Gabriele Moroni, who last month sent an 8B+ and Megalodonte (8C) in Val di Mello, has made the FA of Prima Linea (9a+). Over the past 12 months, the 37-year-old has climbed another four routes graded between 9a and 9b. Gabri works as the head routesetter at Urbano in Milan, while also setting routes for both national and international competitions. Additionally, he serves as a coach for Team Italia. (c) Luca Consonni

Can you tell us more about the FA?
The day Alberto Gnerro invited me to join him at his crag, I couldn’t contain my excitement. I’d heard about this legendary wall for years but never felt the urge to ask if I could tag along. Alberto has been one of my childhood heroes—a climber I’ve always admired and the most prolific route developer in our region. I’ve been climbing on his creations since I was a teenager, and I’ll always be grateful for what he’s done, and continues to do, for our community. That first day at the crag was unforgettable. I was in awe of the wall’s sheer scale and steepness—it was both impressive and intimidating. Alberto pointed out a line I could barely make out, a route with seemingly no features. “That’s the first route I bolted here,” he said. “It should suit your style. You have to try it!”

Fast forward to this season—20 sessions later... I’d just returned from several days of route-setting in Paris. I should’ve felt exhausted, but that wasn’t the case. Straight off the plane, I drove to the project and ended up having one of my best sessions yet, despite the lack of sleep. Later that week, I found myself with a rare free day. It was dry, windy, and not too cold—the kind of day climbers dream of. Everything lined up perfectly. I felt light, in a way I hadn’t for a long time. The atmosphere was relaxed, just me, Stefano Bianchi, and Alberto. I felt supported and at ease.

When I stepped off the ground, I knew this time was different. The send didn’t come as a surprise—it felt natural. I was completely connected to every hold, fully in control of both my body and my mind. It was an incredible moment, made even more special by having Alberto there to witness it. A true full-circle experience.

How come you think you possibly have had your best 12 months outdoors ever?
I think I have reached a point where my private life, work and performance are aligned and I can express myself at my best. I don’t train much, but I constantly give my body some stimuli. And finally, this is the first year since 2015 that my elbows don’t hurt.

Mattea Pötzi made 4 out of 6 World Cup finals in 2024 including one podium and overall she was #7. This continued her previous progress for the last four years, when she has been 55 - 29 - 15 overall. On rock, she has had similar progress from having done her first 8a+ in 2020 until this year sending her first 8c+ route as well as her first 8A+ boulder.

Jorge Diaz-Rullo, who earlier this autumn sent two 9b+’ in Flatanger, has repeated Chris Sharma’s Stoking the Fire (9b) in Santa Linya. The 25-year-old is #1 in the Vertical-Life ranking game. ”Really cool moves with crazy drowknees in a perfect hard endurance section. It was always a dream line!” (c) Mar Diaz Miranda

Jonathan Siegrist has onsighted Panem et Circensis (8b) and Arco and I Riflessi del Rosso (1st pitch) (8b+) in Pizarra. In the VL ranking game, the 39-year-old is runner up after Jorge Diaz-Rullo. ”Absolutely brilliant! Such cool holds. Totally different than the routes more to the right.”

Can you tell us more about the onsights and Pizarra?
The wall is not so tall but the routes are actually super consistent. It’s really pumpy! You have to climb really controlled. It fits my style really well because I climb super slow. Probably too slow… The area is absolutely beautiful.

I really try to imagine as much of the route as I can from the ground. Ideally, I want to have a sequence for the first few bolts. But after that, it’s just guessing! For me, I typically do best onsights when I know an area pretty well. For this reason, I almost always save my hard flashes or onsights for the end of the trip. But honestly, I am not an expert at this style, comp climbers have it dialled it’s insane! I’m trying to improve.

Yesterday, Jonathan also onsighted Fine di un'Epoca (8b) in Arco.

Erwan Legrand, who did his first 9a this spring, has done the FA of Les loges de la fuite (8c+) in Gorges du Tarn. Erwan's father is Francois Legrand who won five Lead World Cups and three World Championships during the 90'ies.

Can you tell us more about FA?
After sending an 8b flash and an amazing 8c called Adieu Wolfgang on my fifth try of the day, I was pretty tired, and I had time to do something else. So, I was looking for a route no one was trying, and I saw this line, which inspired me. I asked for some information from a local, who told me it was a project bolted 30 years ago estimated to 8c+/9a. I did two goes that day and loved it and it fit me quite well, so I decided to try again the next few days. The day after, I checked the moves again and then I decided to try from the ground. On the first crux, I had been fighting for my life but then I was reaching a small rest, recovering a bit, going for another crux before I reached another rest before the final boulder. At that moment I realized that I was going to send the route and came to the final move but was just too pumped and failed there.

After a long rest, I made two other attempts but fell at the first crux. It was frustrating after being so close on my first try, but I gave it another try. I managed the first boulder with a lot of margins, then climbed quite easily up to the final crux. I felt pretty fresh and determined, so I gave everything I had and finally made that last move. I was really happy about that send especially because it was really unexpected. About the grade, it definitely didn't feel like a 9a as I was able to send it in only 2 days but the next one will tell. The route is amazing with very beautiful holds in a perfect wall, and I really loved it, I hope more people will try it.

Hannes Puman, #8 in the European Combined Championship in September, has during his first visit to Yosemite Valley, become the first person to free The Nose on El Capitan via the Schnaz Variation (8b). This pitch bypasses the famous Changing Corners pitch, often considered the climb's crux, by traversing left on small, reachy crimps before rejoining the main line.

Brooke Sandahl and Dave Schultz bolted the Schnaz Variation in 1992 during their attempts to free The Nose, but Lynn Hill abandoned it because it was too reachy. Later, Scott Burke added a bolt in 1998, and then in 2005, Ivo Ninov put up another one and did the FA of the Schnaz pitch. At the same time, Thomas Huber and Matt Wilder repeated the pitch, but Puman did not know this during his ascent.

Puman, climbing with Jamie Lowther from Scotland, spent 6 days on the wall for the ascent. Before this, he had completed a 5-day free ascent of Freerider with Jakob Östman, resting just 2 days in between.

Can you describe the route, your process and how hard it is?
The difficulty of this pitch is resolved around a short section of intense climbing on small and sharp holds. I used a method with big reaches in between the crimps. I went in from the top one time and tried changing corners and this variation. It took a few hours to solve the moves and do some links on Changing Corners. Matilda [Söderlund] tried this variation meanwhile and to finish of the session I went up one time and felt the holds. I learned that if you have the reach and level it’s possible to do it safely and its also easy to do many tries, skin is the limiting factor.

When I came from the ground I checked out the moves 1 time properly, fell on the last hard move and did it on the third try.

For me it’s easier to do because its more simple. It’s possible to work out the moves quick but it’s more reachy and powerful so maybe not for everyone. Changing Corners is very technical so if you perfect it it will be easier, but to perfect it is difficult and takes time.

Dai Koyamada reports with an Instagram video that he has done the FA of Kaikien (8C) at Kasagi. The project started almost a year ago when he first spent two days creating a landing.

”After several days of trying and not being able to climb, I started to lose confidence, when I discovered a good sequence in the middle. This gave me great hope. And finally, yesterday, I completed it. I was in good form, which was unusual for me. The biggest change as I get older is that I have fewer good days. When I was younger, the day after a rest was usually the best. That became once a week, then once a month, and the best days came only a few times a year. But there are still a few good days. Yesterday made me realize that if I go on a good day, I can still climb difficult problems.”

The 48-year-old first made headlines in 1998 when he was #4 in a Lead World Cup. After quitting the comp circuit, he did his first 9a in 2002; the next year, he did his first 8C boulder. Over the last 20 years, he has done close to 40 8C’s, most of which have been FAs.

Stefano Ghisolfi, who previously has made the FA of eleven 9a to 9b+ in Arco, has done the FA of Escaladur (9a) in Arco. Alfredo Webber bolted it and it took Stefano some eight sessions to complete his 54th 9a or beyond. (c) Finn Stack

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I started trying this route after I sent Excalibur (9b+). It is in the left corner of Excalibur following the arete, 15 meter long. It is overhanging and has small holds, and technical with kneebars as part of the moves, but no rest. It is continuous and pumpy at the end with a hard crux. In the beginning, we thought it was 8c+ but then we realized it is probably 9a.

The next day the 31-year-old Italian did the FA of Sit Lives (9a). ”Low start of Sid Lives (8c+), starting from the ground, adds few more moves and 2 hard clipping, one is probably the hardest clip ever.”

Could you give us more details about the new beginning and the intense clip?
The original route starts in a rock pile with 2 preclipped draws. The new one starts standing on the ground with just the very first clipped, adding 4 moves and 2 hard clips (the first two that were preclipped in the original route). For the low start you cannot start with the same preclipped cause if you fall in the start you swing and hit the wall behind, so it is necessary to clip them while climbing. The second clip is one of the hardest ever, probably around 7B+ boulder move. You can skip it but if you fall you go 100% on the ground.

William Bosi has sent Asagimadara (8C), Decided (8B+) and Hōtō (8B+) in Mizugaki. Just in the last year, the 25-year-old has sent 15 boulders 8B+ to 9A as well as 18 routes 9a to 9b+. (c) Teresa Coimbra

Can you tell us more about the trip to Japan?
I’ve been wanting to come check out the climbing in Japan for a long time and decided this year would be a good one to come. My original plan was to see a few different areas and get a real feel for all the climbing. However once I arrived at Mt Mizugaki and saw how good it was and how much rock there was, I quickly realised I wanted to stay there for the whole trip.

There are hundreds of boulders and thousands of lines! I had a few boulders in mind I really wanted to do and managed to tick through all but one, Floatin! I think Floatin was at the top of the list and I got really close but my skin just fell apart and never really healed enough to make it work unfortunately. I will have to return for it.

Asaigmadara was by far the best boulder I sent and one of the best lines I’ve ever done. The line is around 15-20 metres high in total and the hard climbing only stops almost half way up the boulder, so it’s a real mental challenge as well as physical. The hard climbing revolves around one cool heel hook, a bad pinch and lots of two finger pockets.

Two 8B+/V14 lines I managed Decided and Hoto are also amazing and I really enjoyed climbing. Both using cool right heel hooks as well. I would definitely recommend them. My three weeks trip to Mt Mizugaki was incredible and I really enjoyed my time here in Japan. Main take aways are the rock is crazy sharp!!! The grades are a bit all over the place and the thought of bear attack is scary.