Iker Pou reports on Instagram that has repeated Xavi González' route Santaropa 8c+/9a in Majorca. ©Pedro Bover

"Taking advantage of spring temperatures and good conditions, I get to get "SANTAROPA" 8c + / 9a in #Mallorca. First repetition, after the strong climber from Mallorca Xavi González."

Piotr Schab did Era Vella 8c+ (9a) when he was 16 years old and his first 9a+, Papichulo when he was 19 years old. In 2018, he did four 9a+' and last week he did one more, La Rambla. (c) Pablo Benedito

"The biggest goal of the year is to climb a 9b. I’d love to go back to Fight or Flight. Now it’s time to train again and the plan is to make a month long Catalan trip again in April. Hopefully I’ll be ready to try hard then and the conditions will make the efforts possible. If not I’ll switch again to my favorite style, onsighting and quick redpoints. There are still a lot of routes in a 9a/+ range that are waiting to be climbed. 8c+ onsight is a second big challenge that I look forward to achieve this year.

So please tell us something about training?
This winter I used to do 7 sessions in 4 days a week (3 gym training's included). 21 hours a week, super intense. Now it’ll be different - less volume, more intensity so I hope to take a step further.

Do you really mean three rest days a week?
Yes - Neither climbing nor gym 3 days a week. While you’re doing Raw power sessions in a gym I think it’s more efficient. I’m quite satisfied with the results - in 14 days in Spain I could climb hard 2 days in a row followed by one rest day and it does not happen that often for me.

Piotr finished off his Catalan trip by quickly doing 20 años después 9a and Sin acido clorhidrico 8c+. "They are both are pretty manufactured but the moves and lines create a nice challenge."

Michaela Kiersch, #1 in the Lead ranking game, won the Hueco Rock Rodeo by doing five boulders 8A and harder during one day. Highlights were two 8A+'; Barefoot on Sacred Ground and Tequila Sunrise. Once they are logged, she will advance to #5 in the Boulder ranking game. Merrickales

1. Michaela Kirsch 6 870 - Keenan Takahashi 7 290
2. Alex Puccio 6 630 - Sam Davis 7 050
3. Paige Claasen 5 910 - Thilo Schröter 6 990
Complete results

Tina Johnsen Hafsaas continues to deliver in Hueco Tanks and five days ago she did the classic Barefoot on Sacred Ground 8A+. Yesterday, during the Hueco Rock Rodeo, she did Dark Ages 8A. In the Combined ranking, the Norweigian is #3. Thilo Schröter

The winners of Hueco Rock Rodeo 2019 were Michalea Kirsch and Keenan Takahashi. Report to follow.

Isabelle Faus reports on Insta that she has done Memory is Parallax 8B+ in RMNP which is a 3-star line where the crux revolves around two knee drops. Isabelle is the new #1 in the ranking game and she will be #45 among the males ones it has been recorded. In the history of 8a, only Alec Puccio has had a higher female score but with one more 8B+ by Isa, she is the #1 All Time.

"I tried really hard and found the right beta, it took probably ten sessions maybe more. The key was this new foot sequence I found, makes one move a bit harder but sets me up really well for the ending. Finding that beta definitely made it all click together. In a month I go to Swiss and then Africa this summer again. I wanna try hard and have fun!"

Keenan Takahashi did his first 8A being 23 years old and then he has had a strong progress for four straight years. Just during the last one month he has done four 8B+', out of which two the last week in Hueco Tanks; Blood of a Young Wolfand The Seventh Circle. (c) Brian Hedrick

How can you explain this peak?
I’m feeling pretty fit and motivated this year; I started doing some basic supplemental training to work my biggest weakness (core). Otherwise just lots of volume trying hard boulders, and some added training at the end of climbing days which I’ve never tried/done before.

What is the plan and ambition for 2019?
I’m heading to Switzerland for 6 weeks soon; the last couple of months have kind of just been preparation for that trip. I haven’t really climbed in the Ticino area so I’m really excited to finally get to spend a good chunk of time there and hopefully find some new stuff. The other big trip I have planned for the year is to get back to Rocklands in summer; I have two boulders I want to repeat but mostly want to try and develop hard highballs. It’s always been my biggest driving factor and finally having more power I’m hoping it can open doors to really pushing myself both physically and mentally.

Zach Galla, who recently won the US Combined Nationals, has done his first 8B+, Aggravated Assault in Griffin Falls.

"Oh my god yes. Used some weird heel beta. Thought it was gonna make it 8B but it still felt quite a bit harder than the others I’ve done." Full video by (c) Ashima Shiraishi

Karoline Sinnhuber, who was #8 in the Boulder WC last year, has done La Pelle left 8A and Kirk Windstein 8A (+) in Cresciano. (c) Fabian Leu

”I decided to stop competing a few weeks ago and just do outdoor stuff from now on. There are so many areas I wanna visit and I’m not really psyched for that comp style anymore.”

Nico Ferlitsch has done his second 9a, Sanjski par extension in Osp/Misja Pec after some 35 tries, video.

"In the last two weekends I had some very close attempts but yesterday it was finally done. The route is very overhanging, partly even a horizontal roof, where you need a lot of bodytension and fingerstrength on small crimps. This is something I really love.

My ambition for 2019 is to climb more hard stuff, but for now it's time to visit my home climbing areas, to do some training and just have some fun. In spring I want to go again to Frankenjura for making some tries on the famous route "Action Directe".

At the moment there are no comps around, maybe (if it takes place this year) I will compete at the event "Free Solo Masters" in Lienz. I'm still a passionate ROCKclimber but we will see what the future will bring."

Ryohei Kameyama has done his third 8C, Kuzan in Mie which is a seven moves 8B+ that finishes with a 8B dyno. (c) Muraguchi Liao

"This hard boulder was established two years ago by Toshi Takeuchi. I tried it for three sessions. I'm so happy and satisfied to feel my progress. I would like to try "Off the wagon low start" and "Sleepwalker". These boulders are so cool!"

Adam Ondra reports on Insta that he has done Catxasa 9a+ and Neanderthal 9b in Santa Linya. Ondra started working the Chris Sharma 9b back in 2011 and then he tried it for several days also in 2015, 2017 and 2019 until he sent it. (c) Artofroute

"There are not many routes that I can tell about that I really hated then at certain point. But Neanderthal was definitely one of them. Not because the route is of bad quality, just because how many times I failed again and again. Getting over it and finally succeeding was a huge lesson."

In total, the 25 year old Czech has now done 24 routes 9b and harder. The runner ups are Chris Sharma with eight followed by Jakob Schubert and Stefano Ghisolfi with five 9b's or harder.

Alex Puccio has had a nice day in Clear Creek Canyon where she did Off the books 8A (c) Robin O'Leary and No Halfway Crooks 8A+.

"Really fun climb! SOOO cold out! The only way I was able to climb today was from the hype and motivation from Fausey, Chad, Daniel and Robin! Thanks guys and thanks for showing us this boulder! :)"

Thilo Schröter started off his trip to Hueco Tanks with an inflamed finger which luckily healed. During the first three weeks the Norweigian has done a total of 22 boulders 8A and harder out of which seven flash. More pics by Tina Hafsaas. More pics on his Insta.

It’s my first trip to Hueco, so naturally I have a lot of moderate classics to sample, and that’s what I’ve done. Milage is a lot if fun but after a month of rampage it’s time to get on some harder things. Two more weeks in Hueco ahead, and then a week checking out Red Rocks before flying back home. Then I’ll have a month to train and enjoy good conditions in Norway before the BWC‘s start. As of now I’m only planing on competing at the first three that are in Europe, and focus more on rock for the rest of the year with trips to Rocklands, Grampians, Font and the Norwegian west coast. And I plan to do Tokyo as well.”

Tina Hafsaas, #4 in Chamonix Lead WC in 2017, has done two 8A's and Rumble in the Jungle 8A (+) in Hueco Tanks. More pics and info on her Insta, (c) Thilo Schröter.

"I’m having a blast here in Hueco Tanks. The style suits me pretty well with steep and long climbing mainly on crimps. I had a great week by sending Le Chninkel and Sunshine each in one session and finish Rumble in the Jungle pretty fast as well. Now I’m sucked into project mode on a few boulders that feel harder for me. They challenge me in styles and techniques I’m not as good at and I hope I will finish them off before we head to Red Rocks.

I will do the full lead World Cup and the European and World Championship in lead. I will not aim for the Olympics as the format does not feel like the sport I am passionate about."

Piotr Schab has done his fifth 9a+ the last year, La Rambla in Siurana. The Pole did his first 9a being 16 years old and then he has had seven years of continuous progress and he is #2 in the ranking game after Adam Ondra.

"I’ve started trying La Rambla this week, giving it a warm-up go and one try each day. Yesterday during the warm-up go I changed betas in three different sections so sending the route right afterwards was very unexpected. Felt solid all the way up + the conditions were prime. Eventually I sent La Rambla during my 4th day on it, 8 tries with 4 warm-ups included. Such a shame Dave (Graham) fell on the very last move right after my ascent.

Isabelle Faus has done her 35th 8A+, No half way Crooks 8A+ in Clear Creek Canyon. Previously she has also done 17 8B's and two 8B+'

"It took me probably five sessions. I felt really close from the beginning, but there was one move that I couldn't do correctly on the try. Once I did it right I did it.

I guess next is Memory is parallax (8B+), feeling good about it, but I also wanna check out Everything gneiss (8B+) and try Dark waters (8B), which are both in the same canyon as no half way crooks :))"