Seb Berthe has done the third ascent of Beyond (9a+) in Pic St Loup. The 30-year-old is a former international competition climber who twice has won the Belgium Championship. He is perhaps best known for his big wall ascents but more recently he has been turning his attention to sport climbing, and he started last year by doing La Rambla (9a+) and later he onsighted Ajo crudo (8c).

”Beyond got two ascents in 2019 by Seb Bouin and Lucien Martinez and was graded 9a. In 2020 a hold broke in the second crux and the section got significantly harder (went from 7B to 7C+ boulder), which brought the grade of the whole route to 9a+. I did the 3rd ascent of this version after Seb Bouin and Tanguy Merard.

Beyond is probably one of the best of this grade in France and even in Europe: Huge overhang, big dropknees, dynos, kneebars, amazing tufas… The route can be broken down in severals section: a first 7c part (about 8m), crux 1 (around 7C+ boulder): 4 moves on crimps followed by big dyno to a good tufa, a good rest with kneebars, 12 transition moves (around 7B+ boulder), crux 2 (around 7C+ boulder): pulling hard with a left crimpy undercling and a big move with a dropknee to a small hold. About the grade, the route suits my style quite well, and it felt super hard at the beginning, but I made fast progress and after a few sessions it didn’t feel that hard. I think it is a low-end 9a+. There is a second pitch which is graded 9b/+ also first ascended by Seb Bouin in 2020. Maybe a future project ?!

Gio Placci has made a quick ascent of The Story Of 2 Worlds (8C) in Cresciano, which in practice is a sit start to The Dagger. "8B+, after having done The Dagger, it took me just 2 hours to send the whole line, so I’m sure it is not 8C."

Gio says that the left kneebar right at the start of 2 Worlds makes the intro movement significantly easier and prevents it from adding as much as it did previously in to The Dagger (8B+), which he says should now be considered 8B.

Eliáš Kysela, who earlier this autumn ticked his first two 9a's, has done Last Night (9a) in Siurana. "The route is short and bouldery. I'm really happy to send this route. Because it does not fit my style very well. I had six days on it."

Until 2021, his max level was 8a as he did not climb so much outdoors. In 2022 he did his first three 8c’s and he's followed up with ten routes 8c and beyond including three 9a’s, during the last 12 months.

Alma Bestvater has done Forever More sit (8A+) in Brione, logging it as an 8A. The 27-year-old had been doing IFSC competitions for ten years straight up until this year. Her best results are being #5 and #6 in two World Cups in 2018. With a greater focus on rock, the German has completed eleven boulders 8A and beyond the last year and she is #9 in the 8a ranking game.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and your personal 8A grade?
I rated the boulder as an 8A because it felt easier compared to other 8A+ and even some 8A boulders I’ve done. It took me only about 30 minutes to climb it, and calling it an 8A+ just didn’t feel right to me.

Grading climbs is tricky for me because it’s so personal. Most gradings seem to be based on what average-sized male climbers can do. This means there are 7B boulders that might be too tough for me because my arms aren’t long enough. On the flip side, there are boulders that could be easier because I have smaller fingers or fit better in tight spots, like it might be the case with „Forever More.“

Climbing grades aren’t a one-size-fits-all deal; it all depends on your body and what you’re good at or struggle with. That’s the beauty of climbing—everyone finds their own challenges and solutions. I can tell you for sure that I’ve been more excited about easier-rated boulders than some 8A’s because they brought a bigger challenge. The message here is, don’t take grades too seriously; just enjoy the awesome boulders for what they are, a personal challenge.

What are your 2024 plans?
Last year’s shoulder injuries shifted my priorities a bit. While my goal is to make another World Cup qualification attempt this year, it’s not at the expense of my health, which I now hold paramount. The absence of competitions in 2023 allowed me to rediscover my love for rock climbing, and that passion has intensified. I aim to spend more time on the rocks, but the specifics will depend on my qualifications and how rock climbing fits into the schedule.

"The multi-decorated 30-year-old climber from Brno sat down with Matt Groom, addressing the outcome of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, and opening up about his fatherhood, finding the balance between his outdoor goals and keeping up with the evolution of competition Climbing."

Luca Bana has done Supercrackinette (9a+) in . ”What a day, perfect flow. Less than 10 tries in 5 sessions. Best way to start the new year.” (c) Viola Tengattini

Can you tell us a little more about this send?
I started trying the route on 27th december during my very first day in St Léger. After 4 sessions and half, on my 9th attempt I sticked the move to the one finger pocket and I just kept going until the top, finding myself in front of the chains. Magic send and perfect flow. Welcome 2024 ;)

Gabriele Moroni, who has already done 22 routes 9a to 9a+, has sent Stefano Ghisolfi’s Erebor (9b) in Arco. The Italian is a former successful competition climber who took the bronze in the Euro Boulder Championship in 2004, at age 16. He stopped competing in 2018 after he had won his first Boulder World Cup. In 2023, he made his comeback and his best result was #25. (c) Enrico Veronese

Can you tell us more about Erebor?
It has been a long process! I briefly tried it once or twice after I did Trofeo dell’Adriatico at the start of 2022 and found out if I ever wanted to invest my time on a 9b, Erebor could be the right one. Pretty much my style and not too far from home.

During the fall of 2022 I started working more seriously together with Stefano Carnati and Luca Bana. We spent several weekends trying hard and sharing betas and we all made fast progress. I actually started falling at the redpoint crux so I thought I was close. It was around December. Then I went to Siurana for a couple of weeks.

I finally got back on Erebor at the end of January and it took me a few sessions to get back to where I was in December. I fell at the redpoint crux another few times till one day I hurt my knee on the route and it was game over for the season.

This fall I wished I could start trying it earlier but it was very warm till November. I trained a lot and since the beginning I felt really strong on the route and after a few session I already matched my old highpoint. It took me another handful of days for the send but I felt this season the route went pretty fast!

What are your 2024 plans? I don’t have many plans for 2024. Like in 2023 I will try my best to fit and combine everything I do. My jobs, training and the outside projects! So let’s see what happens. No more comps 😜

Jan Štipek, who won six European IFSC competitions in 2023, has onsigthed 12 routes 8a and beyond including El ball del triceps (8b).

Can you tell us more about your outdoor climbing this autumn?
Since I grew up in the crags on the Elbe sandstone, I couldn’t possibly forget about climbing outside and this year I managed to send a couple of good routes like Pain makes me stronger, every day (8c+) in Frankenjura. (This route seemed easier than 8c+). Then I climbed Ninja želva (8c) in Mišja Peč. After these trips, I got the chance to go to Margalef with Jindřich Hudeček and Richard Litochleb.

I managed to get a lot of good onsights. I sent 8x 8a onsight, 2x 8a+ onsight, and then and Alzeimer brothers (8b+) on my second attempt. I also managed to improve my onsight grade with El ball del triceps (8b).

It was a great trip and I definitely plan to go back there with the routes Pal norte (8c+) and Wild Publico (9a) in mind.

Any specific plans for 2024?
I would definitely like to climb Underground (9a), Sanjski par extension (9a) and the two just mentioned routes in Margalef as well as Temná hmota (8B) boulder, but I’m not much of a projecting type, I prefer onsights. I also have big plans for comps cause I will be able to climb comps for adults.

Jorge Diaz-Rullo, who last year did his first two 9b+', has sent Catxasa (9a+) in Santa Linya. The Spaniard has done more than 70 routes 9a and beyond and he is #2 in the 8a ranking game after Adam Ondra. (c) Javi Pec

"Starting the year in the best way possible! I needed 5 days of work on the route and I felt like 9a+ but it’s definitely different how I did the crux with kneebar than how the other ascensionist did this crux, I decided to note us 9a/+."