Paul Robinson, who did his first 8C, out of 26, almost 18 years ago, has sent Sound of Violence (8C) in Left Fork and Turpentine (Post Break) (8C) in Coal Creek Canyon. In 2021, he had two discs replaced. ”I think the reason that I had to get the surgery was partly due to my genetics as well as taking 23 years of falls from bouldering. I did the surgery because I love pushing myself in climbing. I love trying to push myself to climb some of the hardest boulders in the world and if I did not get the surgery I would never be able to climb that hard again."

Can you tell us more about those 8C ascents?
When I came up with my list of climbs for my “Final Project,” video series, two of the most important climbs to me were, “Sound of Violence,” and “Turpentine.” Both of these climbs I had tried many many times before and had become epics over the years. Having come agonizingly close to both, I felt this absolute need to send them!

After a good training block in September and early October, I set my first objective on “Sound of Violence,” in Joe’s Valley. As per annual tradition, I set out for Utah over Halloween and on day 1 was pleasantly surprised to do the full upper sequence very quickly. I packed up my shoes and decided to rest the remainder of the day and come back the next day for send burns.

The following day, I warmed up and sent the line on my second try. Knowing my training had paid off felt so good and also had me itching to head home to start trying “Turpentine.”

As the weather cooled at home, I began trying “Turpentine,” agin. My first session went really well and my second session back I nearly sent! The weather however quickly changed and the temps dropped to below freezing for a week straight. I tried in the freezing cold but couldn’t get the friction I needed to send. After Thanksgiving, I saw a day on the forecast that reached 34° f [1 degree] at the boulder. Even though it was too cold, my psyche was too high to not try. I warmed up at home and as soon as I got to the boulder, I started trying it so as to not numb out. After a few mishaps, I made it to the crux and stared down the final move. Bam! I stuck it. I couldn’t believe it and climbed it to the easy top out.

I feel very happy for the momentum I have now and can’t wait for the next project on the list. Once this big storm passes and the snow melts, I think I will set my sights on “Freak Show,” another V15 in the same area as “Turpentine,” my backyard of Coal Creek Canyon.

How come you think you are peaking again? How do you train nowadays?
I think good training and concentration on my diet. I am not 25 anymore so I need to be careful with what I eat. I am almost exclusively training on the tb2. That board is incredible. I switched my home wall to a spray wall to try and mimic outdoor climbing more. Trying to build finger strength!

Andrea Chelleris, who a couple days ago did his eleventh 9a and harder, has completed Victimas Perez (9a) in Margalef. ”Wow it felt so good to send this, After the send of 20 años despues 9a in siurana I gained an amazing shape that for sure helped in today’s send!”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I started trying Victímas Pérez last year, where I invested probably 4–5 days, but I couldn’t make any progress because my skin kept splitting. I came back this year and already on my third try I started falling on the last crux, but after 2–3 days my skin started opening again, so I had to go to Siurana. I came back again after maybe five days and got very close on one try, so I was really looking forward to the next day, but then I split my finger again. So back to Siurana for one week, and today I came here, did a perfect warm-up, and sent it on my first try of the day. I think the route wasn’t very hard because it’s my style (endurance on pockets), but what made it so hard were the sharp pockets that kept tearing my skin and not letting me make much progress.

Manon Hily, who six weeks ago sent her first 9a, has done Punt’X (9a/+) in Gorges du Loup. The 31-year-old was 13th in the World Championship in September, and her worst result in four World Cups this season was 12th. Two years ago, she made the podium in Briançon, and in 2022 the qualified nurse won the bronze in the European Championship.

On Instagram , she comments: ”Last day, last run 🫡 In sync with punt X but mostly with myself, if only for a short moment. The flow.”

Lucy Mitchell, with five 8c’s under her belt, has sent José pine le gardien dans la cave (8c+) in Lourmarin.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
It was a bit of a dream come true really. I had tried the route last year, but failed to put the top section together, even though it is not meant to be the hardest part. This year I went with no expectations, just a short trip and just wanted to climb after a busy year of work. I got on the route on day 3 of the trip and the moves felt easier than last year, but I didn’t think I would be fit enough. I still couldn’t unlock the top section clean.

A tried it on a more humid / wet day and it felt much worse, but I did all the moves (which I think really helped me believe in good conditions I had a chance). I had 2 days of it all just feeling hard! But on my last go I managed to climb through the top section clean … finally. Just the cave at the start and I had a chance.

I watched Antoine Marie climb it as his warm down that evening … which put things in perspective :) It was inspiring to watch. The following day I got through the cave and somehow managed to hold it together and keep going to the top! Such an incredible route, with such incredible climbing.

Enrique Beltrán Blasco, who sent his first 9a+ last week, has done Mejorando Imagen (9a+) in Margalef. (c) Charlotte Veld

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
The same day I sent my project [Gancho Perfecto], I tried a test run to check the moves. The next day, I fell on the last move and realized I could do it quickly. In total, it took two more days of attempts, falling on the last move each time.

The day I sent it was perfect. I felt great warming up, and the people at the crag were fantastic—all my friends and the young members of the Aragonese climbing team. I’m so happy to have sent these two legendary routes and to share it with my friends.

How come you think you are peaking now?
This summer I trained with a plan, just like when I was competing, but above all, I’m in a great mental state, with a lot of self-confidence. My friends in the sport have helped me a lot to feel good and motivated, and thanks to their encouragement I’ve been able to achieve this.

Andrea Chelleris, fresh off winning the Euro Youth Cup last month, just sent 20 años después (9a) in Siurana. The 16-year-old climbed his first 9a in 2022 and his first 9a+ last year. Since turning 13, the Italian U-14 Slalom Champion has also onsighted 20 routes 8a+ to 8b+.

Can you tell us more about the highlights of your trip?
After the European cup in Toulouse, I went straight to Spain with my dad. The plan was to stay mainly in Margalef, but after the first week I started to split my skin and I had to tape my fingers. I couldn’t climb well, so we went to Siurana, where I could climb even with the tapes because it’s mainly crimps. I could fast send Pati noso (8c+) and Directa Cornualles (8c) on my 3rd go. Later, I sent Sin Ácido Clorhídrico (8c+/9a) which fits my style very well, so I took only 2 days and 5 tries.

After, I tried 20 Años Después, and from the first try I thought that it was gonna be a fast send, but later it turned out to take a bit longer. To me, it felt like a hard 9a, so I tried to get some info about the route and I got to know that a hold broke (probably an undercling) in the first part. Now you have to grab a mono with the left hand and go to an undercling with the right hand, which at first was quite a hard move for me. After I started falling on the last crux, I knew I was Very close, I fell another time but then when I got there the third time I could send the route.

I have time until the 5th of December so I will try to go back to margalef and see if I can send the project!

Which project do you refer to?
In margalef I fell on the last crux of Victimas Perez (9a) probably five times or more but one try I was really close.

How much schooling and work on a trip like this for you and your father?
I do homeschooling so on rest day I can study but my dad had to take a break from his work, he does tree climbing (he cut trees).

Sam Weir, who last week did his fourth 8C+, has repeated Dave Graham’s classical From Dirt Grows The Flowers (8C) in Chironico. The 31-year-old works full time as a proposal/ contract manager in the nuclear field and interestingly, he has no sponsor, and all his 8C+’, he has done the last two years.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Yeah, I tried it a session in 2019 and fell on the mantle. Then last week I fell due to cold hands in the middle a few times… Came back a week later, gave a few tries on Arrival of the Birds (9A), went down the hill and it went right away. It fits me really well and this heel hook match at the lip was my crux actually😂 Luckily I found and copied D Woods beta and made it chill for me.

How many sessions have you put in and what is the project status on AOB?
It’s going super well so hopefully I stay injury free and can make it count while I’m still young enough 😅

How does a normal climbing week look like?
Right now I’m trying to be in outdoor shape so I train hard Monday weights and board. Wednesday light big holds session/ anti style blocs. Then rest 2 days for Saturday outside. Sometimes Sunday too if I feel ok.

Do you normally train in a climbing gym?
No, just a 53 degree board in a warehouse I rent with some friends in the Chamonix region.

How long is the drive to Chironico and are you going also next weekend?
If my split heals, yes. 4.30 hours driving, but I’m American so it’s close 😂. We have a close friend that lives in Ticino and hosts us. It’s for this reason I have been able to succeed this year. Game changer.

Ryuichi Murai, with six 8C+ boulders under his belt, has repeated Daniel Woods’ Return of the Sleepwalker (9A) in Red Rock (NV). ”On this trip it took me 6 sessions. When I did Sleepwalker two years ago, it took me 8 sessions, so in total I’ve spent 14 sessions on it.”

The 31-year-old Japanese did ten Worlds Cup until 2019 and his best result was fifth. Since he stopped competing he has sent some ten boulders 8C and beyond and he has also dedicated a lot of time projecting Alphane (9A) and Burden of Dreams (9A).

For the first five days of this trip he failed doing the big span move to the sloper but later found some minor micro adjustments and sent it the second time he passed the crux and he comments.

“I finally achieved what I came here for. The desert was surprisingly rainy at first, but I stayed fresh every session, physically and mentally, and in the end everything fell into place. The real crux was the full span sloper after linking into Sleepwalker. The day I finally stuck that move was the day I sent. For a total of five days, I just kept slapping that sloper and falling again and again. Looking back, everything came down to sticking that one move. Behind it were endless micro adjustments and tick tweaks, so subtle they probably looked like nothing from the outside. Still, I threw every bit of technique and creativity I have built up into making that sloper reachable. On the attempt where I first stuck it, I was too pumped and fell on the last jump. But after a long break and a reset of all the mixed emotions inside me, the next try was the one, and everything clicked. When I barely topped Sleepwalker two years ago, “Return” felt like a dream. I never imagined I would stand on top of this boulder again. This success reminded me not to put limits on myself.”

What is the status of your next project, Shaolin (9A)?
The execution isn’t super consistent yet, but I’ve figured out all the moves.

Erwan Legrand, with two 9a’s to his name, has done the first ascent of Beginning of the strongness (9a) in Buoux. The 17-year-old is son to Francois, the best competition climber between 1990 and 1995, winning all three World Championships and 15 out of 27 World Cups.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I first tried this project in spring 2024 after sending another 9a at the crag. The route shares the same start with an 8b+, then traverse to the right with a crux around 8A boulder, before ending in an 8c+. Once I figured out how the crux worked, I could immediately start to try from the ground as I already knew both common sections. Unfortunately, during the summer (2024), I injured my left Achille’s tendon due to all the heel hooks I was using in the route. So I couldn’t try the route anymore during 5 or 6 months and when I was finally recovered it started to get too cold for me. This year (2025), I haven’t climbed outside that much, so my number of sessions on the project has been very limited and even if I did some very close attempts, I wasn’t able to reach the top. In September, I’ve learned that my club planed a one-week trip to Buoux in early November. That was the perfect opportunity to finish this project. After a chill first day at the crag, I finally got back on the route with good conditions, I warmed up, checked the moves again, brushed the holds, and rested about 3 or 4 hours before my attempt. Then I started climbing and everything fell into place. I mastered the crux, and fought hard in the end of the 8c+ before clipping the anchor of this new test piece.

What is your project status on Le Bombé Bleu?
[It was bolted in 1991 and has over the years been tried by several of the top climbers.] I did all moves except the famous jump, but was very close to stick it. I also linked from it to the end of the difficulties, which is probably a 10 moves 8c+/9a. So I can imagine that coming from the jump, which is estimated to be 8A+ single move, that would be something around 9a+/b.

And I’m trying the route barefoot, which, for me, makes the whole thing significantly easier but at the same time much trickier, so it requires even more work as you can easily spend 10 secs to get your big toe in a pocket