Nicolai Užnik, who won a Bouldering Euro Youth Cup in 2019, has done the FA of Witchcraft 8C in Villach and he has a video on Insta.

"Actually this boulder has been a project for many years but after nobody could find a way to climb it, it was kind of forgotten. At the beginning of this year, a friend of mine told me about this line and asked me if I wanted to try it, so I started working on it. After a few sessions, I got quite close for the first time but then a key hold broke off which made the second and third move even harder. Since then I struggled to even do those two single moves and a few days ago when I finally sent it, it was actually also the first time I even stuck the single moves after the hold broke off. I wasn‘t sure if it was possible for me to climb it, so I really surprised myself when I did. I never worked so long on a boulder before, which makes this whole process even more special for me."

Dave Graham put up The Story of 2 Worlds in Cresciano in 2005 as, "The new 8C standard" in order to stop grade inflation. It actually did, although UKC called it 8C+, when Dai Koyamada did the first repeat in 2010. Then in 2011, UKC said Dai's "wasn't legitimate" and in 2012, he flew in again from Japan and did it from a lower start calling that variation 8C+. (Later Graham said Dai had originally started correctly.)

By the use of knee pads and shoes with better toe-hooking possibilities as well as going to the left instead of the right finishing the roof, some started to say it was a "soft" 8C. Then in 2018, Sebastian Cotting did it from the Koyamada's 8C+ lower start suggesting that it is closer to 8B+, video.

Chatting with Dave he says he also thinks that in a world with rubber on the knees and the toes, it is like this creates the third story that could make it possibly 8B+. "This is a normal evolution for an old problem with features like this. People say it is much easier obviously but I'm not sure as I haven't done it with the kneepads or with new shoes." The picture is from back in 2005 where we can see Dave shoes had poor toe-hooking possibilities.

Now it seems like there also exist a potential Story of 4 Worlds 9A? " There is a very long section starting on the left that adds probably 8B+ or 8C to join with The story of two worlds!! Surprised no one tries this more!"

In general, he thinks furthermore, "You can see many hard problems with lots of fast repetitions are done because of beta changes and knee pads etc, but seldom the grades are commented. We don't see much downgrading anymore, only confirmations, in boulders at least. It will change again with another generation I assume."

Fanatic Climbing reports that Cedric Lachat has done his eight 9a+, Super Crackinette in St Léger. He projected it for some 14 days which includes broking his pulley some years ago. During the December the 36-year-old has worked it intensively. (c) Hugo Vincent

Noteworthy is that Cedric was one of the best lead competition climbers in the world in between 2001 to 2013. He has won one European Championship as well as two World Cups. The best result in a World Championship is #3. Furthermore, he has done many of the world's hardest multi-pitches. In other words, Cedric should be considered as one of the best climbers in the world during the last 20 years.

Nathan Williams, who have just done two 8B+' has done Sleepwalker in Red Rocks. Jimmy Webb FA video. Later also Daniel Woods, Nalle Hukkataival and Drew Ruana have repeated it making it the second most repeated 8C+ in the world, after Creature of the black lagoon with seven ascents. (c) Alton Richardsson

"This boulder just suited me very well, and with every session, I felt stronger and stronger on the underclings. 10 sessions this season and around 5 or 6 last season. I think I fell going to the sloper from the bottom almost 30 times before I stuck it on point."

Brooke Raboutou and Natalia Grossman, both born in 2001, had an amzing 2020 doing 72 boulders 8A to 8B+. In the 8a ranking game, only Alex Puccio was ahead of them in the Top-50 boulders.

Ella Adamovska, who was third in the Combined Euro Championship in December, reports on Insta that she has done a quick ascent of Pal Norte 8c+ in Margalef. (c) Jakub Konecny

"I chose this route mainly because I really liked it visually, it’s an amazing line! Moreover, last winter I sent Pal este which shares the first 3/4 of the route, then at the end of the trip, I tried the moves in Pal Norte once but it felt too hard. Together with Pal este last year it took me about 15 tries (9 in Pal Este and 6 this year). I must admit these kinds of routes (overhanging, based on endurance with small sharp pockets) really suit me.

Even though the conditions are much better than the last winter, there’s definitely not so many people in Margalef, probably due to the covid situation. As the situation is getting worse in Czech, it’s possible I will stay till the half of January since I’m currently studying at the University remotely."

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