Caroline Sinno, who the last 12 months has set a personal best with 31 boulders 8A to 8B, has sent Super Samson (8c) in Claret and Intercooler (8c) in Frankenjura. This was actually the 40-year-old’s first two 8c’s.

Can you tell us more about the ascents and your new focus on routes?
I really like sport climbing now! I’d like to do more of it — it’s what motivates me. I’ve spent so much time in Font, but for the first time in my life, I felt unmotivated there.

I’ve done many climbs in Font, and since I’m very small, I can’t climb all the boulders. I still have a couple of hard ones I’d like to finish, but I’m more psyched about exploring new things now.

I’m super proud of the FFA of Super Samson! It’s in Claret, an old-school cliff. The route was bouldery but also long — there’s a 7C+ boulder problem in it, and a real one at that!

I also really like Frankenjura — strength endurance is my favorite style. I’ve done Intercooler, and I almost sent another route too (I fell because my fingers were frozen!). There’s another route there I want to finish: The Sound of Silence (8c). I’m training for sport climbing this summer, probably in Frankenjura!

William Bosi, now with five 9A boulders to his name, has made the first ascent of Remote Working (8C) at Sean's Roof. At 26, and fresh off his second 9b+ route earlier this spring, Bosi continues to build on possibly the most impressive bouldering tick lists out there.

”The left line of Sean's roof, start from sitting so you climb almost all of Hard Times (8B), then go straight through the roof and finally join Sean's on the lip jugs. Felt harder than Pretence, so I think 8C is right?”

Stefano Carnati has done the sit start of Hazel Grace (8B+) in Gotthardpass. ”The wildly variable conditions up there made the boulder feel like a different climb every session. But with a cold north wind, everything finally aligned! A complex and stellar line demanding precision, power, and patience. I can't really tell the difference between 8C and 8C+, but I acknowledge that the sit makes the crux of the stand consistently harder. 8C/+ seems therefore to be the consensus.” (c) Nicole Belletti

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I first climbed the stand start of this stunning pocketed granite boulder back in the summer of 2022. Over the following months—and across a few sporadic sessions spread far apart—I began working the sit start. Unlocking the moves from the sit proved way more challenging than the stand, with tricky, complex sequences that took some effort to decipher. In September 2024, I came agonizingly close, falling on the final moves. Then the season was over. Last Saturday, I took advantage of a cold, dry north wind and finally managed to link it all together.

What is next?
I'm heading to Rocklands next month, but in the meantime, I’ll try to chase some granite up in the Alps—hopefully in shady, high-altitude spots.

Simone Tentori, who two months ago sent Ephyra (8C+), has completed Big nose (8C) in Fionnay. ”The new Fionnay classic! Amazing power endurance bloc with crazy features and moves. Regarding the difficulty, not easier than Foundation imo.” (c) Siara Fabbri

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Big Nose is a new problem on the Permanent Midnight boulder. It has been cleaned and climbed by Dylan [Chuat] and Clem [Lechaptois] last year. This year, as soon as the road opened, I started trying it, and I was immediately hooked by the quality of the movement and rock shapes and colors. I could solve the moves pretty soon but I had to spend more sessions and time to find my flow and make the first part very efficient in order to arrive at the upper (main) crux with good power. I sent it during a hot evening session with a good fight at the top. So cool! I'm sure it is going to be the new classic of the area!

Any summer plans?
I will spend the whole summer in South Africa with my partner Siara, exploring the Cape Town area first and then Rocklands. We are so excited!

Jonathan Siegrist, who completed his seventh 9b this past April, has now sent Hard Twisted (9a+) and Lion's Share (9a) in Wolf Point. At 39, he's now ticked off 87 routes graded 9a or harder, with the past year standing out as one of the most successful of his career. (c) Nate Liles

Hard Twisted: ”A big and involved journey from Tilden up the gut of the cave. Got lucky and had one of those rare tries where everything just clicks. Awesome feeling sticking the Dire Wolf crux way up there! Grateful to be back in Wyoming, trying hard.”

Lion’s share: ”My skin was screaming through the white panel but I somehow kept it together. Super psyched!”

Ryan Sklenica, who two years ago established the second 9a+ in Australia, Hartkäse, has done the FA of Stone Crown (9a/+) in Nowra. (c) Talia Su

Can you tell us more about the FA?
I invested around 10 sessions into the route this year (as well as a few last year). On the send I was at my limit, and had to try harder than ever, but because of the reasonably short time frame I decided to go with the slash grade.

The Cheesedale cave is a 35m roof broken up by small headwalls. This route starts on an existing 8a, before traversing left into ‘Stone Crown’. The new part starts with a long 15 move boulder around v12 [8A+], a good rest, and then one more tricky boulder right before the glorious top out, which makes the route so much more satisfying - untying whilst on top of the crag is an unreal experience.

When I first went to Cheesedale there was only one established line that went out the entire cave. Over the last few years I’ve been bolting new lines with a good friend (Matt), we put up a handful of shorter lines around the 8b/8b+ range. The remaining lines we bolted go out the entire cave and all of them will sit somewhere in the 9th grade, ‘Stone Crown’ being the easiest.

What is your climbing background?
I started climbing down in Tasmania, Australia about 10 years ago. I’ve spent seasons adventure climbing on the sea stacks of Tassie, seasons bouldering in Squamish and many more seasons sport climbing in a variety of areas, I’ve always enjoyed pushing it all.

In 2021 I focused on trad climbing and bouldering, that’s when I did Cobra Crack and every boulder in Squamish. After that season I moved back home and focused more on pushing my physical limit in sport climbing. I climbed my first 9a near the end of 2022 with the FA of Fiction in Tasmania. I then climbed another FA in my now home crag - Nowra - called ‘Baby Cakes’ 9a, as well as Hartkäse which I went out on a limb and suggested 9a+ for as the first of the grade in Australia, as it felt on par or harder than others I had come very close to doing overseas.

Living in Australia there are very limited options for hard sport climbing, however, I am fortunate enough to live near Nowra where I can develop these hard routes in a style that I love the most.

Sera Gearhart has completed Smokin The Tree (8A+) in The Rock Shop. ”4 to go! FFA? The 28-year-old did her fourth 8A three years ago and since then, she has done another 51 boulders 8A to 8B.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and what does ”4 to go!” mean.
In the summer there isn’t much to do near where I live in utah but I still like to climb even though the conditions are bad. Because this particular boulder is so close to the parking, I can go climb on it by myself which is key! I’ve made it into a silly goal to do every link up and line on this boulder, so I have four left now if I do all of them. The main one remaining is Bust a lung (8B) that I’m very excited to try.

How can you best explain your great progress over the last three years?
I started to put a lot more time and effort into spending time outside and it became a much more central goal to me to push my limits! Hoping to continue to improve as much as I can.

How does a normal climbing week look like?
I usually try to get outside locally or to the gym depending on the weather 2-3 times during the work week. Then on weekends I go outside to try projects. There are a bunch of crags within a 2-4 hour drive of me.