Alex Totkova does El Nino Ext. (9a)

Alex Totkova, who sent her first 9a in 2020 at age 15, has completed El Nino Ext. (9a) in Dryanovo Monastery. ”I’m so grateful to have climbed my second 9a! It took me around 8–10 sessions. The route is incredibly beautiful — long, powerful moves, crossing three roofs, and demanding power endurance from start to finish. I might feel a little disappointed for waiting five years to climb in this grade again, but I definitely want much more and I know I have the potential. My coach, Ivaylo Radkov (Fazata), made the first ascent of the ext. nine years ago💪🏼 — the first part was originally climbed by Ivaylo Krastev. Huge thanks to Fazata for believing in me, to my sponsors, and to all the psyched local climbers in Tarnovo! Pps. If someone needs beta soon I will have a video :)”

The Bulgarian has been an active IFSC competition climber since 2019, making the podium in Chamonix in 2021 and winning the World Youth Championship the following year. This year, her best World Cup result was 14th place.

How do you summarize 2025 and what about winter plans?
My comp season was 50/50, next season I want to be 100/100 if you understand me😆😅 My plans for the winter is to do as many hard routes as possible. I will stay mostly in Bulgaria but in November I will go for a week in Ticino for Red Bull camp.