Having done 21 (25) routes 9a or harder since 2011, including ten FAs, Sebastien BOUIN is Top-5 in the redpoint world in the last five years. Last year he did Chilam Balam and gave it 9a+/b, calling the FA grade of 9b+ a huge joke. He has also given personal 8c+ grades for Era Vella and Esclatamasters, and a couple more routes. Since last year, the 23-year-old has worked in Paris as a sport teacher during the autumn. Being a fanatic outdoor climber, he's put up 50+ FAs, and he's traveled every other weekend to sunny crags in the south. His spring plans include La Rambla (9a+) and Jumbo Love (9b) plus repeats of classic hard core old-school routes. For the summer, there is Flatanger. "For my training, I have no habit. I use what I find in my way (climbing gym, gym, trees, barn, rocks). I have only plans in my head about what I need to progress. Sometimes only abs, sometimes musculation, sometimes force or resistance, or pull ups to destroy yourself before the rest day. I do it with feeling, but also with a lot of harsh. That's why I start to work with PUC series, you can train everywhere. I did compete when I was young, but now, I am not strong enough to do both compete and cliff, like Adam. If I want to compete, I have to train a lot in gym, but I loose motivation like that. And, if you loose motivation you die. I find exciting to travel and find a project. I also like the approach. The project give you the way to train. How could you do to crush this route? You have to think to find a good training to progress in order to be stronger in the route. I progress with the difficulties I find in the projects. I also find interesting the travels, you learn a lot about life. In competition, it's not the same kind of travel, you don't learn about culture, language, people. " Picture by Raphael Fourau from his 9a+ (b) project La rage d'Adam in Verdon. Mangarbo 9a/+ FA video.

Stefano Ghisolfi, #4 in the Lead WC 2016, has sent his 19th route of the 9th grade. The new route is called Thunder Ribes and it's a connection of 3 previously existing routes in Arco.

Matt Fultz is knocking on the door to become a professional climber having done his first 8C in 2016.

Alex Puccio has done Manny 74 (AKA The Cuckold 8A+) in Hueco Tanks very quickly, and it seems she is almost back in full form after her spinal surgery four months ago. " I'm definitely fully recovered, but not back to full strength yet. Feel like I'm getting stronger and stronger, but it's a slow process. Not yet back to where i was before my injury, but I know I will get there! Not really sure on the grade. I know I have and can climb 8A+ in a session and it's my style boulder. It was really really hot out today so my main project had to take a back seat till we get back from the comp. I tried to look up what other people thought about this climb, but couldn't find anything. Oh well. Time for the Comp in Alabama this weekend and then back to Hueco!!!"

Mateusz Haladaj has done Seleccio Natural 9a in Santa Linya, which was his sixth route of the grade in the gigantic cave. "So happy to be back in the game after 4 months brake caused by pulley rupture. One of the best routes ever! Seems to be my anti-style as I had to struggle a lot at the upper section including falling 10 times at the last move. Considering two more holds are missing at the crux part, quite solid for the grade…"