Sean Bailey reports on Insta that he has done the first repeat of Nathaniel Coleman's 8C+, Grand Illusion at Little Cottonwood Canyon, calling it 9a+/9b. (c) Ben Neilson It is 25 intensive moves almost roof climbing on granite without any rest which takes two minutes to climb. Four weeks ago, Sean had not done an 8C but three 9a+'.


Rock & Ice has the full story, also saying that the 24-year-old the last month did Box Therapy 8C+, White Noise 8C and a handful 8B+'. Amazingly, Sean sent Grand Illusion on his first try on only his third session!

Last year, Sean tried to make it to the Olympics and were really close in both Toulouse as well as the Pan American Combined. In 2018, he was #2 in the Boulder WC in Vail. In Lead, he has made the Top-8 final seven times. In other words, during the last few years, he has been one of the Top-10 sport climbers in the world.

The 8a ranking game was set up in 2000, based on the Top-10 ascents, in order to make climbers focus more on onsights and doing multiple ascents. Buildig a wide pyramid and focus on long term slow progress have always been something we have recommended. By looking at the Top-100 ascents the last 12 months, interestingly Martina Demmel (19) is #3 also including the male. The 19-year-old has the last year done 109 onsights 7c to 8b as well as 109 redoints 8a+ to 8c. Counting only the Top-100 onsights, she is actually #1 in the world ahead of all male! (c) Christian Seitz

Other names that can be mentioned having an extreme wide grade pyramide are; Solveig Korherr #5, Maho Norrmand (15) #7 and Rafa Fanega (45) #21. Full Ranking with Moritz Welt as #1!

Leto Cave, who had only had some ten rock climbing days prior to a two weeks trip to Arco, has done Underground 9a (8c+). (c) Katha Saurwein


"I started climbing when I was 10. In the past I went sometimes to the rock on holidays, you know, we don't have rocks in the netherlands😝, later on, almost no rockclimbing. I moved 1.5 years ago to Innsbruck in order to increase training for my dream of the olympics in Paris. Now two weeks rock climbing before I start the break of before I prepare for the worldcups for next year. At this trip, I realise I really love rock climbing too😊. It's so so nice with the people and nature."

Maho Normand, who has done two 8c+' in 2020, has done his first trip to Margalef focusing on onsight and quick sends. During eight climbing days, the 15-year-old did 18 routes 7c+ and harder including five insights. In the Top-100 ascents ranking game, the 15-year-old is #7!

"Because it was my first time that I came to Margalef and I wanted to do a lot of routes but during my stay I did try an 8c where I was very close to doing a 9a or I worked the movements I really loved the atmosphere at Margalef in the sectors and will be back from on to try harder routes."

Tanguy Merard has done his third 9a, Condé de choc in Entraygues. "This summer I did Deltaplane man direct 8c+. The second part is the same as Condé de choc. For me, it was the first step to be able to do it. I tried the start of it for the first in September but I couldn't do all the moves. After this, I focused on bouldering. When I came back, some days ago, I could do all moves. In the same day, I did the first part for the first time and then I gave everything to not fall in the last part. It worked after a big fight. I succeeded to mobilize all my energy! I am really happy😁."

Nolwen Berthier, a former competition climber, is having her best year ever and has done her second 8c+, La flûte en chantier in the Ramirole cave in Verdon. (c) Theo Cartier

"This line catches your attention from the first glance, its diversity of movements is exceptionnal, its climbing is tricky and demanding. In short, the very pure Kingline… Clearly, it’s for this kind of routes that I get up in the morning, train, climb!

During the first few tries, the crux seemed easy to me, but there were still three movements that I wasn’t able to do. I was really not sure that it could work with my size. I had to reinvent the sections, to try out absurd or wacky methods, to finally find sequences that work. Make an insane drop knee while holding an intermediate hold? Dyno into a gaston flake? Getting quartered between two flat tufas? Challenge accepted! All the moves were done, it’s just a matter of time… and relentlessness… and success… Okay, it’s still not a given, but it starts from there! The Summer passed, then the Fall came, bringing better conditions, but with a stressful timing: the rain and the resurgences were about to come… and the rumours of lockdown… In short, I had a little pressure! In rock climbing, the theory of merit rarely works, it’s better to bet on the alignment of stars! Yesterday, all the parameters came together for a good run: shape, conditions, desire, lucidity, determination,… Magic!" an hard and aesthetic 40 meters line in an overhanging prow with tufas, bolted by Antonin Rhodes. It’s her second 8c+

Katherine Choong, who previously has done two 9a's, has done her 13th 8c, Jusqu'au bout du monde in Soyhières. (c) Hugo Vincent

"I didn't really like climbing in the Jura before but because of the Covid19 I was forced to climb more local. With a bit of patience I started to really appreciate the style of the area. But I couldn't imagine climbing routes at my limit because of the bouldery / powerful style of the routes. Jusqu’au bout du monde is ~ 20 meters, starting with a hard section and a dyno for small climbers (the crux for me), and continue with a resistance end. It is a route bolted in 1989 by Philippe Steulet, a well-known Swiss climber from the region. It's "only" 8c but the crux took me a lot of time and cost me a lot of tries. It was finally last Wednesday that I managed to stick the dyno and fought against the pump all the way to the top 😊"

Gio Placci, who recently did Underground 8c+ (9a) on his 30s training day on, has done Biologico 9a in Arco. The 19-year-old says that he trained and prepared his body for five weeks and this time he actually took a rest day. "Yesss , my first 9a is done , 4 days of tries , 5th try of the day." (c) Pietro Vidi