Erik Grandelius, who previously has done two 8c+'s and an 8c (+) FA in Flatanger, has done the second ascent of Adam Ondra's Witchhammer 9a in Flatanger. /c) Erik Massih "I needed some three weeks to do Witchhammer which can be compared with three days for my last 9a. After one week I fell at the last crux but later I did worse as I got worn out doing too many tries on the steep route. Even if I climbed pretty fast in between the good rests, it took 30 - 40 minutes. After a second depressive week I left Flatanger and returned two weeks later with a new strategy to just go for one push every other day. After some days with 30 degrees I did it on the first day with good condition in poring rain. Overall it was a rather painfull but instructive process but I can not understand guys who likes trying a route for more than a week in a row."

Nico Pelorson FRA - Stasa Gejo SRB Filip Schenk ITA - Giorgia Tesio ITA Sam Avezou FRA - Celina Schoibl AUT Overall, France was the most successful country followed by Italy. Surprisingly poor result for Germany, Russia and Spain. Interesting is that when it comes to outdoors, at least, the four older winner are mainly climbing routes.

Chaehyun Seo from Korea has done Omaha Beach 8b+ in Red River Gorge, which took her just four tries. Last year she onsighted Punto Caramelo giving it a personal grade of 8a. "My father is a coach and 5.14 (8b+) climber, my mother is 5.13 climber (7c+) and I have climbed in almost eight years."

Naile Meignan, the youngest of five siblings, has done Florida 8c (b+) and shares her story. - After having done Inexia 8b+ in Rodellar in 2014, I wanted to try Florida 8c. This is a great route divided into two parts. A section of about twenty meters on small tufa with two hard movement in a good slope and then exit with a big boulder on small crimps, a little reachy for me. I tried it at the end of last summer's training camp with my club but I had to return with a huge disappointment. Anyhow, I knew inside that I could climb. During the first part of the school last year, I wanted to forget about it, too much disappointment. Then gradually the project was resumed and the middle of spring, after the return of climbing outdoors, I was again fully motivated. Then I had to negotiate with my parents to return to Rodellar despite family plans was elsewhere so only my mother and my sister could join me. After some calibration runs because I got taller and then just one try per day falling just below the chain and then bang, I did it. It makes me really great pleasure, a project about a year with ups and downs, doubts... but in the end it really is too good. My most beautiful route ever.

Ashima Shiraishi has recovered well from her 14 meter ground fall which occurred last month and is currently in Grampians in Australia, where she has just done Sleepy Rave, which was set up by Dai Koyamada as an 8C. It is a link up of an 8A (+), a 7C and a 8A and it makes the final 3/4 of The Wheel of Life 8C (+). Later she did Mana 8B which was pictured by Parker Alec Kross from Crossroad studios. Since the FA in 2004, several personal downgrades have been added, which included also 8B in 2016. The Boulder is an endurance challenge - it is horizontal climbing for like ten meters and therefore also an 8c+ route grade has been suggested for it. Based on Ashimas's combined Route and Boulder tick list, the 15-year-old can be considered the most impressive female climber in the world since she was 13 years old.

Patience and Understanding V12/8a+ from Phat Phriction on Vimeo.

The interview is from April and finishes with Adam saying that he does not know if he will participate or boycott it.