Spanish Pol Roca has done La Teoría del Todo in Albarracín suggesting a personal grade of 8B+. The boulder was put up by Beto Rocasolano as an 8C+ and Rubén Díaz repeated it suggesting it as 8C. Last week Pol also put up Boulder Blaster 8C FA in La Comarca. (c) Francis Guillén It is your first 8C, how many sessions on it? Can you compare with others? Yes, it is my first 8C. I found it two years ago but I didn't try it in 7 months due to an injury. It took me around 30-40 days. I can compare it with others 8B+ FA that I've done and Boulder Blaster is harder... but I think it's really hard to compare with others because the style is really hard to find. Do you think it could be one of the hardest problems in Spain? I don't think so cause it hasn't many moves but it is pure strength and without doubt is the hardest move I've ever tried. Which is your next goal? I have some problems to try and I can't say one specifically but there's one in La Comarca, not very aesthetic line but easy to see. Is the link up of an 8 moves 8B and an 8 moves 8B+. That will be the next hard line in La Comarca .

Giorgia Tesio, who just won the Italian Bouldering Championship, reports on Insta that she has done her first 8B, Fortunadrago in Varazze. The 18 year old did her first 8a six years ago and it was actually a flash. Later she has been an active competition climbers having won three Euro Championships. "I don’t exactly know how it was possible to top it in a day and an half of tries: when I tried it for the first time it seemed quite impossible for me, until I found out a new beta which fit perfectly for me: using the heel hooks in both of the two hard sections makes it less about strength and allows me to stick the hard move every time. So the second day I knew I could do it, and I was so excited and anxious that I almost missed the opportunity to get my first 8b done, but fortunately I had my friends there to support me! It seems that every in the last two years I ends my projects faster than before, such as it happened for Hyena, this means that I have to try something harder! So in 2019 I’ll look for new projects on rock, maybe near home so I can try them even during comp season; but next year is very important for me because it is my last year in young competitions! So I’ll try my best for making this year memorable, challenging my self in World Cup as well." (c) Fabio Fin

Matty Hong and Ben Spannuth have done the third and fourth ascent of Joe Kinder's Bone Tomahawk in Fynn Cave both suggesting a personal grade of 9a. First Matty did it, (c) Jon Cardwell and a couple later Matty was shooting pictures of Ben doing it.

Matty Hong and Ben Spannuth have done the third and fourth ascent of Joe Kinder's Bone Tomahawk in Fynn Cave both suggesting a personal grade of 9a. First Matty did it, (c) Jon Cardwell and a couple later Matty was shooting pictures of Ben doing it. This is how Kinder describes his route, "Crux in the beginning, very resistant with bizarre to-hooks and roof tricks. Then very continuous, muscly, and athletic. It’s not so finger intensive as it is full body intensive. It’s like being in the boxing ring and fighting to the end of utter fatigue. Then there is an extension. I’ve done all moves and believe it’s an additional 9 bolts of 8c+. It will be significantly difficult. No rests after the glory jug on Bone T. Seems loco to me but has me very excited to see what my old ass can do on it. I’m heading down there tomorrow to try a bit. So excited."

Stefano Carnati, who did Biographie 9a+ this autumn, has had eight very productive days doing three 8c+. First the FA of Vortex in Gajum which he has tried for few days during the last four years, see picture. More info on his Insta. Then he traveled to Spain and did A Muerte in Siurana and La Ley Innata in Margalef. "Nemesis is over!! 3AM alarm clock made its work! Spent several days last year and it drove me crazy. Today sent straight after a warm-up go."

In between day #8 and day #30, Stefano Ghisolfi did not see any physical progress on Perfecto Mundo 9b+ in Margalef as he kept falling on the same move. "I just felt a slow progress on sensations and feelings on the route. I improved on the first part to make it perfect. I did visualization when I was home and try to reproduce the feelings. I trained my legs too because in the rest before the hard section I had to push with my left leg to stay in the position. The process has been very complicated and frustrating, during this year I had a lot of emotions, motivation and sometimes I thought to give up, but I never did. " Stefano won the Italian Speed Championship in 2010 with 7.96 so he has actually not started any Speed training yet. He has deliberately postponed it in order to reduce the months with almost only focusing on indoor training prior to Tokyo 2020. "My plan was to stay in Spain for a month until end of December, bit I did the route at the second day of the trip, so now I have one more month to train. Now I can focus on Olympics 100%. I will continue with some rock project but closer to home, while I can train boulder and speed. Living in Arco will help my outdoor climbing. But maybe not big projects before the Olympics. During 2019, I will do all Lead WCs and maybe 3 or 4 bouldering and Speed WCs."

Charles Albert, the famous Font barefoot boulderer, has made the FA of yet another 8C+, Hypothèse assis. It adds two moves to the 7C+ stand start. "It’s just another hard boulder, it’s not very beautiful and it’s chipped. I did it because it was dry. It took me three quick sessions and a long one. I don’t think it’s easier or harder with shoes the next project is another hard boulder.” Charles climbs barefoot and he has established and repeated several 8C's and done the Fa of La Revolutionnaire 8C+. The pic by Neil Hart is from an 8B+ in Font.

Michaela Kiersch has had a great trip to Hueco Tanks where she quickly did three 8A+; Rumble in the jungle, Tequila Sunrise and Phantom Limb (c) Brandon Fox - The Foxes Photography In the Combined ranking game, Michaela is #1 among the female and #13 among the male. "I went into this trip with no objectives other than to have fun and enjoy my climbing. The weather has been perfect and I’ve been with amazing friends. Couldn’t have been a better trip! Usually I do have plans, but this trip was more for my mental health and enjoyment than for sending super hard projects. My plan for the winter is to train, get stronger, and enjoy the holidays with my family. 2019 is still open ended for me, I really need to start thinking of some good new year resolutions."