Manon Hily, who last year sent both her first 9a as well as 9a+, has done Joe Blau (8c+) in Oliana. ”Super cool! Especially the second part on the black rock. Demanding route at the start and really sustained!!! Not easy.”

The 31-year-old finished 13th at the World Championships last September, and her lowest placing across four World Cup events in 2025 was 12th. Two years earlier, she reached the podium in Briançon, and in 2022 the qualified nurse claimed bronze at the European Championships.

Tyler Thompson, who last year did five 9a’s and one 9a+, has repeated Jonathan Siegrist’s One Hundred Proof (9a) and Smoke Wagon (9a) in Mount Potosi. The 23-year-old logs the latter with a personal grade and comments, ”Ultimately knees bring down the intensity of this route just enough for it to be more in the 8c+/9a range or just hard 8c+ IMO. (c) James Lucas

Can you tell us more about these ascents?
Clear light [main sector in Mt Potasi] is pretty ideal for winter climbing. Getting back to Vegas from some holiday travels, I tried Smoke Wagon. That route suited me super well and I was able to do it in 3 days. I jumped straight on Hundred Proof, which involves a harder and longer start before going all of the difficulty of SW. On my first day trying that version I came super close and sent my first try the next climbing day. I used a few marginal kneebars throughout both routes which weren’t used during the FA from Jonathan. None of them are particularly good but they enhance key rests and ultimately bring down the intensity of the pure endurance style.

What is coming up next?
My plans coming up are to focus on training and local projects while I finish up my seasonal job, installing and now taking down Christmas lights around Vegas. In February I am going to Siurana for a bit and then will spend April and May up at Clark!

Noah Wheeler, who last year sent two 9A’s, has done the first ascent of Jorōgumo (8C) in Haycock. ”Proudest FA. Always thought this climb was legitimately impossible until I came back this year with a honed body and mind. Has the sort of holds you would imagine VHards must have had when you were a kid.”

Can you tell us more about the first ascent?
The climb is a sit to a 1-move V10 called Orb Weaver. I remember when I first did the stand, 5 years ago (when I first started climbing outside), thinking the sit was impossible. There are just very few feet and the crimps are incredibly small and flat. I came back this year in November cognizant of my improvements over the years but still skeptical as to whether the climb was possible. In a matter of 2 or 3 sessions I was eventually able to unlock the crux move (which unlocked the climb), encompassing of a disgusting full-crimp on a tiny right hand. Vital to my process on this boulder was my taping beta. I discovered that if I did not pretape my right pointer finger, it would split in one go. Regardless, I only had a few tries on the climb per day before it destroyed my skin. I sent on my first session back in PA in January (While back home for the holidays).

Southeastern Pennsylvania crags largely consist of Diabase rock, which is a grainy but bullet rock type that generally creates tiny flat features on relatively vertical surfaces. This climb is a perfect demonstration of the diabase style, and its very cool and personally significant to climb this style at a higher difficulty level.

Melina Costanza has done Iron Resolution (8B) in Barker Dam. ”I know some people have been calling it 12 [8A+] recently but it honestly felt harder than any other 13 I’ve done so I’m taking it. But maybe that’s just cause I’m a shorty so I have to dyno to the crimp.”

In September, the 26-year-old won bronze at the World Championship, marking her first IFSC Boulder competition since 2022, when her best finish was 21st. Last year, she also did her second 8B+ and she is number four in the female ranking game.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I went out to Joshua tree to compete in the rock rumble royale competition and stuck around a couple days afterward to get on this classic line. I ended up having to jump for a crimp pretty high up and took a couple gnarly falls from up high before the send go. One of the coolest boulders I’ve done

Vlad Joanta, who last year at age 15 sent Fragile Steps (8A+), has done Esclavos de la Apariencia (8B) in Tagamanent, in just three tries. Last year, the 16-year-old won the Romanian National U-17 Cup series. His father Cristian shares the story.

”For this winter we did't know where to go. We were thinking of Spain, but wished something new, not Albarracin or Alcaniz. We checked Catalunya, for it's warm weather. We found Tagamanent on 8a.nu and started searching boulders and videos. We saw a video of Esclavos de la aparencia and seemed suitable for him. The boulder is located in a shaddy forest and is limestone river rock. Sharp and polished. And requires a pretty long steep approach. After brushing the holds and a quick warm-up, Vlad had the first and second goes. The third try was the unexpected send. The hardest move was the second one, because of a cramped position with the right toe next to the hand then a hard cross from a very bad crimp to another tiny crimp. About the grade, Vlad doesn't have an opinion on it, everything came instinctively, it wasn't something that he planned or trained for. Hard training pays off.”

What are your 2026 ambitions and training plans?
My plans for this year are to try to send Steppenwolf (8B) and Longbow (8B+) this summer, and potentially something harder. I would also like to enter international competitions this year. I usually train five days a week at my father’s gym, Fabrica de Cățărat.

Girl power in Brione, where Sofya Yokoyama, Juliette Abram and Sophia Wall have done Forever More sit (8A+). With 4.3 stars based on 81 ascents, it is one of highest quality rated hard boulders in the Vertical-Life database.
Sofya comments sending her second 8A+, ” This boulder has been on my list of boulders to try for a while but I never had the chance to get on it until now. My first session on the boulder didn’t go so great. I didn’t really feel close on the first couple of moves but still wanted to work on them and get as close as I could. I left the boulder feeling quite annoyed and thinking that I won’t get it done soon.

The next day though, I randomly decided to get back on the boulder, at the end of the day before leaving the crag. I surprised myself by making the individual moves quite quickly, then managed to send it in my 3rd go from the bottom! The boulder is definitely harder than it looks and I might have underestimated it the first session… but I’m happy I stuck to it! It’s a great boulder :)”

”Climbing with Dave is an incredible experience. I usually do a move, switch off from it and move on, but Dave’s the opposite; his eye for the rock is perfect. He will try everything three or four ways and keep refining it until the beta is as good as it can be. Finding projects with him is pretty much perfect. ” - Will Bosi

Yannick Flohé, who last year became the first climber to flash an 8C boulder, has completed Excalibur (9b+) in Arco. In 2025, the 26-year-old German also sent a 9b and placed in the top 10 in all five of his Lead World Cups. (c) Crimp Films

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
With Excalibur I finished my second and last remaining lead project. In 2025 my goal was to send Raststaman Vibrations (9b) and Excalibur. Raststaman Vibrations I had already tried in 2024 and sent in August 2025. The first time I tried Excalibur was in March 2025 and I made promising links, already climbing to the last crux on my first try from the ground. The lower part suits me really well and I almost never fell before the heel move at the last crux.

However, the last two moves, especially the two finger pocket where I could barely fit my middle finger and index finger, fully crimped with a small spike to crimp my thumb on, were a real challenge, even as individual moves. This move was so low percentage for me that I fell at least twenty times. Without executing that move perfectly, the final move became impossible and I fell there at least twelve times as well.

Over the nineteen sessions I spent on this route, skin, patience, and conditions were the main factors. I had trips where I injured my skin on the first try and then had to rest for four days, only to open the same split again. The difference between resting and trying was not fun at all. On my final trip I planned one day on and three days off to make sure my skin was always in good shape.

It was a frustrating process, with high expectations early on and major setbacks along the way. In the end I almost did not care about sending anymore and just came back each time, giving two or three tries, then returning three days later. Eventually I stuck the last move by a very small margin and was almost surprised when I did.

What are the plans and ambitions for 2026?
For my next project I will choose a long route with comfortable holds 😅 Want to do some endurance 9b+. I guess I’ll do the lead World Cups in Europe and skip the rest of the circuit.

What about boulder plans?
I’m not sure, haven’t done any bouldering in a while and it feels pretty good to focus only on training and projects I really enjoy.

Adam Shahar completed Return of the Sleepwalker (9A) last month. ”ROTSW consists of some of the most amazing holds and move’s in RR. My psych on the line was first sparked watching Daniel battling it out for the FA. 3 years later I found myself on top of sleepwalker with a strong goal ahead. That was to do return. Return had been lingering in my mind the past year and this fall I came out to to Redrocks to give it some effort. I wasn’t very far off! With a bit more fitness I knew it would come soon. After a good break back home in NJ trying some other projects and clearing my head, I came back to redrocks last week to try and finish it off. After a new high point my first session back, I knew that it was a matter of time.”