Piotr Schab completes JoeDan (9a)

Piotr Schab has redpointed JoeDan (9a) at Santa Linya. The Polish climber has redpointed 29 routes 9a to 9b over the last twelve years. The picture above is from Pachamama (9a+).

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Joe Dan was actually one of the very last routes left in Santa Linya [for me]. Powerful start into a deadpoint crux move that appeared last year after a broken tufa, then Fabela climbing to the top. Didn’t climb routes for a year, so struggled a bit with the top endurance part.

What has stopped you from climbing routes this past year?
Over the last year(s) we’ve opened our second gym called Mood in Kraków, tough times to train so I focused on bouldering. [I] Wanna come back to routes though!

Elias Kysela, 17, does Martin Krpan (9a)

Eliáš Kysela, who over the last four months has sent his first three 9a’s, has done Martin Krpan (9a) in Osp/Misja Pec. The 17-year-old did his first 8c some 18 months ago.

I went to Mišja Peč for a week. The main goal was to climb Martin Krpan. On the first day I managed to send Konec Mira which is half of the route and four days later I managed to send the whole line. I think it's a little easier with a kneepad. But ok compared to the 9a routes I've climbed, it's definitely not 8c+.”

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Keenan Takahashi did the FA of Ego Death (8C) last September a couple of months after he did his first 8C+. "Immediately upon walking up to it, I knew it was something special if it was possible. It’s the sort of thing I’ve dreamed of since I started climbing, steep compression, at my limit, decentl…

Shauna Coxsey ticks Fotofobia (8B+) in a day

Shauna Coxsey, who won eleven World Cups and stopped competing in 2021, has during a week spent in La Pedriza, sent six boulders 8A and harder including Wild Wild West, Pin y Pon (8B) and Fotofobia (8B+). All the more impressive, the 31-year-old mother to a toddler completed Fotofobia, which was FA'd by Ignacio Gonzalez, in a single session. (c) Talo Martin

I was so excited to try Fotofobia! Big moves on tiny crimps on and overhanging wall... Yes! It is such an amazing piece of rock and the moves did not disappoint! I tried to climb the original line from Nacho. It seems there are a few new bigger holds at the end to the right that have been cleaned up. I decided to avoid those and stay left of the obvious seam. As for the grade, I really don’t know. It's been a while since I have climbed this grade so don't feel I am in a position to fully comment just yet. It went down pretty quickly so I am tempted to say it may be closer to 8B but I also don’t think I could design a climb to suit me more than this.”

Maya Ene, 13, does The Thrilla in Manila (8B)

Maya Ene, who last year climbed an 8c+ route as well as an 8A+ boulder, has completed The Thrilla in Manila (8B) in Hueco Tanks (TX). Her family owns a small climbing gym in New Jersey, and her father Ionel, finished his World Cup career in 1999 by being #19 in Speed and #43 in Lead at the World Championships.

Can you tell us more about Thrilla?
I think I got very motivated to try a V13 after placing third in the Hueco Rock Rodeo competition on February 17. To be on the podium with these famous names, Nina Williams and Michaela Kiersch, meant a lot to me. The problem was beta intense (knee bars - not my style) so I worked on it for two days. I was able to send it on my last day of the trip, last try. Super psyched. Looking for a V14 now:). My father was a big support for me during the comp and while working on the problem.

What is coming up next for you?
I will try to spend a couple of more weeks climbing outside (maybe I can send my project "Pure Imagination" this spring). In May, I will start focusing more on indoor climbing to get ready for Youth Nationals.

What does a normal climbing week look like for you?
My training? Hmm, that is something hard to describe because I don't have a particular program. My parents' schedule is a bit chaotic, but we climb indoors 4 to 5 times a week. Besides our gym, we climb at many others around us to experience different styles, sets and holds. A couple of weeks before Youth nationals we focus exclusively on indoor climbing.

How often do you climb outdoors?
We have almost no climbing outdoors here in New Jersey, so to get some quality climbing we have to travel at least 6 hours, so when we go, we stay for a couple of days. I think we spend about 3 months climbing outside throughout the year.

Kai Lightner FA’s Death of Villains (9a+)

Kai Lightner has kept up his recent form and fitness by doing the FA of Death of Villains (9a+) at Hurricave. Kai first made headlines when he sent Southern Smoke (8c+) at age 13, in 2012. The next year, he won the Youth World Championship and completed Era Vella (9a). Last November he made his return to 9a by climbing, Life Of Villains (9a).

On Instagram he comments on his 9a+ FA. "I can’t end this post without giving a HUGE shout out to @joekinder. You have really become a mentor for me in so many ways, and have gone out of your way to help me in my outdoor climbing journey. At the end of the day, the climbing community would not exist without people like you developing the crags we recreate in." (c) Gareth Leah

Can you tell us more about this FA?
Training for Death of Villains was honestly a shot in the dark. I had never projected a climb at that level, and didn’t know how much was enough. For this particular climb, power endurance was the name of the game, and I had to have a lot of it. So lots of laps, lots of 4x4’s and lots of cardio! Luckily when I showed up to the climb, I knew I had enough fitness to get the job done in the 2.5 weeks I had given myself. I had also already done half the climb, as the beginning section is shared with Life of Villains (which I sent last fall). After 9 sessions and fighting the rain and damp conditions, I was finally able to get it done on the last possible try of the last day of my trip! Super psyched to nail this one down .

How long did you prepare for the climb?
I’d say [only] the month before (January). After a busy month of December in Jamaica and going home for the holidays, I reserved the month of January strictly for training and preparing.

What is coming up next for you?
Spain in two weeks! I’ll be climbing around Spain for a month testing routes and seeing what goes. Only time will tell!