Max Bertone, Lead Youth World Champion in August, continues to deliver in Rocklandsby doing Leopard cave extended (8B) and The Arch (8B). "Strange low ball with strange holds. I felt it clearly easier than The Vice (2 sessions to send it), in the same grade, but it is totally my style." In the 8a junior ranking game, the 15-year-old is #4.

Giorgio Tomatis has done Fuck The system (9a) in Santa Linya. The 19-year-old has previously done five routes 9a and harder, out of which the first at age 16.

"My trip to Santa Linya started on the 28 of December. I climbed some classic routes like Rollito Sharma (8b+) on flash. I did also Blomu L3 (8c+) and then I started to try Blomu L3 (8c+). This amazing route has two hard boulder problems with a good rest in between and then a jump to the last holds. I started trying it with really bad conditions and it made me think it's a tough 9a and maybe it takes me time to send but when the condition improved I felt better on the moves and the day after a really good links day I was able to climb it!"

The 19-year-old is also a successful competition climber having made the podium in Euro Youth Cups eight times, including winning one event in 2021.

What are your 2023 plans and ambition?
When I go back to Italy I restart my training plan and at the end of February, the boulder competition start. My ambition are to do some good result in competition, better then the past season!

Here is the, “8a juniors of 2022” list. Performances, relative to their age, in competitions as well as on rock are taken into consideration.

1. Oriane Bertone (17) - FRA
2. Chaehyun Seo (19) - KOR
3. Maël Musson (16) - FRA
4. Analise Van Hoang (14) USA
5. Iziar Martinez (17) - ESP

1. Colin Duffy (19) - USA
2. Max Bertone (15) - FRA
3. Mejdi Schalck (18) FRA
4. Andrea Chelleris (13) - ITA
5. Matteo Reusa (15) - ITA

Peter Kuric has done Wild Publico (9a) in Margalef. “Second 9a and on second go. Really happy. Epic route and totally my style.”

Could you tell us more about that 2nd go ascent?
First, I saw Vojta Trojan's video climbing the route (congrats to him too), and right away I knew it was my style. The next day I went to look at it and got really hyped. On Monday the forecast looked the best so I went to Espedeles to give it try. After my first try of the moves I was sure I could send this route during this trip. After half an hour I went for the second try. I did the first hard boulder and managed not to fall so I continued pumped and finished the route. This is my second 9a and I was surprised that I was able to send it on the second go. It is an amazing route and gives me amazing feelings for sure 🙂

BJ Tilden, who did his first 9a+ in June, has done Neon Desert (8B+) in Hueco Tanks (TX). The 42-year-old did his first 8B+ boulder last year and now he has done three. (c) Matt Pincus

How can you explain 2022 being your best year ever?
I think the formula is pretty simple. Staying healthy and staying psyched! I had consecutive finger injuries in the winters of 2020 and 2021. Finally staying healthy long enough to gain some momentum, and having a long list of things I really wanted to finish just lined up perfectly for 2022.

Daniel Woods flashed Compass North (8B+) in October and here is the old news article including a short interview.

Eva Hammelmüller has done La ligne claire (8c+) in . In the 8a ranking game, the 22-year-old is #2 counting only five redpoints and five onsights or flashes.

Can you tell us more about your ascent?
After not doing any lead for more than a month, the trip to St. Léger was all about getting back into lead mode. As “la ligne claire” has really cruxy sections with good rests in between, I decided to try this route, hoping that my endurance would be sufficient. 9 tries (and an epic fight) later, I found myself on top of the route - such a beautiful line and a really cool start into 2023!

I focused a lot on projecting last year, so I tried some routes graded 9a but didn‘t succeed in climbing them yet…. thus, I climbed quite a few routes that I can either OS or send in few attempts, but hardly any hard routes.

4sport.ua has collected the 9a+ or harder statistics and in total 46 climbers reached this level in 2022. For the last 15 years, we have seen great development and in 2021 50 climbers did at least one 9a+ or harder route.

In total, there are now some 256 routes 9a+ and harder out of which;
83 Spain
47 France
22 Italy
21 USA
12 Norway, 11 Switzerland, 10 Austria and Germany

Interestingly, when it comes to the number of climbers per country having climbed 9a+ or harder, the USA is #1 with 27, followed by France at 21 and Spain at 20.

Štěpán Volf has done Sanjski par extension (9a) in Osp/Misja Pec, although being partly wet. “Finally this big dream of mine became reality. I was dreaming about climbing this beauty since my first trip to Mišja Peč 🇸🇮 8 years ago, when I was trying my first 8a. Still can’t belive I did it even tho it was wet 💦. Somehow skipping the Boulder after first part with one long move was a bit easier. 10 more tries after first part. No kneepad.

From his scorecard we can see that during the last years, he has mainly been focusing on bouldering, in spite of having done his first 9a two years ago. In 2022, he flashed his first two 8A+ boulders and did five out of his first six 8B+.

What is your 2023 ambition?
To climb an 8C boulder. Few weeks ago I tried Warrior (8C) from Martin Stranik and was pretty close to sending. So I hope it will came down during winter.