Nicolai Užnik has sent Brain rot (8C+) and was very close to flash La force tranquille (8C) in Magic Wood, as can be seen in the video.

Can you tell us more about the trip and these two boulders?
It was really a great first day! I haven‘t been to Magic Wood in 5 years so I‘m super psyched to be here. We started the day on the classic Mystic Stylez (8B+) which after figuring out the beta, took me like 3 attempts from the ground. Afterwards I also wanted to check out Brain rot cause I already thought it could suit me quite well, which it also did eventually! After approximately an hour I managed to link this short crimpy boulder and top it out. Obviously it‘s always hard to grade these short kind of boulders, because if the moves suit you it can work out very well and otherwise maybe you have no chance at all. For me it didn‘t feel that bad to be fair, so maybe more like 8C or very low end 8C+ I guess. Either way fun to climb!

[Force Tranquille] I’ve had this one on my mind for quite a while and was really looking forward to trying to flash this legendary boulder. After watching watching a couple of videos, talking to Lukas Mayerhofer about the beta, and having my brother Timo Užnik check it out beforehand, I felt confident I could do it.

It was an almost perfect attempt - until the right-hand dyno. I caught the crimp just a little too far left, which made matching impossible in that moment. I tried to move to the next hold even though my left hand was barely hanging on, then hesitated, went back, paused for a second, felt my fingers growing more numb and tired… but decided to drop back down to the previous hold to make space for the left hand. Somehow, I managed to adjust just enough. At that point, I knew I shouldn’t fall anymore - it was worth taking a moment. Even though it was still really close, I managed to reach the two good slots right before the top out.

Completely numb fingers made me hesitate again - should I move straight away or rest a bit longer? I desperately tried to get some feeling back but couldn’t, so I just went for it. I’m pretty sure that if it hadn’t been for the slip, I wouldn’t have dropped it… but what can you do. 😅

Filip Schenk, who just did his first 9b, has sent Beginning (9a+) in Arco. ”Last autumn I struggled a lot with the cold temperatures on this one. This year I came back and send it on my second try. This one means a lot to me!”

The Italian has been competing actively since 2014 and as a teenager he won eleven IFSC comps including two World Championships in Boulder. This year was his best World Cup season and he was third in Chamonix. (c) Crimp Films

”Eremo di San Paolo is the crag where I first started climbing, and probably the one where I’ve climbed the most in my entire life. I never really loved its style: physical, overhanging, with tiny holds. Maybe that’s exactly why I kept going back, driven by the need to test myself. After starting the season sending Erebor, I experienced a few almost magical days: within five days I also sent Tre Mou Polacche (9a) and my old project, Beginning (9a+). Finishing the hardest routes at the "Eremo" leaves me with a bittersweet feeling, but also the pride of seeing real progress in the style that has always challenged me the most."

How can you best explain your peak in 2025?
I have worked on my finger strength which always have been my weakness. Especially on rock, this has helped me. It is also about finding a balance to be motivated. Previous years I was tired after the comp season and not so motivated trying harder routes. Now I have five more days outdoors before I start my training for the next comp season.

Stefano Carnati, who over the last three months has climbed four 9a routes, has repeated Fred Nicole’s L'isola che non c'è (9a) in Amden. Without the rope, the 27-year-old sent three 8C’s in October, so the Nicole classic, which starts sitting, seems to have been a perfect fit for the Italian.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
L’isola che non c’è is a pretty unique line: a hybrid route that starts with a long, sustained bouldery section and then joins a short five-bolt route to exit the cave. It was put up by Fred Nicole, and it had been sitting in the back of my mind for years. But since it’s quite far from home, I kept postponing it.

Last year, in mid-October, I was climbing in Ticino and the weather turned terrible. The next day, a friend and I committed to driving to Amden. The limestone there is beautiful, and the cave didn’t disappoint at all.

That day I climbed the first part Cavernicole (8A), and then returned for the longer version Ragtime (8B+), which avoids the route section entirely. After that, I started working the rope part… and ended up falling there quite a bit. It’s not extremely hard on its own, but coming from the very bottom of the cave it demands a ton of body tension, and that adds up.

Coming back this year, everything just clicked. Good sensations from the first go, and the climb finally came together smoothly.

Enrique Beltrán Blasco, with eight 9a’s under his belt, has completed Gancho Perfecto (9a/+) in Margalef.

Can you tell us more about your ascent?
Without a doubt, for me it has been the greatest battle I’ve ever won. The hardest route I’ve ever climbed. I started trying it in February, but in April the heat arrived and I couldn’t do it. I focused on [and sent] Patanics (9a+) and training to be ready for winter. The energy in the crag was incredible; we were good friends, motivated and giving it our all. The day I finally sent it, everything just fell into place: good skin, good temperature, and my body was rested. Everything flowed, and I was on top.

Gianluca Vighetti, who sent his first 9a at age 12, has done Lapsus (9a+) in Andonno. The 17-year-old has been competing actively since 2022, and this season has been his best, winning the Euro Youth Cup U-19 overall and taking gold in Toulouse three weeks ago.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
After the competion season, I wanted a challenging project outdoor. Lapsus was a great option because it's the only 9a+ in the part of Italy where I live, and I already knew the first part Noia (8c+). Lapsus connects Noia with the two cruxes of Cobra Reale (9a) which I tried two years ago but I wasn't even able to do the single moves. After all the training in these years I improved my finger strenght a lot and I decided to come back. I was expecting to struggle a lot more with this route, but, in the end, It came down quicker than I expected, in 8 sessions. The day after I was also able to climb Cobra Reale that shares almost all the moves with Lapsus. I really loved trying these wonderful routes💎

Chaehyun Seo, who two weeks ago did her second 9a+, has repeated Adam Ondra’s Joe-cita (9a) in Oliana. The 22-year-old has been a very successful competition climber since she got the silver in her first World Cup in 2019, at age 15. This year the Korean was runner up overall.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I’m now trying Pachamama (9a+) but my skin was too bad today, so I decided to try Joe-Cita. During my first try I just fell in the Joe Blau (8c+) part because I forgot some moves, and I tried not to use second finger because the skin torn. I tried again, I’m not quite sure because of the conditions, but somehow I made all the moves!

Did you climb with tape on the finger?
Yes, on my left index and pinky, and also on my right pinky.

How much have you tried the 9a+ and what is the status?
I’ve tried the whole route five times and the crux part eight times. I think the lower crux is the hardest for me, and the rest of it is feeling quite promising!

What is your winter plan and what is the goal next year?
Training for next season. Just sleep, eat, exercise, recover 😂. Send harder routes than 9a+ and have consistent performance in the World Cups.

Filip Schenk, who last week sent Tre Mou Polacche (9a), has completed Erebor (9b) in Arco. The 9a took just two days and the Italian says it is the best of it’s grade in the area and here are his comments for the 9b. (c) Crimp Films

”Erebor has always been a route that struck me deeply: rom the beauty of its movements to the variety of climbing styles it demands. This king line, first ascended by Ste [Ghisolfi] in 2021, features very small holds that require significant physical strength, but at the same time includes technical, body-positioning moves where you need to move well and climb with sensitivity.

The route starts right away with a section of 25 extremely intense moves that never give you a moment to breathe. Then you reach the final boulder, preceded by a good rest: that’s where you need strong mental focus, because while you relax, you also have time to think about the possibility of failing. And that’s exactly what has always motivated me to try it: you need to be a truly complete climber to send it.

I had my first attempts in autumn 2024, and I immediately realized it suited me well. The only part that gave me trouble was the first boulder: I couldn’t do it with the original beta, so I had to come up with my own sequence to get through it. Throughout last competition season, I kept thinking about when I’d finally return to try it again, and once November arrived, I decided to dedicate myself entirely to Erebor.

Since I already knew the moves from the two sessions last year and had trained specifically for the first boulder before November, I found myself clipping the anchor much sooner than expected, finally settling the score with Erebor this year after just four days on the route. It was an unforgettable feeling!"

How did you train specifically for the first Boulder?
I set the same boulder on my home gym with the most similar holds possible and trained on it.