Iris Bielli, who did her first 8c last year, has ticked C'era una volta in America (8c) in Cornalba. (c) Nabil Rossi

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
C’era una volta in America is a historic route characterized by technical and fingery climbing alternating with more powerful sections that require some dynamic moves. Over the winter I decided to give it a try even though I was mainly focused on university studies and training. I had a good impression from the first attempt, but over the five days I tried, I struggled to maintain the concentration needed to complete it.

In the last two weeks I was finally able to take a break and return to rock climbing with a better mindset. Last Sunday in fact, I managed to climb Anarchia in 3 attempts; it’s an 8b+/c on a leaning slab that perfectly suits my climbing style. Then, this Sunday, I returned to Cornalba with the right determination. After one go to review the moves, I closed the route. I'm happy with this achievement as it represents a small step out of my comfort zone.

Stefano Ghisolfi, who three weeks ago sent The full journey (9b) in Margalef, has repeated Chris Sharma’s Sleeping Lion (9b) in Siurana. In total the Italian has done 14 routes 9b and beyond. His goal is to send two more 9b’s in different crags during this trip. (c) Sara Grippo

How was the process taking it down?
I tried it the first time in November 2023 at the Siurana climbing festival. Them I came back this year and I started trying it again at the same time as The Full Journey. I did a total of 11 days on it, I fell 3 times at the top crux.

Which crags and 9b routes are coming up next?
Santa Linya for Neanderthal first, then Oliana for Fight or Flight.

Le Bombé Bleu is a legendary project in Buoux bolted by Marc Le Menestrel in 1991. Many of the best climbers in the world have tried it, and possibly Nico Pelorson has gotten the closest after projecting it for four sessions where he finally tried it without shoes.

It starts with an 8-meter 7a intro until you reach a big balcony. From there, a couple of moves on jugs followed directly by the crux.

Have you done all moves and possibly the route with one hang?
Yes, I did the route from the 2nd move three times. One time I did the first move but I did it with the lower quickdraw in my right hand, not the hold (;

Can you describe the crux move?
The crux is a cup and ball movement. You have to jump with your feet from a ledge and your left hand in a small mono that is just the size of two fingers and the right in an undercling. If you get your fingers well in the next two finger pocket it is not very hard to hold the swing. But 99 times out of 100 you aim a little to the side.

Do you plan to continue the project?
I would like to, but I need to find someone motivated also to try it for at least three months. The route is in a somewhat isolated area. There are not many other routes nearby. It is not easy to find belayers.

Alex Megos has flashed Ben Moon’s Agincourt (8c) and La chiquette du Graal (8b+) during a six days climbing trip to Buoux, where he also tried a famous 9? project.

Can you tell us more about the preperation and the running beta for the flashes?
I just got a tiny bit of beta while I was climbing. I mostly watched my friend Felix [Neumärker] on it twice and had him explain the holds to me. We also watched the video from Seb Bouin.

What is the story of the picture?
It's some street art on a ruin (destroyed house) just before the parking of the area. Someone thought it would be cool to have some climbing graffiti. It's Patrick Edlinger*.

What about the Bombé Bleu famous project?
After a couple of days on the route it didn't feel possible yet. You need a very strong big toe 😂. Bombe Bleau is really hard and very very specific. The first jump is very very hard, but for sure possible. It will be very tricky to actually stick the move from the ground. And then you still have the rest of the route after that.

Did you manage to do all other hard moves?
Not even close actually. After the first jump there are still a lot of hard moves. Nico Pelorson does the sequences without shoes to be able to use his big toe in the pockets. I also tried that but I had absolutely no chance without shoes. The problem is, also with shoes I had no chances of doing the moves. It felt hard, awkward and one pocket is quite small.

* Patrick Edlinger (1960–2012) was a French rock climber and one of the pioneers of free solo climbing. He gained fame in the 1980s for his bold ascents without ropes, and sending several 8c’s during the 80’ies, including the second ascent of Agincourt. Known for his grace, strength, and mental focus, Edlinger helped popularize sport climbing through films like La Vie au Bout des Doigts (1982) and Opéra Vertical (1983). His influence on modern climbing was immense, inspiring generations of climbers with his philosophy of movement and dedication to the sport.

Jorge Diaz-Rullo finished his trip to Flatanger last summer, where he sent two 9b+', by ticking Illusionist (9a).

Martina Demmel, who last week first did two 8c+’ in Santa Linya , has completed another two last weekend.

Open your mind (8c+): ”The curiosity was back to go "A muerte" in these athletic moves! Prime cold condis brought the friction on another level. The "nothing to loose" mindset on the wall let me commit enough, especially for its 3 big moves. After already surprising myself in my 2nd try, I remembered all my footholds what let me flow to the chains the next try including a little power-scream!!”

La Fabela (8c+): ”Several out of my comfort-zone moves and plenty of possible solutions for all hard sections... I've been 1-hanging it from the first day on, but kept on falling in the upper crux (6 times around the pinch)... finally my body was just executing the choreographie! Completing this classic makes me really proud:)) (what's a rare thing for me to say)!”

How can you best explain your super shape?
While I was in police school in fall & winter, I had about 3,5 months of only training inside, mainly for the lead comps. The weeks before coming here, I already felt like I could fight longer in lead routes but also my max strength improved, so I was glad that it reflected also in how I was feeling in the cave. It took about 10 days to adapt to the athletic style because my body felt really destroyed after the first days only climbing in steep terrain. To not force any send too much was another challenge on its own. Accepting to walk away without finishing my proj's brought me the necessary confidence and joy on the wall to start the send-train;)!

Pepa Šindel, who did his first 9a at age 15, has done Capricorn (8c+) and Nid De Fadas (9a) in Leonidio.

Can you tell us more about the trip?
I flew to Leonidio with my brother Venca for a week and my main goal was Capricorn. However, I managed to send it on the first day on the third attempt. I felt quite strong so I started looking for something harder. I was recommended the route Nid de Fadas in the Nifada sector. Right after the first go, I started to get obsessed with it as how nice it was. The beginning is very overhanging with long moves on on good holds and pockets, then there is a kneebar in which you can't rest too much, but you can concentrate on the following CRUX, which is surprisingly a Frankenjura style boulder on one and two finger pockets. In the middle of the boulder, there is a bad clipping and a risk of a groundfall, so I had to extend the quickdraw twice. The second half of the boulder are long pumpy moves on small crimps. After that comes a nohand kneebar rest and an overhanging finnish on nice jugs. You just have to watch out that you dont get pumped too much. The last disturbing part were the last two meters where the holds were wet. According to my information, this is the second repetition.

Alex Johnson, with six 8B’s under her belt, has sent After Hours (8B) in Huntington Canyon and here is the video. ”Resilience, climbing and life. Split 3 tips and sent with tape which is crazy. Solo session with my sun :)”

. Between 2008 and 2010, the 35-year-old won two World Cups and secured second place twice.

Can you tell us more about doing your first 8B in 2.5 years?
I have really fought my way back these last 18 months. Life throws curveballs and you just keep trying to be and do the best you can. Climbing has had to take the backseat many times this past year during some traumatic life events, and my fitness has been very up and down. But it all cumulated with this boulder.

After Hours was the first climb I tried after knee surgery 18 months ago and it felt impossible. Pepper in those curveballs, and sending this boulder really feels full circle. Like closing a chapter bigger than climbing. Here’s to continuing to try to be and do the best I can.

At the beginning of February, Stefan Hochbaum made the first ascent of Obsidian (8C+) in Scharfenstein, a boulder known as the "King Kong Project" for 17 years. He spent three years working on it, requiring over 55 sessions to complete the climb.

The problem can be broken down into two sections: a difficult 8A+ start that leads directly into an 8B+ boulder with no rest in between. This combination made it incredibly challenging to send. The entire climb consists of 12 moves, with the crux in the final three.

Obsidian demands extreme power endurance, body tension, and finger strength—three key areas Stefan focused on in his training, with board training and fingerboarding playing a crucial role. During his first year on the project, conditions were relatively good, but the last two years were tough, making consistent attempts nearly impossible. This inconsistency added to the challenge, both physically and mentally. Yet, the project remained on his mind, and he was determined to complete it. In the end, it was the hardest climb he had ever attempted and the biggest mental battle he had faced.

Eva Hammelmüller continues her strike in Oliana by redpointing Joe-cita (9a) and onsighting Humildes pa Casa (8b+). ”Felt a bit lost in space while kneebar kneebar kneebar tufa tufa tufa :D Unique route with a spicy slab at the end - definitely felt the pressure up there!” (c) Felix Mast

The 24-year-old Austrian has during the last two weeks also redpointed seven routes 8b+ to 9a and flashed four routes 8a+ or harder. Only these ascents would have put her as #2 in the VL annual ranking game.

Can you tell us more about the amazing finish of your trip?
On the last two days of our climbing trip, I onsighted my first 8b+ and climbed another 9a, which still feels surreal. ‘Humildes pa Casa’ is very long with a tricky part at the very top. I didn‘t climb well at the beginning of this route, overcrimped every hold and didn‘t find my flow at all. However, I managed to calm down at the rest before the long, unique tufas. The upper part felt more solid, and I am really happy with how I dealt with the little crux on top!!

‘Joe-cita’ is a combination of ‘La Morenita’ and ‘Joe Blau’ which requires doing the crux of ‘La Morenita’ after climbing through the hard part of ‘Joe Blau’. I didn’t really expect to send it, but I liked the challenge of trying to link so many hard moves. The sun was shining relentlessly on our last climbing day, so I had to wait until 5 p.m. to do an attempt (in which my climbing felt terrible, and I fell in the crux of Joe Blau😅).

I decided to give it one last try, climbed not perfectly but well enough through the first part, arrived pretty tired at the last crux - and somehow managed to stick the hard shoulder move! Clipping the chain, I still couldn’t believe it. This trip has simply been perferct.