouldering. All ascents were super rewarding, but most of all "Airbus" because it's so rarely repeated and I love reactivating old and forgotten lines!"

Heiko Queitsch, #1 highest ranked in the 8a Gallery with also eight pics Top-20, enjoys bouldering during the winter. In the first pic by Tobias Plail he does Lego Technik direkt 8A in -14 without hand warmers or any special trick when he is out there. "Little Warming up.. .jumping, running, and easy moves. In the second pic by Frank Kretschmann he is doing the FA of Claude Monet 8A+. His coldest ascent was done in -25 degrees. "Basically I enjoy the peaceful atmosphere in the snow-covered forest. The conditions are often better in winter, since the rock is drier then, and the skin harder. Those crisp conditions allow me to climb moves that I can’t even dream of doing in summer or in warmer conditions. Before I approach my current project, I warm up at my indoor wall at home. It takes truly warm boots, a proper duvet jacket and lots of hot tea to keep the body warm in the freezing cold. Best, however, is a bunch of good friends crazy and motivated enough to go out into the cold, too. A great advantage is that it takes a lot to make me feel cold, at least minus 20°. I have, however, become “softer” than I used to be."