Kai Whaley has skipped three grades by completing Sleepwalker (8C+) in Unknown Crag. The previous PB for the 17-year-old was an 8B that he sent in October.

“Words can’t describe how much sending Sleepwalker means to me. Growing up in Las Vegas, I watched Jimmy Webb during the process of the first ascent when I was only 11 years old. I’ve always wanted to try the boulder but back then I was too short and was not powerful enough to do any of the moves. I did make quite the big grade jump this season but that’s mainly because I decided to focus all my time on Sleepwalker after a few promising sessions. I have also gotten close on other hard climbs that will fill in the grade gap. It was a big physical and mental battle for me after some regression in the middle sessions that I had to battle with, but in the end it was all worth it because I was able to do one of the most iconic climbs where I grew up.”

Jesús Muñoz (Chuchi) has repeated Beto Rocasolano's El Elegido (8B+) at La Pedriza. The Spaniard has previously completed four 8C's and a dozen 8B+'.

"22 moves separated in two very obvious parts. The first part is five moves around 8B and the last 17 moves are around 8A. Climbing these movements is around 8B. The second part would be the following 17 movements. This part differs from the first in that it is less explosive but much more resistant. The difficulty of this section in isolation will be around 8A. On Saturday I made it to this last good hold and I thought it was done but I fell. The main reason why I fell is because I was exhausted, but also because in that night's attempt, I did not put a very big left foot that would have given me the send. This Monday, I returned with the pressure of wanting to reach that hold again and have a new opportunity to send it. After a disastrous first hit in which I fell in the second move, I gave it a second good try in which I reached that last move again. This time I was right to put the big left foot and I could enjoy the send that escaped me the day before.

I tried the boulder 2 years ago a couple of times, but it was this year that I really dedicated myself to it. I started trying it at the beginning of November and it took me a total of 7 sessions spread over 3 weeks. I am thrilled to complete with this boulder the list of the most difficult bouldering climbs that can be done in La Pedriza. “Lemento Sit” 8C, “El Elegido” 8B+/C, “Charlotte” 8B+ and “Fotofobia” 8B+. "

Marine Thevenet has sent The call of silence (8B) in Albarracín. The former lawyer has just started her own business as a sports manager and has more than 100 boulders 8A and beyond under her belt.

Can you tell us about your recent trip?
I went to Albarracin for 3 weeks, and we were really lucky with the weather. I had no expectations other than climbing a lot of things with friends and discovering the new areas Albarracin has to offer (my last trip was 5 years ago and the community opened some new boulders and sectors since then).

I was really happy to send "The call of silence". It was hard mentally because I had a bad split and I didn't know if I could be able to do some good tries with the tape, for the "sending day". The first part of the boulder is really sharp, and then you have the crux move to reach some slopers. Then the end is scary but easier.

I tried it with a friend and we did 2 sessions on it, figuring out the moves. We decided to give some tries at our 3rd session. He climbed first and sent it on the first go of the day !!! The psych was really high, and I did it right after !!! It was a really special moment.

The rest of the trip was really nice too, with a lot of classics, as Zarzaparrilla (8A+), Bindu (8A+) Cosmos (8A) and some new boulders like Llanero solitario (7C+).

Arief Nagara, who previously has sent 15 boulders 8A or 8A+, has in just two brief sessions completed Meadowlark Lemon Stand (8A+) in Unknown Crag.

What made you want to try Meadowlark Lemon Stand?
I wanted to try Meadowlark cuz it didn’t seem too reachy. It also seemed like it was my style because I’m pretty good on sandstone slopers, and just sandstone in general. I was inspired to try it because my friend Analise did it. Even though she’s much better than me, I thought that maybe I could have fun trying it.

Can you describe your quick ascent?
The first day I tried it, there were some people there with a rope on it to try the topout. After I worked on the bottom for a while, I decided to try the finish on a rope. It’s a pretty scary finish since you’re pretty high up and you have to rock over onto a slab and put all your weight on a tiny, greasy little edge, and reach up super far to the next hold. While I was up there on a rope I had an idea for how to get to the round pinch thingy over the lip. So when I came off the rope, I tried the idea I had and it worked! It even made that sequence feel kinda easy. So on the first day I got all the moves except the first. I later watched the video of Dave Graham doing it, and I saw that he did an intermediate bump for the first move. So the next day I tried that and I was able to do that beta. So I gave it a couple send goes, and on my second try, I sent it! I was super surprised that I was able to do it so quickly.

Did you check the 8B+ sit start?
A few days later I went back to get some photos with my camera. I tried the sit very briefly and I did 1 move but it got dark before I could try it more. It feels pretty hard since the second move is a pretty big span. But it’s pretty cool and I maybe could do it if I worked on it a lot, grew a few inches, or got a bit better at scaling rocks.

Dave Graham reports on Instagram that he has completed Hazel Grace Sit (8C/+) in Gottardo / Gotthardpass, which he started to try in 2004. The FA was done by Guiliano Cameroni in 2021 after 38 days of effort, including the FA of the 8B+ stand in 2018, which Graham also did that year. (c) Rainer Eder

"This summer, I delved into crafting my own way, an entirely different method then what had been done, including a wild and ultra low percentage triple bump of a mono like pocket, only resolvable with a “magic shoe”.

Earlier this autumn, the 41-year-old did the FA of Adularia (8C) also in Gottardo / Gotthardpass and in total, he has reported having done eight 8B+ to 8C+ in 2023. Last year, Dave sent eleven boulders 8B+ to 8C+.

Kai Lightner made his first headlines when he sent Southern Smoke (8c+) at age 13, in 2012. The next year, he won the Youth World Championship and completed Era Vella (9a). Life of Villains (9a) at the Hurricave marks his first 9a since then and Kai says on Instagram. "After all these years, I had almost completely given up on myself…

"Completing Life of Villains means more to me than just sending a route. It represents a personal and psychological win I needed for myself. Recently something shifted in me. After graduating college and refocusing myself, I realized my body worked perfectly fine. I realized I was just as capable of pushing my limits now as I was as a gangly teenager with big hopes and dreams. I realized I could accomplish whatever I put my mind to, in whatever body God gifted me with. Sending Life of Villains is only the beginning of that dream being realized." Newly release video: Reflecting forward

What have you been up to over the last months leading up to this ascent?
For the past couple months, I’ve been focused on raising my overall fitness for hard outdoor lead climbing. After spending the entire month of August pursuing a multi-pitch project, I reserved September and October exclusively for training and building up my power endurance. A normal day of training for me usually involves a light non-climbing morning session involving cardio, stretching, and a short workout. Then, I’ll do a 2-3 hr afternoon session of climbing, usually on a kilter or tension board. I also reserve a couple days a week for some hard lead climbing sessions! Luckily, my fitness was just enough by the time I showed up to Life of Villains! (c) Dizzyfilms

"I would say this route has more in common with Silence than Move, so could be called "Silence easy" [variation] too. The line starts from ‘Move’, and takes you through the very first crux, before turning right into Silence to do the second and third cruxes. Basically, you skip the main crux of Silence. It's a really good route combining multiple interesting cruxes. And it's a logical step to gain some confidence in Crux 2 and 3 of Silence."

Melissa Le Nevé and Fabi Buhl have repeated James Pearson's Voyage at Annot calling the nearly 40m line 8b. Comparing it to Céüse grades, Melissa says on Instagram. "It felt a bit easier than some 8b's [out] there. And, if the crux problem was in Fontainebleau, it would be probably around 6c. It's possible the holds get better over time with this very smooth sandstone."

Le Nevé has been making headlines since 2011 when she did her first 8c+ and was #4 in the Boulder World Cup. Including an 8B+ boulder, an 8b+ MP and her ascent of Action Directe (9a).

Cédric Lachat, who earlier this year sent his tenth 9a+ and his first 9b, has repeated Chilam Balam (9a+/9b) in Villanueva del Rosario. The 85m long route was established in 2003 by Bernabé Fernandez as the world's first 9b+, which was controversial and questioned at the time. In 2011, Adam Ondra did the first repeat after trying it just for three days and felt it was a soft 9b.

"I am extremely happy, because for me this route is a myth, like “La Rambla” or “Biography”. And what’s more, it gets me the target I wanted to reach: 50 routes in the 9th degree before turning 40. Phew, just in time! The only annoying thing is that at almost 40, when you do a big day of climbing you need 3 to rest!" More quotes on Fanatic Climbing.

Cédric won 17 medals in a storied World Cup career. In 2007, he took the bronze at the World Championship in both Lead and Boulder.

Connor Herson has repeated Beth Rodden's 8c+ trad testpiece, Meltdown, in Yosemite (CA). It is considered the first 8c+ trad climb in the world and was put up in 2008. Caro Traversi did the first repeat in 2018, which was followed by Jacopo Larcher and Barbara Zangerl. (c) Ian Dzilenski.

Nice work! Can you tell us more about Meltdown?
In short, I’ve been trying it almost every weekend in between schoolwork since the start of October. It took me a while to figure out the boulder, but once I did progress came quickly… until it didn’t and I started making reverse progress. Then, during the school break for Thanksgiving, it felt so much better, and it came together! Meltdown is such a specific style, I don’t even know how I’d train for it. It just seemed like overall strength/fitness was beneficial.

How did you clean the protection after each fall?
After falling, I’d either hang then climb to the top or down-aid to clean my gear. I had a lot of different belayers all fall, but my sister Kara belayed me for the send. (For most of my weekends working the route, I would drive up with her, climb a route on Saturday, then project Meltdown on Sunday). The day I sent was actually 4th day on - the previous day we’d climbed Wayward Son (7b+), the day before that I tried Meltdown, and the day before that we climbed Scarface (7b+). I onsighted both Wayward Son and Scarface!