Andrea Locatelli first redpointed Shower inverter (8c) in Malegno, and then the following day, the 13-year-old upped the ante by making the FA of Il Bombarolo (8c+).

”In the last months I climbed mainly indoors with few opportunities to climb outside. I am therefore very happy to have sent Il Bombarolo, especially because it has been bolted by my friend and mountain guide Maurizio Tasca, a strong climber and very active in discovering new crags here around Bergamo. Unfortunately, there are currently problems of coexistence with the owners of the land where the cliff is and we prefer to not say where is it. The proposed grade is to be confirmed! I really like changing from indoor climbing, bouldering and cragging, trying to have fun (first of all) but even improve!”

Iziar Martinez and Alex Totkova have done Pal este (8c) in Margalef. The 18-year-old’s have both won several IFSC youth cups and have previously ticked 9a.

Martinez: “So after the comps, I wanted to do something a little bit hard and I was in Margalef with Alex Totkova. We were together on the project and she did it super easily but I had to give it more tries. I'm really happy because I thought I wasn’t in the best shape after resting for 3 weeks so it was a big surprise. The route is pure endurance and I loved it. It’s an amazing line.”

Totkova: “I could do the route from my second attempt, but the first day of climbing I didn’t climb the route to the top(only one attempt)😅 On the next day I was angry with myslef, because of the day before… so I wanted to send it, no matter what. I am super happy that I sent the route together with Ichi. Also it is really motivated [me] to climb with this amazing girl. :)”

Giorgio Tomatis, who twice was Top-20 in the World Cup last year, has flashed and Directa Cornualles (8c) in Siurana.

What kind of beta did you get prior and during the flashes?
For Directa jabali my friend Davide Colombo explained [to] me all the beta from the ground several times and then I looked at his send of the route. For Directa Cornualles he explained the beta to me from below, while I was going up he also repeated the beta for me. It was just amazing. On Directa Jabali I had full control but on Directa Cornualles I had a good fight. I started and I had to go back to the rest one time.

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 😜