Hernan Garcia, who started climbing in 2004 when he was 22 years old, has done his first 9a, Fuck the system in Santa Linya. (c) Henning Wang "I started to try the route one year ago after I had sent Digital System but not seriously. It was in January 2016 that it got seriously and thanks to the advises from Diego Marsella that I could link all the moves. It was a nice experience when I saw a few strong climbers like Domen Skofic send the route very fast and I got extra motivation. Finally yesterday I was able to send it on my second go despite the hot conditions, Now the motivation is high to try some new project in the Santa Linya cave."

Stefano Ghisolfi, who did a 9b FA last year as well as being #9 in the Led World Cup has done Goldrake 9a+ in Cornalba. "Had some problem with the top slab, but did it in 4 days! Really nice route, sharp for the skin." © Enrico Veronese So what is your plan, ambition for 2016 and how do you prepare for this? I think I'm going to try some projects in Italy and then compete in lead world cups. My ambition is always the podium. But I'd like to be more regularly. My trainer Roberto Bagnoli trains me with a strict program, power, power endurance and endurance in the last months. But my passion for rock is too strong that I need to climb outside once a week at least.

Fontainebleau • Extra Five from Eliot Stephens on Vimeo.

Bouldering Puerto Rico // Yabucoa from Cold House Media on Vimeo.

Anak Verhoeven, who was #4 in the Lead World Cup last year, has done her second 9a, the FA of Me belle ma muse in Romeyer. Just later, it was repeated by Jean-Elie Crestin-Billet and here is his video. Jean-Elie actually called it an 8c+/9a.