Jana Svecova reports from her one month trip to Brione where she sent Pamplemousse (8A) , Forever More sit (8A+) and Supertussi Low (8B+). In the VL ranking game she is #4, including having done one 8C boulder.

”From my last visit of Brione, there was one boulder I had started working on but couldn’t complete due to a pulley injury that prevented me from pulling properly. That boulder was Pamplemousse, originally graded 8A but now more commonly settled at 7C+. I managed to send it on my first day in Brione on my third attempt, and I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the trip.

The next boulder I chose as a "warm-up" to get familiar with the local rock was Forever More. I sent this one surprisingly quickly—in about 1.5 hours—so the trip continued really well! 🚀

Feeling confident after such a strong start, I dove straight into my main project: Supertussi Low (8B+). Low, because I started from two lowest holds possible and other guys sat under the boulder and started from where they can reach so they skipped one move.

I took a rest day before tackling it, as I had already spent three sessions on this boulder during my last visit to Brione. This year, I felt much stronger and thought the process would be quicker—but the reality was quite different.

I ended up spending almost my entire trip on this boulder, but the experience taught me so much. For example, if I can do the move but it feels hard and uncomfortable during the projecting process, keep seeking different beta until you figure out every detail and the moves feel easy/doable even if you add the moves before. Or how can I motivate myself again to finish a boulder when I’m frustrated that I can’t try any other boulder, especially since I thought I’d complete it in a maximum of three sessions on this trip.
 Once I regained my motivation, it took just two more sessions to send the boulder—an amazing moment!

Later the 27-year-old did, Graceland (8B+) in Allgäu, giving it a personal 8B grade.

”So the boulder Graceland you do the first move with your right hand and you go to quite a good hold. From there you do very stretchy move, with your left hand, to a lower hole and bump again to higher one and with your right hand again to the lower hole from where you continue up the boulder. I couldn 't these stretchy moves so I figured our my own beta where from the starting holds I do a cross into kinda okey hold, then grab a small, sharp crimp and I go to the lower hole with my right hand and with left to the higher one and I am in the same position as the guys that could reach those moves above. With my "short person" beta probably 8B?”

Michaela Kiersch, who two weeks ago completed Dreamtime (8C) , has done Kings of Sonlerto (8A+) and Darkness (8A+) in Brione. (c) Brett Lowell

Can you tell us more about those two ascents?
Kings was on my dream list for a long time and it was cool to do it with Giuliano [Cameroni] spotting. Took me maybe 5 tries and I did the top on a rope before doing it from the bottom. On Darkness I flashed the right 7C and then maybe 5 tries or so for the 8A+.

Chaehyun Seo, who was #6 in the Paris Olympics, has onsighted Fish eye (8c) in Oliana and redpointed Open Your Mind Direct (9a) in Santa Linya.

Seo made her first VL/8a headlines at just 11 years old by onsighting an 8a. At 14, she climbed her first 8c+ and in 2022, she added two impressive achievements to her record: she onsighted L'antagonista (8c) and sent La Rambla (9a+). Her competition track record is equally impressive. In 2019 she won the Lead World Cup after having won four straight events at age 15. Two years later she became the World Champion.

Can you tell us more about the trip and those two ascents?
We planned to stay in Santa Linya for a month but the weather and the rock conditions were too bad so we tried to climb at Oliana. It was not the best because many climbing days were in fog.

While in Santa Linya, I tried Open your mind because it's very famous route and I need to adapt for the rocks. Rock was slippery, but before it I climbed on wet rocks so it felt quite ok, so I could send it.

In Oliana I tried Papichulo (9a+) for my project. First few days I was checking the moves and making the moves perfectly and the weather was also good. But the last three days were too humid and rainy, so I felt ready but rocks were too bad. As I waiting for the rocks get dry I just tried Fish Eye for fun. The lower part went smoothly, and in sudden I was at the top part crux. I was focusing so much. Last crux was at the last 3 meters, so I fought there about 10 min before I could send it.

Noah Wheeler, who previously in 2024 has done two 8C+’, has repeated Austin Hoyt’s The Big Bad Wolf (8C) in Gunks (NY). Huge props to Austin for putting up the first 8C in the Northeast! Deciphered the sit movement with the east coast boys this summer and sent in a few today. Chossy start - I crumbled a hold on the send go - but super enjoyable movement which builds in an incredible way and culminates in a gnarly right hand satch from an unstable position. Feels like shouldery/crimpy 13 [8B] into powerful 12 [8A+] which seems to make the grade accurate.”

After 10 incredible years, it’s time for us at Vertical-Life to turn the page and focus fully on developing our digital climbing platform. As part of this transition, we’re saying goodbye to the Zlagboard—a product that has shaped our journey and connected climbers around the world.

We still have some Zlagboards left in stock, and this is your chance to grab one at a special price of €99. It’s more than a training tool—it’s a piece of Vertical-Life history.

The Zlagboard has been a huge part of our story. We’ve sold over 10,000 boards, hosted countless of Zlagboard contests, and watched climbers push their limits, from beginners to world-class athletes. For many years, the record held firm at the 02:44.35 time set by Ramón Julián Puigblanque. Last year, Günther Unterrainer raised the bar with an impressive 03:05.98!

The Zlagboard app will remain fully functional, supporting climbers to train smarter and climb harder for years to come. While this chapter ends, the Zlagboard’s legacy continues—we’re in discussions with potential partners in the climbing training industry to carry the project forward under a new name.

Finally, we’d like to share that our books will now be distributed by Panico Alpinverlag. This ensures our climbing guides remain accessible to climbers everywhere, continuing to inspire adventures for years to come.

Ready to claim one of the last Zlagboards? Don’t wait—once they’re gone, they’re gone!

Train smart, climb hard!

Melina Costanza🦇, who last month won the US Nationals in both Lead and Boulder, has completed Direct North (8B+) in Buttermilks.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I originally went to Bishop to try The Swarm (8B), but we went to the Grandma boulder to warm up and I ended up doing all the components of Direct North. I knew I could put down the link quickly, but for some reason I had kind of an epic time on the whole line. I had a heartbreaker fall off the last move before it dumped snow for a couple days, but I stuck it out and sent the line once it cleared up. Big adversity training problem for me. Never ended up going to The Swarm the whole trip!

Tre Mou Polacche (9a) in Arco was bolted and named by Gabriele Moroni last year. Stefano Ghisolfi got an ok to try it and last sunday he made the FA together with Gio Placci, who comments;

“Some climbing routes in Arco and in other areas are kept closed, and we don’t want to encourage this. The goal is to show that making the First Ascent doesn’t need to be a competition. By avoiding closed projects, we promote cooperation within the climbers and show greater appreciation for the bolters, who put in a lot of hard work.

The route is really sick. Start with a 7C boulder then a good rest and then a 8c+ sequence of 20 moves !”

Gabri, can you tell us more about your bolting and your take about open projects?
I bolted Tre Mou Polacche on a random day after my tries on Erebor last year. I cleaned it and made it climbable, put some fixed draws and briefly tried but never had the time to go back for some proper tries. I imagined the possibility to climb the blank wall right of the classic 7c. Unfortunately I’ve never had the time to put my hand on it until one day this fall.

Then Stefano contacted me and asked if he could try it. To be honest I wish I could have tried it a little bit more and possibly get the FA but I know my time is limited and I live theee hours away so at the end I am glad someone got interested and had fun on the route…

Han Seuran has been on a trip to Arco together with her husband Hyunbin Min where she sent Puro Dreaming (8c+). Min projected Excalibur (9b+) and Erebor (9b), and is eager to return. In 2012 he won a World Cup and in 2018 he made a comeback after four years and got two bronzes. Last year, comeback again and in Seoul this year, he made semifinals. Seuran’s best year was in 2011 when she three times made the finals.

Can you tell us more about the trip?
The main purpose of this trip was definitely to check out Excalibur, and my wife also wanted to try some more hard routes as a project, like 9a or 9a+, cause last winter she sent two 8c+’ quickly in Santa Linya.

She was interested in but the Underground part was completely wet due to heavy rain until last week, and even some parts of Puro Dreaming were looking impossible to climb.

Anyhow, she tried with bad conditions and she liked that it using lot of chalk on the wet holds. The holds didn’t dry out completely, but when it felt a little drier than the first day, the moves felt much easier. She finally sent it after 5 days. The next goal is to have more experience on 9a and 9a+.

We both love climbing so much, it was such a fun trip and we are planning another trip next year. We didn‘t really have a rest day, because we belay each other every other day ;-) (Like one day climb and one day belay).

And 11/11 is actually our anniversary. We first dating was 11/11/2006 and got married on 11/11/2017. It was nice to have our anniversary in the middle of the trip.

You actually started dating at age 14 and 17? Did you meet in the gym?
Yes! Man that’s really loooooong story to tell. We have same date of birth too, it’s really really special I think😆

Loic Zehani, who earlier in 2024 has sent 17 routes 9a to 9b, has done the FA of Harder Better Faster Stronger (9b) in Orgon. (c) Lunar Fox

”Start in "La chicha"( 5 moves ) then to the right with 4 super hard movements ( more or less 8A+ FB ) , then you have another hard section ( more or less 7C FB ) . These two sections are on natural holds ( little pinchs ) on a very big overhang . Once you get there you are at the beginning of "fast and furious" a long , resistant and physical 9a . To summarize : start in "la chicha" and finish in "joli son de clarine net". Very happy to climb this because it's a massive effort on big overhang ( + 60 movements ! ) and I am really close to my limit on the first crux . The line and the movements are very beautiful and original and It's very good to climb in . One of the hardest think I have done.”