Ben Hanna, foremost a route climber with four 9a’s and harder to his name, has completed Grand Illusion (8C+) in Little Cottonwood. The 20 hand moves and 24 foot moves are done in 53 seconds and here is his speed climbing video.

”Quite possibly the best piece of Climbing I have done in my life. I spent 5 years trying thinking the 13 [the higher 8B start]. It was impossible for me, and then it just clicked a few weeks ago. I thought coming from the ground would feel a lot harder but l found that the 13 was just about the same whether I was pulling on from the ground or coming from the bottom. Felt like I could do the 13 1/10 times so it was just a game of attempts from bot.”

Can you tell us more about the process behind the ascent?
I started climbing in the cave right from the beginning when Drew [Ruana] first started trying GI in 2020. I was able to do the 12 start but the 13 was to hard for me. I ended up putting 20+ sessions into the 13 over the last 5 years and finally did it 3 weeks ago. A week after I decided to start trying GI but as I was getting closer the season started to end, I fell going to the Crimp Wednesday and new I could do it. Sunday was my last day to send before my season was over and the pressure was really on. I was pretty sure I only had one attempt for the day which meant I only had one more attempt of the season. I genuinely think that try was the best climbing I have ever done in my life.

What about your speed climbing tactics?
Because of all the spray wall training I have done in the past I realized it was actually more of a 20 move circuit and should be climbed that way. Which is fast, no chalk no shaking since you don’t face to stop and clip/ and there is no where to actually rest it’s best to just sprint it.

It was something I thought a lot about! Most of my process for this boulder was pacing and body position focused.

Pietro Vidi, who two weeks ago sent an 8b+ big wall on El Cap, has repeated Meltdown (8c+) in Yosemite (CA). First established by Beth Rodden in 2008, Meltdown has seen only a handful of repeats in the 17 years since and is widely regarded as one of the most difficult trad routes in the world.

Approaching the climb in headpoint style, Pietro spent his first two sessions working out the individual moves before beginning to link sections on day three. It took two additional sessions of lead attempts before Pietro finally clipped the chains on his sixth day on the route and third day of redpoint efforts. (c) Daniel Gajda

How was it to hang dog it the first time, any long falls and what about the grade?
It definitely felt hard for the grade! Took some falls on the upper crux to get to the chains the first time but luckily you can easily aid all the first crux😅

“I started making some good links on top-rope on day 3 where I realised I would probably need to skip some gear in the first part and also a crucial nut placement on the second crux - in order to save energy. This made for quite a big runout but still seemed relatively safe. I made my first lead tries on session 4 and got through the first crux, only to fall right after, when I struggled to place a cam properly and got too pumped to continue. That afternoon I actually watched a video on Ethan Pringle ripping the gear in the hollow flake, which is right below the nut I had decided not to place. He almost decked out. This made me quite nervous! The following day, I tested the gear in the flake myself, almost breaking a nut, which I was convinced was bomber and thus, further multiplying my nerves. Luckily I found that a bigger nut would fit and my confidence slowly came back.

On day 6 I started up the route, feeling really confident, only to dry-fire right after the crux move and breaking the trigger wires on the cam. I managed to temporally fix the cam with some tape and then sent the route on my next try, with quite a battle against numb fingers and pump! Meltdown is, for sure, the hardest trad-route I have climbed, apart from ‘Tribe’. The climbing is super insecure with horrible feet, extremely technical but still really physical. Beth’s first ascent, more than 15 years ago, was truly incredible and ahead of its time!”

Siara Fabbri, with two 8B+’ to her name, has completed Salamandre (8A+) in Brione. ”Worth doing just for squeezing those pinches!! Very cool movement in tension.” (c) Simone Tentori

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
This boulder is quite unique for the area because it has a really big perfect pinch sticking out of the wall. You do the entire boulder besides the top-out with your left hand on this big pinch, then a smaller pinch. The moves are very much about keeping tension in the feet and shoulders, and I found that I need to really actively squeeze the big pinch. Once I understood this, it felt very good. 5 star climbing and a classic must-do!

Filip Schenk, who made the podium in the Chamonix World Cup in July, has sent Omen Nomen (9a) in Arco. (c) Crimp Films

“Amazing route! Two hard boulders divided by a rest and some of the best moves out there. Omen Nomen was one of the first 9a routes I ever tried, back when I was a kid starting to come to Arco for climbing. I’ve always tried it just a few days each year, which is why it’s stayed with me for such a long time. I’m really happy to see such nice progress, since this year it only took me two days on the route to finally get it done!

What are your competition plans for 2026 and how long will you focus on outdoors before the competition training starts?
Probably till the end of November. For sure the European championships and in general all the world cups… but just lead.

Rebecca Stephens, with eight 8A’s under her belt, has done Disney production (8A+) in Brione.

Can you tell us more about doing your first 8A+?
I was introduced to Disney Productions last year during my first trip to Switzerland, recommended by a friend due to it's crimpy style. Over 3 sessions I came close but couldn't quite finish it off, as I found the last move to the slot very low percentage.

Returning to Switzerland this year, we based ourselves around Chironico. With bad weather plaguing the start of the trip, and a whole new area of boulders to climb, we limited ourselves to one day over in Brione. The primary goal of this year's session was getting the last move dialled. I repeated that move more times during the warm up than during the whole of last year's trip. A good start. After that it was just a matter of time. Very happy to finish this one off this year and psyched to tick my first 8a+, hopefully the first of many!

Cy McIntosh, with four 9a’s under his belt, has done the first ascent of World Without End (9a) in Beaver Creek. ”Ahhhh yesss!! I’m so happy. My hardest for sure. Put so much time, money, and effort into this thing. Feels gooood to finally see it pay off!!”

Can you tell us more about your first ascent?
I bolted the route, which is an über super low percentage 8c+ direct start to Pillars of the Earth (8c). But you get a kneebar afterwards. Then I was out of town for a couple months but as soon as I got back I was sieging the route every weekend until I finally got it done yesterday.

Michaela Kiersch, who last week sent seven 8A and harder boulders including a flash of Hineruage / Deep Red (8A), has visited Murgtal for the first time. During her solo trip she sent Netsuke (8B), Broken bottles sit (7C+) and Starlink (8A)
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Can you tell us more about your solo mission and your crash pad logistics?
I was driving through the area and knew of a few boulders that I wanted to try. I shuffled my two big and one small organic pads myself from the parking and had a really fun solo day out!

Can you tell us more about Netsuke and how quickly you sent it?
The 8B suits me really well. None of the moves are too big and I use a lot of technical footwork in order to optimize my body position on the small crimps.

I had to work the moves one at a time because it was in the sun when I started. Maybe 5 real tries from the bottom. It took maybe like 1.5 hours.

Laura Rogora has had an amazing day in Lourmarin, onsighting Pâques express (8c), Freefight intégral (8c) and Vous êtes des animaux (8b). More info to come. (c) Jan Novak

Only in 2025, the 24-year-old Italian has onsighted seven routes 8c or 8c+. In the historical record books of onsight, only Adam Ondra has had a stronger annual onsight ticklist.

Janja Garnbret, who two weeks ago flashed Puro Dreaming (8c+), reports with an Instagram video that has she has done Dreamtime (8C) in Cresciano. The double Olympic champion does the Fred Nicole ten-meters diagonal classic in 100 seconds in full control without a chalkbag and already after some 40 seconds she starts drying off her hands on her trousers.

”Dream first day in Ticino started with the send of Dreamtime 8C, continued with The Dagger 8B and ended with La Proue 8B 🤩”

Dreamtime has been logged 59 times and most give it five stars. Checking videos, a normal ascent takes 70 to 90 seconds and almost everyone is using a chalkbag. The Dagger, which is located on the other side of the Dreamtime Boulder bloc, was originally 8B+ but with better beta it is often considered a hard 8B.

Martin Tekles, with two 9a+’ under his belt, has sent La Planta de Shiva (9b) in Villanueva del Rosario, which Adam Ondra did the FA of in 2011. ”Finally it is done. Such an amazing route, so long, hard and difficult to get every move right. The process was very hard but I don't regret it. It was worth every day and every try.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
It all started in December '23 with my first visit to Villanueva. Many people had recommended going there, saying the routes were amazing. It really is an inspiring place with an incredible community and some of the best routes I’ve ever seen.

I climbed the first pitch of La Planta (8c) and tried the extension two or three times, but it was too cold and I couldn’t hold onto the tiny crimps. Still, I immediately knew it was an awesome route and that I wanted to seriously try it.

So I returned in March '24, but it rained a lot and the route got wet. I came back two months later, in May/June, and it was too hot. Then I decided to train harder than ever—especially focusing on crimpy endurance.

This year, in March, I made good progress but ran out of time, so I had to return again now. The last four weeks here have been a rollercoaster. I kept falling around the same moves, and sometimes couldn’t even match my previous high point. It was a total mental battle—and such an endurance beast. But in the end, it became an obsession. You know you can do it, even when it doesn’t look that way most of the time, and you just can’t stop. I’m glad I didn’t stop and stayed focused. Countless sessions and tries—but it was all worth it in the end.