Brooke Raboutou and Hidemasa Nishidi are the Youth A Lead World Champions. Hidemasa is the only one in Moscow who topped all four routes and he actually cruised the final route. Two weeks ago, the 15 year old was #11 in the Arco WC. Last year Brooke was #9 in a Lead WC and #10 in a Boulder WC.

1. Brooke Raboutou USA - Hidemasa Nishidi JPN
2. Futaba Ito JPN - Luka Potocar SLO
3. Sandra Lettner AUT - Katsura Konishi JPN
Complete results

Interesting is that Alberto Gines, who was #7 in the last WC in Arco, was #5 and Laura Rogora was #6. The level in this category is extremely high and anybody in the final seems to also be able to be Top-15 also in the World Cup.

Isabelle Faus has done Quintessential 8B in Rocklands. © Chad Greedy In total, she has now done 47 boulders 8A+ to 8B+ and she is runner up in the female ranking game.

"Psyched! Also I did Steak House 8A+ the other day! Not a crazy hard boulder but way outta my style so I’m pretty psyched about it... Gonna try and continue my theme of classic boulders still unclimbed by women."

Fanatic-Climbing reports that Julia Chanourdie, #4 in the Lead WC last year, has done La cabane au Canada 9a in Rawyl. In total, she just needed ten tries to do her thrid 9a which Adam Ondra onsighted in 2013.

"This ascent was important for me. My international lead competition season is over and stopped early, so it was hard to fix new goals. Since my first day in Rawyl, pleasure to go climbing was back and a new goal with. I currently have no idea about the next route, but why not one step harder?”"

Daniel Jung started working on The Recovery Drink in 2012 together with Nico Favresse. Next year he was back when Nico did the FA and also in 2015 and 2017 he made long trips up to the remote Jössingfjord in Norway but no success. This year he was back and some holds broke, making it slightly harder. In the end he had to extend his trip with another four days, before taking down the possibly hardest trad route in the world. As Favresse, Daniel avoids giving a grade but what we know is that the German had to struggle at least as hard for when he did his two 9a+', La Rambla and Coruna.

Did you train specifically for doing the Recovery Drink?
After the first trip I did some stretching, I was struggling with one move, because I was too stiff. Also I set some volumes on a steep wall of our bouldering gym, Schlüsselstelle. I trained to rest in steep open handjams, that was really good to do. For my last trip, I just new that it is good to arrive with lots of power endurance. So I trained on long boulderproblems, mainly in the night, because it was too hot before 22:00. To train during the summer heat was a hard time.

What made this route so important so you did go back for three long dedicated trips?
The most important is to send my long time projecting in a beautiful place on a perfect wall. So the Jössingfjord fitted very well. Also, I was sure that I would be able to climb it. The process took a while, but why giving up when I feel close? Also I‘m very bad in giving up!

How does it compare also grade wise to the hardest sport routes you have done?
I really can’t compare the route, it’s an unique style, a totally different cup of tea compared to what I did before.

Stefano Ghisolfi has done his 17th 9a, Pure Dreaming in Arco, which Adam Ondra put up this spring. " It would be a hard 9a if Adam wouldn't find this kneebar after the first section of the route, so it is "just" 9a." (c) Sara Grippo

In the Lead World Cup, the Italian is #2 after having won one event out of four. Currently he is training hard often in Innsbruck in order to prepare for the upcoming World Championship next month.

Japan continues to dominate Bouldering in the Moscow Youth World Championship. In Youth B, they got two golds and two bronzes in great finals with almost perfect route setting were all boulders were done. Complete results (c) Eddie Fowke

1. Rei Kawamata 44 - Natsuki Tanii 34 (6)
2. Thomas Podolan 34 (4) - Naile Meignan 34 (8)
3. Nukui Ryoei 34 (5) - Hana Kudo 24

Rei, who also won last year, did his first 8B+ this summer. He has no trainer and his training is just made of my working and repeating the high class boulders at his gym.

Alex Honnold sat a new standard in climbing by free solo the 30 pitches Freerider 7c (+) in Yosemite last year. In his scorecard, including 949 ascents, he commented, "Solo! 3:56 on route. The end of an epic life dream. Such an experience. Logged it as a boulder problem - thanks 8a!"

The National Geographic documentary Free Solo is set to open on theaters September 28.

Kind of strange finals for Youth A in bouldering. A bit too easy for the boys and too hard for the girls. All three medalists among the male got almost identical results as they all did four tops in just five tries. The two best did take the four zones in five tries meanwhile the bronze guy needed five tries.

For the female, only two of the boulders were done and the winner, Laura Rogara flashed them both. (c) Eddie Fowke Complete results

1. Laura Rogora 23 - Sam Avezou 44 (5/4)
2. Lucka Rakovec 14 (4) - Eneko Carretero 44 (5/4)
3. Futaba Ito 14 (5) - Nathan Martin 44 /5/5)

Overall, Japan has been the best country in bouldering with one gold and two bronzes. The big sensation is that Austria has not had one finalists!

Hanna Slaney, who never has stood on a IFSC podium before, won the first bouldering gold in Moscow after having been #12 in the qualification and #4 in the semi. Among the boys, Meichi Narasaki, who was second last year in both Lead and Boulder, arrived on top. It was a perfect start thrilling to end with perfect route setting by Jacky Godoffe and his crew. Complete results (c) Eddie Fowke

Excellent start of the Youth World's in Moscow with great boulders on volumes and 02.30 PM GMT+3 (Euro 13.30) the junior finals in bouldering starts. Among the male, three Japaneses were ahead in the semifinal and for the female, there were two from Slovenia and one from Japan in the top.

In the Youth A category, with the finals on Sunday, two Japanese girls stood out and among the boys, Sam Avezou, who was #16 in Speed, was the only one with four tops in the semi.

Chaehyeon Seo, who last week did her first 9a, has done Wacka Flocka 8c and the two 8b+'in Rifle; Simply redlined and Zulu. In the 8a ranking game, the 14 year old is #2.

Chaehyeon's father, Jungkuk was #10 in an Ice WC in 2015 and in 2016 he did an 8b+ in Red River Gorge. Back home in Korea, he is a youth trainer in his own gym in Korea. Her mother, Chigon is also an 8a climber and has participated in some World Cups.

Maria Davies Sandbu has after 15 8A'a done her first 8A+, Steinbukken in Dirdal. (c) Martin Mobråten

"Had probably 15 sessions over the last 3 years. I learned to stay patient and try hard no matter the conditions.. I had some epics with the conditions/weather on this one, probably half of the sessions were in the rain and Martin had to dry/prep the holds while I was climbing :) one session we even tied up a tarpaulin over the boulder to try and keep it dry... eventually all the work payed off though!"

The Youth World Championship started today in Moscow with the Junior Bouldering Qualifications, updated results. In total, 699 youth athletes from 5 continents and 43 countries will participate. Full schedule 9th to 16th August.

"Every semi-final and final round in Moscow will be live streamed on the IFSC homepage, and follow scores from your phone by downloading the “YWCH 2018” results application. (c) Eddie Fowke

Ryan Sewell has done his second 9a, Moonshine in Wild Iris. Video of the ascent (c) Jacob Mutchler-Brown

"It took around 12 tries total. I first tried it during the summer of 2017 to see how it would feel but didn't return that season. This year I went out to The Wild Iris with the goal of doing Moonshine specifically. I put in a few goes to dial in the body positions, because with a route that's only 24 moves every move needed to be executed precisely. Over three weekends this summer I had six attempts falling on the crux move- a dynamic stab to a slot that's only good for two fingers (photo is of this move.)

In the end, the time I stuck the move I went to the top. The route definitely suits my style being that it's more bouldery and powerful. The pockets are actually much nicer that it might seem and the movement is excellent. BJ TIlden is the routes developer and first ascensionist and he did an amazing job with this route and so many others at The Wild Iris. We all have so much appreciation for everything he's done for the Wyoming climbing community."

Daniel Jung comes with the amazing news on Insta that he has done the first repeat of Nico Favresse’s The Recovery Drink in Jössingfjord in Norway from 2013. Nico did not suggest a grade of the 35 meter trad route but saying it was his hardest ever crack. In fact, 8c+ or harder have been mentioned by very experienced trad climbers having tried it.

Comparing it to 9a sport routes, this just might be as hard or even harder than some but it seems trad grades, currently going to 8c+, use another scale. One reason for this could be that in trad you are supposed to place all gear on lead meanwhile in sport climbing this ethics were left in the beginning of the sport era. It should be mentioned that Daniel, who has done La Rambla 9a+, did place on lead menwhile Nico left some gear in place on easier sextions saying a more pure ascent could be done. (c) Fred Moix

Alizee Dufraisse has done The Arch 8B (A+) in Rocklands. In the 8a ranking game, the former successful competition climber who also have done La Reina Mora 9a (8c+), is #6.

"I start trying this project this year and it took me eight sessions, it was hard to manage with my brain because I was really close for a long time but the temperatures were hot!!! I'm really happy to have finally send it today!! Now I can try new boulders :)"

Thibault Lair has done his third 9a FA in Bielsa, My little princess after 15 days of projecting.

"It has the same start as "Soul surfer". A first part that must make a big 8c. Then comes a bad rest before attacking the hard section and then there is 15 meters of climbing where you have to fight the resistance. For me, the second part is also worth 8c. Thanks to Daniel Fuertes for bolting it."

Daniel Woods reports on Insta that he has flashed Eskimo Brothers 8B in Topside and done the first repeat of Paul Robinson's recent The Pirate's Code 8C in Three Corners. "Sent on my 3rd night session. It bakes in the sun all day, so night sessions are the way to go.(c) Chikara Ishizuka

Daniel has been one of the very best climbers in the world during the last 15 years having done 20+ routes 9a to 9b, 20+ boulders 8C and 8C+, flashed 8B+ and won a Boulder WC in 2010.

How was the 8B beta flash story?
Haha that one was a bit better. I got the flu a couple nights before and was up all night vomiting. After a rest day I knew I had to get out of bed and get the blood flowing to feel better. After an intense uphill hike, I got to some easier problems and felt ultra weak on them. I wanted to try something harder so checked out Paul's (Robinsons) crimp line, Eskimo brothers. The condis were perfect and the line straight forward, so I decided to try and flash it and then it just happened

How much beta did you get?
Actually no beta. Was probably more onsight, but since you can grab every hold from the ground it takes away that true onsight feel. To be honest its hard to truly onsight lower boulders due to that. Was pretty stoked. I'm not the best first try climber haha, so when I get that experience it feels good.

Do you not forget your big flash of Nicole's Entlige? (A confirmed 8C that now is 8B+.)
Haha, ya that was another lucky moment.

Jule Wurm, world champion in 2014 who retired from the scene in 2015 after having won the European Championship, has done Fragile Steps 8B (A+) in Rocklands.

How is your life and climbing nowadays?
Life is good! It’s great to be in Rocklands! I spent a year in the US last year for my studies and did neuroscience research for my MD thesis. Did lots of climbing while being in Boston, broke my ankle in spring climbing outdoors and then broke my arm in a gym there in the beginning of October.

How did you train to speed up the recovery?
For my arm I had surgery right after the accident and they put two metal implants to fix the fractures. Recovery went slower then I had wished, but I tried to listen to my body and did whatever felt okay. I returned to Germany earlier this year to finish med school and did lots of training to get in shape for Rocklands.

Lots of fingerboarding, board sessions on a 45 degree wall and TRX training. There still are some hand positions that don’t feel comfortable for my arm, but all in all I’m very happy with where I am climbing wise!

What kind of job are you looking for and how will you combine this with hard core climbing?
I'm not really sure yet what I wanna do later. I either wanna do research again or work as a doctor, or maybe some kind of public health related job not really sure yet. And of course I hope to always find enough time for climbing no matter what job I will do.

Leah Dempsey has done her second 8A+, Myology in XXXX. In the female 8a ranking game the Australien is #9. (c) Matt Norgrove