Alex Puccio reports on Insta that she has done Tigris sit (8B+) in Magic Wood. "I believe today was my second day trying it from the low, but I did the stand start to it some days before and that was my first day trying that line. I didn’t try it from the sit that day. Then I went back and tried the sit and got really close and then went back today and sent it first try." (c) Luis Gerhardt

During her three weeks trip she has also done another six boulder 8A and harder and a flash of Conan (7C+). In total, the runner up in the World Championship in 2014 has done 250+ boulders 8A and harder including eight 8B+'. This means, the 157 cm tall, has by far the most impressive female boulder tick list out there.

Which boulders did you like the most during this trip?
Definitely Steppenwolf (8B) :). The bizarre Ride (8A+) is really cool too, just sad it’s a drop off.

What are your summer plans?
Keep getting fitter and stronger in Colorado and climbing out there. :)

Emilie Gerhardt reports on Insta that she has done Touch by the devil 8A+ (B) in Vernayaz. The 22-year-old, who got a silver in the Youth World Championshíp in 2013, did earlier this year send her second 8B as well as her second 8c route. (c) Julius Westphal

"The boulder includes many moves and starts from an easier section at the bottom into a crux section in the middle and a mantle top out. My boyfriend Julius and I were figuring it out together and made tries on the first day. The beta turns out to work pretty well for Julius but I felt I needed to look for another beta for me. At the end of the boulder session, I searched for another solution and found something which felt pretty good to me. Unfortunately, the weather wasn‘t on our side for the first days and I had to wait for the rain to stop. The weather changed and turned good. Luckily my new beta worked out for me! It‘s always impressive to see how you can find a total different beta on the same boulder dependent on your body morphology and individual strengths."

Carlo Traversi did Magic Line (8c+) in Yosemite (CA) three months ago. Ron Kauk did the "pinkpoint" (gear preplaced) FA in 1996, suggesting 8c. The first repeat was done by his son Lonnie in 2016. Two years later, he did the clean FA placing the gear on lead and upgrading it to 8c+. There are only three other 8c+ trad routes (excluding some contrived ones) in the world and a potential 9a (Tribe). With Meltdown, Traversi is the only one having done two. He has also done several 8C boulders and last year he repeated his first 9b.

In other words, Carlo is one of the very few climbers that have sent world class grades in all three disciplines.

What about your tick list on big walls and DWS?
Hardest big wall would probably be Magic Mushroom 7c+ on the Eiger although I don’t really consider that noteworthy. More of a fun, not so difficult climb. I have been working on the Dihedral Wall on El Cap the last few winters but the weather hasn’t lined up for a proper attempt. I’ve done a bunch of DWS competitions but very little DWS on rock. Hoping to change that this Fall.

William Bosi has done his seventh 8C during the last ten weeks, Silent Singer in Bowder Stone, which was put up by Aidan Roberts earlier this year. "Really happy to get the second ascent of this one! three really fun crimp moves lead to a weird kneebar which cost a lot of attempts. When the knee works the top of the boulders not too bad though."

Could you please say something about the process how you took it down?
So I guess I had 3 sessions but in the first session I was only able to try the first two moves as the top was wet. In the second session, I got really close multiple times, failing from the kneebar at the end of the boulder… Then yesterday I was able to get it down the third go of the day. It felt really important to do it fast as it’s very sharp and with the hot weather now skin would become an issue very fast I think!

The Brixen Bouldering World Cup starts on Friday with the qualification. A total of 109 males and 87 females from 34 countries are registered to compete. The only big names missing out are Janja Garnbret and Adam Ondra. The chief route setter is Marcin Wszolek from Poland.

On Saturday, the female semifinal will begin at 11 am followed by the final at 8 pm. On Sunday, the male semifinal will begin at 11 am followed by the final at 7 pm. The new grandstand has a capacity of 1 600 seated. More info and how to buy tickets. On both Friday and Saturday nights, there will be a Vertical-Life after party and Zlagboard contest.

In the European Lead Cup in Arco, Laura Rogora from Italy won each round and was actually quite superior. Among the male, Milan Preskar from Slovenia took quite a sensational win beating several top World Cup climbers. Overall, Slovenia had three girls as well as boys in the Top-7. Noteworthy is that nobody topped any of the eight routes, although several of the best World Cup climbers participated. Furthermore, 22 girls, out of 42, fell on the same move in one of the qualification routes.

1. Milan Preskar SLO - Laura Rogora ITA
2. Jonas Utelli SUI - Vita Lukan SLO
3. Luka Potocar SLO - Aleksandra Totkova BUL
Male results and Female results.

Michaela Kirsch continues to strike in Magic Wood and, besides two more 8As, she has sent Tigris sit (8B+) after some four sessions. In total, the newly graduated doctor in occupational (hand) therapy has during less than three weeks in Magic done 16 boulders 8A to 8B+. During the last year, she has also done one 8c+ and her first 9a as well as another handful of 8A to 8B boulders. (c) Nina Williams

When was the last time you trained indoors or had some specific physical training?
I haven’t trained since May 4. I left the states for the Roc trip May 5.

How often have you taken rest days in Magic?
I’ve been climbing 1-2 days on and then a rest day. I haven’t taken more than one rest day in a row, but my body is starting to feel tired and I could probably use a few days of recovery!

Three weeks ago, Shawn Raboutou published on Insta that he last summer did the FA of Fuck the system 8C+. Rumour has since said he has also done an unreported 9A. Now, this has been confirmed and, amazingly, we are talking about two possible 9A boulders sent by Shawn in 2022;

The Megatron project in Eldorado Canyon - A seven moves 8C low start, with zero rest, into Daniel WoodsTron 8B+ put up in 2017. Daniel has later projected the Megatron project for several months.

The Alphane Moon project - Insta comments by David Graham including a picture of Shawn: "It seems to add up to a two move 8C, into a 12 move 8C+, followed by something like an 8B exit, with zero rests. Grade wise we assumed it must be harder than 9A."

It should be mentioned that we have reached out to both Daniel and Dave but they have not yet responded so that is why the title says "rumours" although our source says, "this info is already well known in the hood".

Updates from Dave: "Alphane moon is more like a two move 8B+ [not 8C, we found better beta] into a long 8C+ boulder. The description you used for the Alphane Moon thing is what we thought the breakdown would be for the right exit." In regards to Shawn's 9A ascents he just says, "No comment!"

Joshua Ibbertson reports on Insta that he has done Rainman 9b in Malham. (c) Marsha Balaeva

"Rainman has inspired me ever since I watched Steve McClure working it many years ago. It looked impossibly hard to me then and was blown away when he redpointed it in 2017, creating the UK’s first 9B! The route takes a super direct line up the centre of Malham cove on an impeccable rock all the way. It starts up the mega classic Raindogs (8a) continuing through the crux roof of Rain Shadow (9a) before heading into the headwall of Batman (9a/+)/Bat route (8C).

I guess my road to climbing Rainman started when I was 11 and first climbed Raindogs. I returned to climb Rainshadow in 2020 and Bat route and Batman in 2021. It was only after climbing Batman that I really started believe I could link it all together. Having redpointed all the others, I haven’t a clue how many sessions I’ve actually spent on the route. Lots! Since March I spent as much time on the route as I could, trying to redpoint. I’m currently sitting my end of school exams so it’s been quite a challenge to manage my time. The route spat me off the final hard boulder, (where it joins Bat Route) numerous times. On my 18th birthday, I hit the hold at the end of the crux but didn’t stick it...I was hoping Rain Man was going to be a birthday present for myself, but it wasn’t to be! I had to wait another week and a few more sessions for the send. I’ve put so much effort into this route, so it feels unreal to have finally ticked it.

To prepare over the winter I worked closely with my Lattice Coach Ella, we put in lots of antagonistic training and general strength work so that I was robust enough to give it my all, while not getting injured. I think this really helped. We also did a lot of work to improve my power-endurance, including the use of replica problems as well leg training for the kneebar rest. The thought of heading back to Rainman in the Spring always kept my training psych high!"