Olivia Ogier, with two 8b+ under her belt, has done in Margalef. ”So damn cool. I drop kneed and went left into the crux pocket, hard move into the crimp before the jump. Had a heartbreaker fall a couple days ago at the very top… it’s not over up there lol. But 10/10!!! I had a singular day of mediocre conditions in this month of monsoons and I used it well :)”

Can you tell us more about the trip to Spain?
This trip to Margalef has been a constant battle against conditions… An unprecedented amount of rain has provided us very little dry rock and lots of humidity. Aitzol hasn’t been dry for weeks. But today, the sun finally came out and route was dry enough to go to the anchors. Luckily, all I needed was the one day of good weather (before the rain comes back tomorrow) to put the pieces together and send this beautiful route! I have my eye on a couple harder routes before I leave Spain… Fingers crossed the sun comes back!

Christian Leitner, who did his first 9a at age 14, has done Napalm in the morning (9a) in Adlitzgräben. The 15-year-old Austrian has won the last three European Youth Championship/Cups he has participated in.

Can you tell us more about the two 9a’s you have repeated?
My first 9a was Martin Krpan. Before each attempt, I was very nervous and excited, so for me, the route was less of a physical challenge and more of a huge mental one. I tried the route many times and almost climbed it when I was just 14 years old, but I fell at the top. I finally completed it during a training camp with the Austrian Youth National Team.

My second 9a was Napalm in the Morning, and that was more of a spontaneous thing! At the time, the Youth World Championships were coming up, but I got sick three weeks beforehand and had a lung infection. This meant I couldn’t compete at the Youth World Championships, so I had time for outdoor climbing. I tried the route a few times and quickly figured out the individual moves. The full ascent didn’t take long, either—I only needed about 20 attempts in total. The route was also more my style.

What is your climbing background?
I have been climbing since I was 3 years old. With 6 I started to climb in competitions but my focus always was outdoor climbing. At 10 I did my first 8a and 8b. Now I have more than 60 Routes that are 8a or higher. I have also been climbing international competitions for about teo years.

Eva Hammelmüller, who last month did her first 9a, has sent Zagreus (8c+) in Götterwandl. (c) Felix Mast

Could you share more details about the ascent?
Zagreus (8c/+) was bolted and climbed earlier this year by Paul Zauner. The line starts in Fortuna (8b) and adds a powerful as well as technical boulder problem before arriving in the last crux of Hades (9a). Our intention of visiting frosty Götterwandl one more time this season was to film some sequences in Hades, but we had enough time, so I gave Zagreus another try. I never expected to climb this route so quickly, as I struggled quite a bit with the moves in the boulder problem the last time I tried it. However, after checking out the holds again, I managed to pull myself together and sent it the next go!

Anak Verhoeven, who previously has sent only a handful trad climbs including an 8b, has done Greenspit (8b/+) in Valle del Orco. The Belgian climber boasts one of the best track records in both competitions and sport climbing. A minor finger injury prompted the choice of a trad and crack route.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
The conditions that day weren’t great because of the humidity, but I told myself “If it is possible to do all the moves, sending is possible, too!”. Before the attempt, I consciously decided to keep constant body tension and to simply not care about destroying myself. 😄 I didn’t climb perfectly, but I fought my way through and sent. It was a nice personal reminder that things don’t need to be perfect for a send to take place. :)

Simone Mabboni has completed Flow State (8C) in Val Daone, which is a 15 moves link-up of Grizzly (8B) and Flow (8B).

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
After doing the two parts last year, I started trying the whole line but after 1/2 sessions I was forced to leave it aside for a while due to the bad weather. I decided to return this year with better conditions and after a couple of sessions I managed to top it out! It is definitely one of the best boulders I’ve ever tried.

Andrea Chelleris, who previously the last five weeks has onsighted a dozen routes 8a and harder, has set a new personal best by onsighting Mundo Feliz (8b+) in Villanueva del Rosario. (c) Andrea Cartas Barrera

Can you tell us more about the onsight?
It was the last route of the day. I had previously done an 8a+ onsight, tried an 8b+ and sent an 8b+ almost onsight (one big rest was common with Mangarbo) and I was a bit tired. The first pitch it’s 8a or 7c+ and I felt good on it. I could rest well at the finish of the P1 before starting the battle. The first 10 meters were good but when I got to the last quick draws I started to feel pumped. After a long battle I made two moves to the finish but I was still a bit pumped and I needed to fight a bit also to clip the chain😅.

The route he onsighted was punta tacon (8a) and the almost onsight was Queimada (8b+).

How hard was the common sequence on Queimada?
It was only a big hole almost no hands rest and three moves on complete jugs.

How hard was it up to the rest and then to the top?
I can’t really say because I tried only once. Maybe solid 8b half way up and then the last part not more then 7c+. The route is almost 40 meters.

Many would have called such an ascent as an onsight?
I call it “almost” onsight because I knew the best position to rest.

Michaela Kiersch has repeated Fred Nicole’s classical Dreamtime (8C) in Cresciano. The Doctor in Hand Therapy has now completed 17 boulders graded 8B or harder, along with 17 routes rated 8c+ and beyond. Remarkably, nearly all of the 29-year-old’s toughest ascents have come in just the past 2.5 years. She is also the first female to have climbed both a 9a+ route and an 8C boulder. (c) Marco Zanone

Can you tell us about the ascent and the process behind?
I first tried Dreamtime in 2022 the week after sending La Rambla. The stand start felt impossible and I couldn't really do any of the moves. Elevating my climbing to this level since then has been an incredible and gratifying process.

Since I got home from Rocklands my focus was to strengthen my left hand after the finger fracture and get into my best bouldering form yet. I didn't train specifically for Dreamtime, but I was very diligent in increasing my finger strength and power. I say this every time, but now I really think I am in the best shape of my life (for boulders).

It took 7 sessions this trip, with the first 2 sessions only able to work a few moves due to the rain and seepage. It is truly a dream come true and potentially one of the most aptly named boulders in the world (next to Dreamcatcher, of course!).

What is your finger strength training recipe?
I utilize a combination of functional finger strength training by climbing on small holds and doing static hangs. Honestly I don't have a secret recipe, it's just consistency and dedication.

Jacopo Larcher, one of the world’s leading multi-discipline climbers, has achieved the sixth ascent of Magic Line in Yosemite. The 35-year-old Italian climber has previously completed over a dozen traditional routes graded 8b+ or harder, establishing himself as one of the most accomplished trad climbers globally. (c) Barbara Zangerl

”Besides the famous photograph of Ron Kauk’s FA back in the day, I first got a glimpse of it when Hazel Findlay climbed it and I took some photos of her. I was amazed and intimidated at the same time by the line, but unfortunately over the years I never took the chance or the time to go and try it myself. The opportunity eventually arrived, when last year Babsi came back home very enthusiastic after having tried it and was motivated for closing the circle this year. It wasn’t difficult to talk me into joining! I must admit, that at first I underestimated the complexity of the route and during my first days trying it, I felt completely lost. It’s not the kind of the route that you can just power through if you’re strong enough. Everyone has to find his or her own beta to solve the intricate sequences and climb flawlessly in order to stay on those almost non-existent footholds.

It seems like everyone climbs the crux differently. You need to find the perfect balance between pushing, pulling, being confident enough, but not too much. You can feel great on it and fall at any moment, and the other way around. It’s definitely a hard one for the mind. You really have to focus only on the moment, without overthinking. When I finally figured out the crux and began to feel better on it, I naively thought I would stand a high chance of climbing the route,if I were to get through the crux on lead. I quickly realized I was wrong.

Placing the tiny gear definitely adds some extra complexity and, even when I started to pass the crux on almost every lead try, I kept on falling off somewhere else, twice from the very last move. The last days have been a rollercoaster. I have to admit that I felt unfounded pressure, both from my self and the outside, and I coped badly with it, not being my best self. It took some effort to shake off this pressure, but once more, the key to success was to simply enjoying the process and feeling lucky to share it with good people and be able to climb on such a gem!

Now, I’m almost sad that it’s over. This line and the process to climb it have taught me a lot and it means a lot to me. Big thanks to Babsi, Brent, Connor and Matthias for the good time and the support!… and thanks to Magic Line for the (life) experience.”