Having done 21 (25) routes 9a or harder since 2011, including ten FAs, Sebastien BOUIN is Top-5 in the redpoint world in the last five years. Last year he did Chilam Balam and gave it 9a+/b, calling the FA grade of 9b+ a huge joke. He has also given personal 8c+ grades for Era Vella and Esclatamasters, and a couple more routes. Since last year, the 23-year-old has worked in Paris as a sport teacher during the autumn. Being a fanatic outdoor climber, he's put up 50+ FAs, and he's traveled every other weekend to sunny crags in the south. His spring plans include La Rambla (9a+) and Jumbo Love (9b) plus repeats of classic hard core old-school routes. For the summer, there is Flatanger. "For my training, I have no habit. I use what I find in my way (climbing gym, gym, trees, barn, rocks). I have only plans in my head about what I need to progress. Sometimes only abs, sometimes musculation, sometimes force or resistance, or pull ups to destroy yourself before the rest day. I do it with feeling, but also with a lot of harsh. That's why I start to work with PUC series, you can train everywhere. I did compete when I was young, but now, I am not strong enough to do both compete and cliff, like Adam. If I want to compete, I have to train a lot in gym, but I loose motivation like that. And, if you loose motivation you die. I find exciting to travel and find a project. I also like the approach. The project give you the way to train. How could you do to crush this route? You have to think to find a good training to progress in order to be stronger in the route. I progress with the difficulties I find in the projects. I also find interesting the travels, you learn a lot about life. In competition, it's not the same kind of travel, you don't learn about culture, language, people. " Picture by Raphael Fourau from his 9a+ (b) project La rage d'Adam in Verdon. Mangarbo 9a/+ FA video.

Stefano Ghisolfi, #4 in the Lead WC 2016, has sent his 19th route of the 9th grade. The new route is called Thunder Ribes and it's a connection of 3 previously existing routes in Arco.

Matt Fultz is knocking on the door to become a professional climber having done his first 8C in 2016.

Alex Puccio has done Manny 74 (AKA The Cuckold 8A+) in Hueco Tanks very quickly, and it seems she is almost back in full form after her spinal surgery four months ago. " I'm definitely fully recovered, but not back to full strength yet. Feel like I'm getting stronger and stronger, but it's a slow process. Not yet back to where i was before my injury, but I know I will get there! Not really sure on the grade. I know I have and can climb 8A+ in a session and it's my style boulder. It was really really hot out today so my main project had to take a back seat till we get back from the comp. I tried to look up what other people thought about this climb, but couldn't find anything. Oh well. Time for the Comp in Alabama this weekend and then back to Hueco!!!"