Hugo Parmentier, who started 2020 by doing his first 9b, has done Pornographie 9a in Céüse. (c) Bluegilles

"The route had been bolted this year by a local and Alex Megos did the first ascent in July. I tried it a few times during my trip in August, something like 4/5 tries. Not really seriously as I was trying other routes. This time I dedicated myself only to this one for three days in a row (two times a day), falling to the last move. After a rest day, I could send it. Pretty intense, pumpy, comp-ish style on 15-20m, With a cool dynamic move at the end. Alex mentioned that it could be 8c+ with better beta. Maybe. For sure not the hardest but I do think this route has to be "approved" as it's really resistant."

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.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, hand sanitizing chalk sounds almost too good to be true. Maybe it's not. As the pandemic drags on, we have to find ways to climb again safely. FrictionLabs’ new germ-killing liquid chalk - Secret Stuff Hygienic. It includes 80% ethanol, an even higher concentration than the 60% recommended by the CDC, WHO, and FDA for alcohol-based hand sanitizers during the pandemic. It’s not just speculation that SSH kills germs. FrictionLabs report that their chalk was proven to outperform traditional sanitizer in independent laboratory tests!

In a study at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, participants’ hands were swabbed, then they used Secret Stuff Hygienic, then their hands were swabbed again. Each sample was placed on a Petri dish and tested for germ count. In every instance, Secret Stuff Hygienic reduced the germs on participants’ hands by a large margin, outperforming standard hand sanitizer. More info.

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😁."

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!

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+