Noa Shiran becomes the first woman from Israel to do an 8c with her ascent of Rolex Direct in Nezer Cave, video. The professional climber, who was #15 in one World Cup in 2022, needed three sessions for her send.

"I found some time to go outdoors after the comp season. I don't climb on rock very often but this route looked really cool with the overhang and the powerful dynamic moves so I chose to try it. It took me two sessions to understand that I can do it soon, and on the 3rd day I managed to send it dealing with bees that settled their beehive inside the kneebar rest before the last boulder problem. They acted friendly but were all around me so it was quite terrifying 🙂"

William Bosi has had a great day in Brione where he flashed Fake Pamplemousse (8A) and Flash Flood (8B). During the last six weeks, Will has flashed seven boulders 8A to 8B (+) as well as redpointed nine boulders 8A to 9A.

Can you tell us more about the two flashes?
So I wanted to go try Kingdom but when we got there the whole face was still soaking wet. Luckily the wall on the right was dry so I sent White Stripe (8A+). We then checked out the Frogger wall and somehow it was mostly dry. I got pretty excited and hopped straight on Fake Pamplemousse (8A) and got the flash! I really wanted to try to flash Liquid Nails (8B+) but it was unfortunately wet so I turned my attention to Flash Flood (8B). I watched a video and then went for it and just stuck the crux move and then managed to battle on. The line is very steep and crimpy so I think it suits me pretty well. Was right at the limit on the crux slap! although I reckon I could have used better beta.

Bronwyn Hodgins has done the second female ascent, after Mary Eden, of Necronomicon (8b) in The White Rim. (c) John Kasaian

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the route?
Necronomicon took 5 sessions. Two scoping days earlier in November to check it out. Then I went back at the end of the month to camp out there with some friends. I spent two more days dialling in my beta, gear placements, etc. Took a rest day on day 3. And then sent on day 4 (on my second redpoint attempt). I prepared before the trip for two months in my hometown Squamish, in my friend’s shed (where he has a new set-up similar to the wide boys dungeon) and on a few excellent granite roof cracks nearby. I also discovered a crack on the under side of a bridge that was the perfect training site for Necronomicon: a 25m perfectly uniform and slippery thin hands crack.

The route itself was really fun! Campus into the roof. Then climb a long section of wide hands and fists (yellow and blue cams) into the middle of the roof. Shake out in a hand jam and then launch into the thin crux (several body lengths of green cams, though I chose not to place any cams in the crux which lead to some fun big swings!). I then flipped feet first into the no-hands double knee bar rest. Then did another 360 to exit into the home stretch, a final section of wide hands/fists to the finish.

Can you say something about your climbing background?
I’ve been climbing for ten years, and enjoy a wide range of disciplines from sport to trad to big wall to alpine. I work seasonally as a rock guide in Squamish BC and travel in the winter months. The objectives I get most excited about are big wall free climbs; I love the combination of skills and mental tenacity involved. In 2018 I was the first Canadian female to free climb El Capitan (via freerider) and in 2021 I was the third woman to send golden gate (after Hazel Findlay and Emily Harrington). This past summer I spent two months in Greenland, establishing new big routes approached via sea kayak. Coming home from that wild adventure, I’m excited to get stuck into a winter season focusing on single pitch goals and some strength training, which will hopefully lead to bigger and harder cliffs in the future!

Loic Zehani has done Mr. Big (9a) in Margalef. ”Stunning stamina route. 25 meters with a Boulder section just after the middle. Congrats Tom for bolting this wonderful route and for the first ascent. It took me 8 tries, 5 times I fell to catch this fucking two fingers pocket 😬 and one time at the top of the route slipping from the foot. 😂. I like this route so much. Thanks, Tomaso and Francesco for the pictures.”

What is next?
My next project is maybe an unrepeated route of Iker Pou, Artaburu. An incredible roof with crazy moves.

How much have you tried it and how hard is it?
Only yesterday one time for checking moves with the rain. Iker says it was his hardest route so at least 9b. (Article about Artaburu which Iker did the fa of in 2018.)

in Siurana is the most logged route on 8a in 2022, with 138 ascents. In total, it has been logged 1 449 times, out of which close to 60 % onsights. The popularity comes probably from a combination of; the quality, it being a bit soft for the grade, that the sector El pati has a short approach and that it is surrounded by many other high quality climbs as well as high graded routes like La Rambla (9a+). The 25m first pitch starts almost vertical on reddish pocketed and chalked holds. Then there is a roof on jugs until a relatively hard anchor clip. There is also a 15m 7c extension so in practice the first pitch has been done several times more in 2022. This climb, which has become one of the highest-ranked climbs in the world, was bolted by T. Albero in 2001.

The picture is from Ben Oveson who did it in 2016, and commented:
“Awesome climb, sent 3rd go. Lots of rests and a few techy moves for 25 meters then a V2 5 meter jug roof at the end. 7a+ guide book. Seeing as the moves on lame chuche baby's start where just as hard and crosta had no hands rests every 15 feet 7a+ is ambitious.

Radina Popova: “Pure joy and flow! This route has everything, starting with a technical vertical slab climbing, a crux somewhere on the 4th QD and then moving to a big jugs overhang climb paradise. Could have been my first 7a+ onsight but I got the Crosta panic attack in clipping the last bolt.”

Chris Sharma reports on Insta that he has done La Reina Mora in Siurana. "As I battle it out on my main project “Sleeping Lion” these days, I’ve also enjoyed climbing on this iconic route nearby." (c) Riki Giancola

Sharma started to work on Sleeping Lion last autumn and Giancola says he is pretty close. The estimated grade is at least 9b. Here is an Insta video from last May. Amazingly, there are no routes within some 20 meters of either side of Sleeping Lion and it is located on the big wall opposite of La Rambla and La Reina Mora.

Camilla Moroni has done Fred Nicole’s classic from 1998, La Proue (8B) in Cresciano. ” I managed to send it in 3 sessions between the trainings.”

The 21-year-old has during the last four weeks done six boulders 8A+ and 8B, in spite of having started training for the 2023 comp season. In 2021, she got silver in the World Champion and this year, the Italian, was #9 in the Euro Lead Championship.

Can you tell us about your Olympic goal?
At the beginning of November I moved to Milan with the National Team and it's very close to Ticino, so it's perfect for the "rest days". As I always say my main goal is to participate in the Olympics and I'm training for it. Staying in Milano is a great opportunity, we are training well with the help of Gabri Moroni and the federation. Qualifying during the WCh and the continental event will be difficult but I'll try, even if it will be more plausible to qualify with the combined events in 2024.

Michaela Kiersch reports on Insta that she has done in . "Fist crimping and no-pinky pinches on Cinderella is Dead I love the juxtaposition of bouldering up above the city! You can even see my office from here 😉". Video of the ascent and some more detailed comments.

Other Kiersch news is that Alex Megos just did the first repeat of her Goldilocks in Red River Gorge (KY), from 2017, suggesting it should be upgraded to 8c+.

In April she completed her doctoral degree in hand therapy and immediately went for her first extended trip only focusing on climbing. During three weeks in Magic Wood, she did two 8B+ and another 12 boulders 8A and harder. In total, the 27-year-old has done nine 8c+' and last fall she did her first 9a, Dreamcatcher after just five days of projecting. In other words, Michaela's combined route and boulder tick list is one of the most impressive ever. Here is an 8a interview from this summer.

Alex Garriga reports on Insta that he has done the FA of Outer ring R2 9a (+) in . It is an extension to an 8c he did in April which shares the top of El subnormal del antihydral r1 (9a), which he did the FA of in March. (c) David Lopez Campe

The 24-year-old has previously done close to 40 routes 9a and harder, including 13 FAs. The Spaniard is known for his hard grading and there are only about ten guys who have done more 9a's in the world.