Jules Marchaland flashes Power of Now direct (8C)

Jules Marchaland has flashed Power of Now direct (8C) in Magic Wood, becoming only the second climber after Yannick Flohé to achieve this milestone. The 24-year-old, with ten boulders 8B+ or harder under his belt, eight of them in the past two weeks, has also onsighted two long 8b+ routes and redpointed a 9a during the same period. In total, the successful competition climber has completed more than 20 routes in the 9a to 9b range.

”When I came here, I felt this boulder was made for me. From the start, I had it in my sights, almost like an obsession. After long weeks of waiting for the right conditions, I finally decided to go for the flash. It was intimidating to prepare; no second chance, I had to give everything. I climbed exactly as I wanted to — every move was precise, in a perfect state of flow. When I topped out, I got that unique shiver! I still can’t fully believe it.”

The first ascentionist, Simon Lorenzi, comments; ”It was truly incredible to experience this with my friend and to support him in such a performance. I know him well, I’ve climbed a lot with him, so I wasn’t surprised. I estimated his chances at 70–80%. This is already a world-class achievement, and yet, I know he’s capable of even more.

This achievement carries even greater significance as it is part of a shared adventure: close friends Jules Marchaland and Simon Lorenzi have spent the past several weeks exploring Switzerland’s legendary boulders side by side. Their companionship, built on motivation and mutual support, embodies the essence of the climbing community, where friendship and the exchange of knowledge are key to pushing the boundaries of performance.