Javier Meng did his first 8A+' at age 27. Now 13 years later he has done 129 boulders 8A+ and harder. His sixth and latest 8B+ he did last year and he is #1 in the 40+ ranking game. In total, he has done 800 FAs in between 7A and harder.

Could you tell us about your climbing background?
I started climbing almost 25 years ago. Sport climbing at first, also some classic climbing but soon I specialized in bouldering. In all these years the motivation, the desire to go climbing, to look for new areas, to open new blocks and to continue improving has remained intact. The main change is that now I have more obligations and less time, which means that I have to make the most of the time I can train or go to the rock. Currently, I am a weekend climber. Hopefully, during the week I can go to train for a couple of days, and it's the weekend when I can go out on rock. I am lucky to keep the same desire to go climbing as the first day.

Which are the new areas you can recommend where you have put up the most FAs and where you see the biggest potential?
The last years, the place where I have spent the most time climbing and opening new boulders is the Valle del Miera, in Cantabria (a.k.a. lierganes). It is a limestone area that I have close to home and that allows me to make short-term visits. There are over a hundred blocks of 8th grade (8b+ máx.) and there are still very hard projects to climb. Currently, I am projecting Negro oscuro.

How many sessions have you put in and how hard could it be?
5-6 at the moment. I did it without the sit-start moves, and it's around 8A+. But the three moves from the sit are impossible for the moment 🤣 At least 8B, 8B+ or even 8C.

Why do you think you're in such good shape at age 40? What do you attribute it to?
I think I climb better now. Probably I don't have the same power, but I think I am more technical and climb more efficiently. I actually started to try really hard problems just recently.

How many hours a week do you train and climb and how do you train?
2 hours each day, 4 hours/per week. Only Moonboard sessions. No campus, no series, no clock. I do not do a scientific or planned training. I don't like training. The session must be like an outdoor day, warming up and then trying hard problems.

Yuka Kubayashi reports on Insta that she has onsighted Dynamitaki (8b) in Manikia, putting up 20 quickdraws.

Yuka is a former successful competition climber who was Top-13 in the World Cup 51 times in between 2004 and 2016. Three times she made the podium.

Loic Zehani, who previously has sent 60 routes 8c+/9a and harder, has possibly done the first repeat of Perpetuisima (9a) in Sant Llorenç del Munt. "One of the first routes of this level in Spain by Dani Andrada in 1997. A quick approach, then a nice jump to a good hold. Another hard move to catch a good hold with a sloppe underling. After that, you have a nice bouldery section with a pocket and a big move to a very good hold. For finish in the classic Cadena perpetua (8c). Nice line. Dani graded this 8c+/9a but I think it depends on your height. Happy to climb again after some sessions in "Neanderthal" which is more and more wet."

In the picture, the 21-year-old does possibly the FA of L'ordre dels factors + el món del revés (9a) in Sant Miquel del Fai. "Long traverse left to right (48 mouves, more or less 8B+ traverse) + El mon al revés (8b). Very nice moves and big physical effort. Thanks, Matteo and Javi for the info at the crag. Very steep crag 💪💪💪."

Clément Lechaptois, who did his first 8C+ last October, has repeated Dave Graham's From Dirt Grows The Flowers (8C) in Chironico. (c) Rainer Eder

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I've tried the boulder quite a lot 2 seasons ago when Giul (Cameron) was trying Ephyra but I struggled with the mantle. Came back one day in november with no expectations but it felt way better and managed it. It was the last day of a mini trip. Came back saturday, conditions were good, climbed the mantle again and went for a burn from the start. Everything felt good and climbed the entire boulder !

What is your next plan and ambition?
Psyched on Alphane at the moment!

How was the first sessions?
Oooof, I actually started to try when it was still a project with Shawn & the crew. The last sessions have been quite promising tho.

Angelika Rainer, 3 time Ice World Champion, reports on Insta that she has done Solitary Souls (8c+) in Arco. Alfredo Webber did the FA of the 35m tall and 20m overhanging route in 2019 and last year Adam Ondra onsighted it (video), commenting, "unique line, unique to climb!". (c) Marco Servalli

Since I stopped competing in the Ice climbing World Cup a few years ago, I decided to mainly focus on rock climbing and try to see where I can push myself in this climbing discipline. Since last year I’m coached by the former World Cup winner Patxi Usubiaga Lacunza. I have always loved to train hard and to follow a training plan and working with Patxi gives me a huge motivation. Usually, I train or climb outdoors 6 days a week and I switch between the two of them based on the weather, current projects and other daily tasks.

I tried Solitary Souls for the first time last March and was able to do all the moves but as the wall is South facing I thought that it was more of a Winter project and so I came back to it in November. In the end, it only took me 10 days of tries which I think are not much when reaching a new grade, so I guess I can say that the style of the route definitely suits me as I have always been more the endurance type of climber. When I look for a project I don’t only look at the grade, but much more important is the beauty of the line and its surrounding. I love to look at the panorama while I shake out and take a deep breath. It helps me get relaxed at that moment and being in a wonderful place makes the process of trying a hard route even more enjoyable. This route is indeed an amazing line and the view above Arco, Riva and lake Garda is unique, so I would say it’s a 5-star rating."

Christoph Schweiger sent The Big Island (8C) last December, which made 8a headlines. Now the video is out.

Petra Klingler, World Champion in Bouldering in 2016 and in Ice Climbing in 2022, won the Ice World Cup in Cheongsong this weekend. Here is the live-streaming video. Among the male, Heeyong Park got the victory. (c) Rheakang_art

Mie Kastet has done Catatonica (8A) in Brione. "Love this problem! Appearance can be deceptive. It packs a punch! Not too experienced with these grades, so I'm running with the original suggestion. But it might be 8a. It may have suited me quite well too, so idk."

Interestingly is that the 38-year-old has had steady progress, since 2014, when it comes to scorecard points.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
To be honest, Catatonica was not on my radar at all when we came to Brione this year. I had other goals. But I injured my right hamstring on a heel hook and felt pretty helpless on most of the problems I had originally wanted to try. So when we stumbled across this one and all the body positions and moves worked with little to no pain, I got psyched!

To me, it felt like a very technical challenge, so I had a rare experience with the flow state. Felt super calm and didn't think. Except for the top out where I told myself "keep it together". Two big sessions working the moves and sequences, then another short session where nothing worked. But on the 4th session, everything clicked. ☺️

Could you say something about your daily climbing life?
At home, there's a mix of training and going outside for bouldering to try some problems that I am motivated for. I also have a funny and very active dog, so she makes sure I take time away from climbing and get some sort of cardio done. 🤣 I happen to work at the world's best bouldering gym Bergen Klatresenter and got the sweetest colleagues who allow me to go for longer trips from time to time. And I wouldn't be where I am without my partner (Knut Sømme), who's both psyched to climb and very supportive.