Anna Kelley, who was 8th in the Youth World Championship last year, has done Euro Trash (8A+) in Little Cottonwood.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I had done the V10 [7C+] (Euro Roof) start back the in fall, but at the time the moves of the V12 [8A+] felt out of reach. With the weather being so nice in Utah, I really wanted a day outside on rock before the world cup season began, so I decided to go back and see how the moves on the 12 felt.

The crimp on the 10 has also broken twice since I last did it, but it honestly didn’t seem to change the difficult that much. I ended up learning the moves on the 12 pretty quickly, and was able to send after a few tries from bottom. I definitely want to come back in the fall for the V13 start!

Phoebe Kenderdine, with two 8b+’ under her harness, has done the first repeat of Venus in Furs (8c) in Fyfe River Gorge.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
It was bolted 14 years ago and got its first ascent at the end of last year. I was the second ascent. It took 5 weekend trips/9 sessions. For 4 of the sessions it was too damp to really try properly! It's a really cool line, 30-45 degrees overhanging and 20-25 meters long, it feels like 4 moonboards on top of each other.

It's the hardest climb I've tried, I wasn't even sure if I'd be able to do all of the moves when I first tried it, but managed to get it in just one hang on my third session which was pretty encouraging. It took the rest of the sessions to find the beta that works for me, which involved some fun heel hooks, kneebars, and very small crimps. It's a really unforgiving climb, if you make a small mistake you'll come off, so in the end, I think it was just finally having a good sequence and doing every move exactly right.

What is your climbing background?
I have been climbing for about 10 years, I started as a competition climber at the start of high school (age 13), competed for about 5 years, then started outdoor climbing and quickly fell in love with outdoor sport climbing, which I’ve been doing for about 4 years now.

I’ve done most of my climbing in Wānaka, where I got my first first ascent (Caffeine, 8b) in 2024. The past couple of years I’ve been exploring more of the crags in New Zealand, like Little Babylon, and I’m excited to go to Ceuse later this year.

Eva Hammelmüller, with seven 9a’s under her belt, has sent Goosfraba (8c+) in Arco. ”The route doesn’t look like much from the ground, but it’s such a great climb! The moves are tricky, technical, and fun. I didn’t use a kneebar in the crux, and to me, it felt more like 8c+. Maybe that’s because of the style, maybe I didn’t have the best beta, or maybe I’m just a bit weak right now, haha. Anyway, I had fun and hopefully improved my power endurance a bit!” (c) Paul Zauner

One week later, the 25year-old sent Tao (8c) in Ötztal. In total, she has now completed 32 routes 8c and beyond the last 12 months. ”Finally. My all time nemesis is done. This route is amazing, the location is incredibly beautiful, but one move in this route was just SO hard for me. And as much I love climbing on granite, sometimes it‘s simply morpho. For this route, it‘s hard if you‘re below 1.70m and if you‘re below 1.60m, I have honestly no idea how it should be done… maybe that‘s why it hasn‘t had a female ascent so far. Haha but enough whining, this route has taught me a lot over the past couple of years, and I‘m quite proud I managed to do it in my first session this season.”

What is next?
The plan is to climb and train around home during the next months to be ready for a big trip in summer!😇 Céüse is pretty high up on the list.

Jana Svecova did the FA of Tokyo Drift (8C) two weeks ago.

Iacopo Perelli Cazzola skips 8c+ and ticks Coup de Grace (9a) in Sonlerto, after projecting it for seven days. ”My first of the grade, and one of the most beautiful pitches I’ve ever seen. The only flaw is that after even a little rain, the pitch tends to seep a lot and takes quite a long time to dry. Unfortunately, a small injury and the almost constantly prohibitive conditions due to wet weather significantly extended the process. The consistently poor conditions, combined with the inexorable approach of summer, made the crux a real psychological test and one of the most challenging climbs of my life. Fortunately, the very physical style suits me well.

Despite the high difficulty of the first problem, the route remains more of an endurance climb, I think—at least for me it was, though perhaps I’m lacking in endurance. In particular, the final moves in the upper section must be done quickly to avoid getting pumped. From the rest to the final hold, the section still feels around a 7c/+ problem, but I could be mistaken. Thanks to my father, Filippo Rossi, Guglielmo Giorgini, Marzio, Viola Novaria, and all the others who couldn’t be here these days, but without whom this ascent wouldn’t have been possible.”

What is your climbing background?
I’m 21 years old. During my teenage years, I competed regularly in the Italian Cup circuit, which gave me a strong technical foundation and a disciplined approach to training.

Around the age of 18, I gradually shifted my focus toward alpinism. For about two years, I dedicated most of my energy to multi-pitch routes, trad climbing, mixed terrain, and ice climbing. That period shaped me significantly as a climber—it strengthened my decision-making, resilience, and composure in serious environments. It also led me to climb some of the “great minor classics” of the Alps, such as the North Face of Piz Badile and the South Ridge of the Aiguille Noire de Peuterey, to name just two that were particularly meaningful to me.

Last year, I gradually returned to sport climbing with a more structured mindset. In less than a full season back on rock, I was able to complete several routes that represented meaningful milestones for me. For me, that progression was less about grades and more about integrating the discipline of competition climbing with the mental strength I developed in the mountains. Right now, I’m focused on continuing along this path and progressing further at the 9a level with a long-term perspective.

Jules Marchaland has sent Ephyra (8C+) in Chironico. The 24-year-old stopped competing in July last year and then in a couple of months he sent six 9a routes and beyond as well as five 8C boulders including one flash. (c) Arthur Delicque

”Unexpected send. 3 days. Just stuck the pinch a few times. Never linked it before. And somehow finished it and made the top-out for the first time. So, so, so, so, so good. Such an amazing moment with friends.

What is next?
Back to routes. Maybe Ratstaman Vibrations (9b) or Biographie (9a+) in Céüse. But no endurance training since Madrid world cup, so getting back in endurance shape chill outside and a Fionnay trip for Permanent midnight low (8C+) and others stuff, good combo.

Michael Piccolruaz, who was 15th in the Tokyo Olympics, has completed Companion of Change (9a+) in Zillertal. This was the first 9a+ for the 30-year-old, not counting the DWS route, Es Pontas (9a+), for the Boulder specialist. (c) Sara Grippo

”Finally! Two years after losing my mind over this route, I managed to keep it together and finish it off! Glad to see I can still improve tactically and maybe also physically ??”

Can you tell us more about the improvements?
I'm not so sure what made me feel better on the route than two years ago. Ever since I stopped comepting last September I haven't followed any training plan, I climb a bit less (in terms of days a week), I try to mostly climb outside, and somehow this proves to work really well. I feel probably im my best shape ever, eventhough I can't really explain why. The best explanation I have is that through climbing on rock more I have more sessions where I try SUPER hard, which improved my max power. Indoors I rarely manage to try so hard, cause I want it less. Outside, I want to reach the top at any cost, and so I try harder, I guess. It just shows me how important spending a lot of time outside is for me!

Jonathan Siegrist, who last year did his seventh 9b, has repeated Omen Nomen (9a) in Arco. ”Felt so so good to try hard again after the last couple weeks nursing a rib injury. I can really see why this route is so popular - it's truly unique and also varied in a cool way. Stoked to climb it! 5 tries.”

What about the rib injury?
A couple weeks ago I took an unexpected sideways fall and the impact strained my intercostal muscles pretty bad. For the first few days I couldn't even hang on a pull up bar! Steep climbing seemed impossible so I started looking for more vertical routes that didn't give me much pain. When I first tried Omen Nomen there was no way I could do the crazy crux toe hook - just too much pain in my ribs, but after 5 more days or so I could do the crux and unlocked the route.

What is next?
We leave Arco in a couple days unfortunately. Hopefully we can come back soon with less injuries! For now I have a bunch of bolting and route developement back at home in Las Vegas.

Makoto Yamauchi, who sent 8C already in 2014, live-streamed his session repeating Nalle Hukkataival’s Burden of Dreams (9A) in Lappnor today.

The 31-year-old took off 48:23 and 20 seconds and 3.5 moves later he managed to get control of the huge swing from the big dyno. This was the second trip to Finland for the Japanese climber, who was very close to completing it on the first trip and who prepared by working on a replica.