Buster Martin, who this spring sent two 9a+’, has completed Supercrackinette (9a+) in Saint Léger. Alex Megos did the FA in 2016 and two years later, Adam Ondra flashed the popular line. (c) William Barselo

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
The route suited me well, but the biggest challenge was finding good conditions—it needs that sweet spot where it’s cold enough for the crimps but not so cold that you numb out. After falling a few times on the final move, I finally got a perfect weather window, and everything just came together.

This ascent was a reminder of how much patience and solid tactics matter when projecting. I’ve also been super inspired by friends and clients lately, which has brought a fresh energy to my climbing.

It’s been amazing to tick this iconic route, especially one that Adam Ondra famously flashed—it’s cool to share a connection with such a legendary climb. I’ve made more sacrifice in my life over the last year or so and it’s really paid off.

What kind of sacrifice are we talking about?
I’ve mostly been more focused on my climbing! I’ve done little other than train, project and climb this year. A lot of what it takes to climb hard sports routes is patience and putting the time in at the crag, waiting for conditions, finding partners, being away from home for long periods of time.

Jonathan Siegrist, with 83 routes 9a and beyond under his belt, has repeated Tre Mou Polacche (9a) in Arco. ”Opening boulder and then crazy resistant style with nowhere to hide for like 30 moves straight! Very unique route and rock - awesome vision Gabri [Moroni].” (c) Fallon Rowe

What made you return to Europe and what are your winter plans?
Actually we never left 😆. Well that's not true I went to North America for 8 days in the middle of November for a team trip. Bascially after we left Ceuse we came to Italy - to Arco. I have always wanted to check this place out and I am so psyched I finally did! I've had a really hard time with the cold recently (I have very dry skin and I suffer to find good friction in the cold), but at a minimum it has been awesome to finally see a bunch of areas in Arco and I can't wait to come back next year. For now I badly need some mental and physical rest.. and some time at home / training time as I have been traveling since June.

This winter I am so psyched to get some mental and physical rest. I have a few injuries I am recovering from that I need to address and I want to feel refreshed mentally to get after some goals in '25. I'll start the heavy training sometime in January and then I will be back in Europe in March.

What are the differencies doing 9a’s at 39 compared to at 25?
Haha. Yeah it is for sure different. I actually feel stronger and better than when I was 25, and like I can still improve! The big difference is that I need more rest now, and I have to be attentive to any issues that come up in my body to prevent injury. I also have more responsibility now so climbing is not always top priority. The important lesson I have finally learned over the last 2 years is that I need to have more frequent periods of intentional training and intentional rest throughout my year. Training is hard on the body but so easy on the mind and so predictable. Outside projects are a bit easier on the body but can be very hard emotionally and painfully unpredictable with weather, etc. It's all a balance! I have big ambitions still in my climbing and if I want to continue to improve, I really have to pay attention and be open to learning and adaptation.

Sean Bailey reports on Instagram that he has sent Alphane (9A) in Chironico. This was the fifth repeat of Shawn Raboutou’s FA after Aidan Roberts, Will Bosi, Simon Lorenzi and Jakob Schubert. This ascent marks the culmination of another impressive year of high-level achievements for the American. Just during the last six weeks, Bailey made the FA of Shaolin (9A) and repeated Ryuichi Murai's Floatin' (8C+).

The 28-year-old has been an active IFSC competition climber for over ten years. In 2021, he won one Boulder WC and two Lead WCs as well as sending Bibliographie (9b+). He stopped competing last year after narrowly not making it to Paris.

Seb Bouin made the FA of DNA (9c) in 2022 after spending close to 200 days on it. "It's the most challenging project I've ever done. It's the hardest route I've ever tried and climbed in my climbing career. This route marks a milestone in my climbing life."

Jun Shibanuma has, in the same session, sent Amaterasu (8C), Phenomena (8B+) and Dakine (8B+) in Hinokage. Previously in 2024, Jun has done five 8C's and interestingly, the 34-year-old Japanese did not start climbing until he joined the University.

Can you tell us more about that amazing day?
AMATERASU is located in Mt.Hiei which is one of the most beautiful Boulder in Japan, maybe in the world, too. It has 14 move from start to the lip in my beta. The middle section is so crimpy and last section is powerful and technical with pinch and heel hook. Besides the rock is granite so crimp is so sharp. It’s really hard to link it, I fell many times at last crux.

The condition was perfect in the day (little bit cold). I warmed up a lot than usual. My body moved well and I could hold the last crux stably. But my finger grew numb with cold, I was about to fall to catch the lip. That was hard struggle.

Fortunately I sent it first go, so I decided to move other projects soon. I already solved sequence of “DAKINE” and “Phenomena “. DAKINE is also needed technically hook and physical strength, it was also hard for me. On the other hand, phenomena is my favorite style, the crux hold is a pinch. I had enough confidence to send it.

It was a amazing day, I had a lot of luck and my friends inspired me a lot.

How many sessions were needed for Amaterasu?
It took 3 years and I stopped to count sessions because sometimes I tried only 2-3hours before work or too bad conditions.

What are your winter plans?
Not decided yet 💦 Amaterasu was my goal of this winter. But there are a lot of good boulders around the Hiei and Hinokage. I will try them. And end of winter, I want to check Floatin (8C+).

Alex Johnson, with 22 boulders 8A+ to 8B+ under her belt, has completed Columbian Bowtie (8A+) in Castle Rocks (ID). ”So good, haven’t had this much fun on a boulder in forever. biggg kitty tracks, dead truck key close call, and lucky slice pizza.” (c) Sera Gerhart

Can you elaborate a bit more on that epic comment?
This climb is so fun! I went with Sera Gearhart, and on the hike down we saw fresh mountain lion tracks which is always scary. When we got back to the parking, my electric truck key battery had died so my truck wouldn’t start and we thought we were stranded hours from the nearest city with no phone service! I took the key apart and put it back together multiple times and one time we got lucky and it worked. My truck turned on! I think we were more excited about that than the send. We celebrated by getting Lucky Slice Pizza. 🍕🍕

Colin Duffy has, in one solo session, repeated Daniel Woods' Deathstar (8C) in Eldora. ”This thing is rad, the bottom sequence makes the stand start moves wayyy spicier. On the send go, I lost my feet while sticking the final slot, but I was able to hold it one handed! Not the cleanest send but got the job done. 3rd 8C in 9 days, let's keep the momentum rolling...”

Amandine Loury, who earlier in 2024 did her second 8c+, has done L'étrave (8c) in Saint Léger and Rest in Beast (8b+) in Buoux. In the VL ranking game, the 34-year-old is #4.

Can you tell us more about the 8c?
L’étrave is a very beautiful and various line in Praniania sector. It’s the direct start of La Trav vers l’étrave 8b+ that I send in 2020. The start of L'étrave is very powerfull with long moves and hooks. Just after there is a beautiful pumpy section before a good rest and to finish there is a hard and mental section with crimp on a vertical wall. So I was happy to not fall in this last part, because I was not sure to send again the start.

Michaela Kiersch is the first woman to have reached both 8C and 9a+. At age 15, she was #22 in her Boulder World Cup debut in 2010 and the next year she was #18 in a Lead World Cup. Her competition career did not take off and instead, she focused on outdoors and University studies. The Doctor in Hand Therapy has completed 17 boulders graded 8B or harder and along with 17 routes rated 8c+ and beyond, no other female can match her outdoor ticklist. Remarkably, nearly all of the 29-year-old’s toughest ascents have come in just the past 2.5 years. Here she shares her great story. (c) Jan Novak

"I first started climbing at the turn of the century — a time I look back on as a golden era in climbing. My local gyms had torn up rubber on the floors, boulders and routes were marked with all colors of tape (and there was a giant resident tape ball next to every hand me down couch), and RJD2 was playing on someone's iPod shuffle (they probably got the album off limewire). Posters of my climbing heroes hung on every wall and I fervently flipped though the pages of all the classic climbing mags at the gym. Right at this time, 2000, Fred Nicole established Dreamtime as the world’s first V15. Shortly after, in 2001, Chris Sharma achieved the first ascent of Biographie, instituting the world’s first 5.15.

V15 [8C] and 5.15 [9a+] became a little Mich’s gold standard in climbing — the absolute limit and something only giants are capable of. One thing did stick though, I was determined to find my own limit (at the time, it was toproping an overhang which my dad bribed me to send with a blue gatorade). But I was set down a path of seeing how high I could go.

My path in climbing has been my own and that is something I am immensely proud of. It is still surreal to have found myself standing among those same giants as the first woman to have climbed both V15 & 5.15. So what’s next? I’m still chasing my limits and catching stars along the way. I haven’t exactly decided where my next ambitions are (sport?? boulder?? Pls cast your votes) but I’m due for some time at home to celebrate my 30th birthday, the holidays, and my sister who is graduating with her nursing degree. The only thing I have left to say here is thank you. I am eternally and inexplicably grateful to those who showed me how big I can dream and those who supported me along the way."

Olivia Ma, who last month got the silver in the Pan American Lead Championship, has done Lethal Design (8A+) in Gateway Canyon.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
As far as boulders go, this one’s pretty up my alley— I’m more of a sport climber, so it was nice to put my power endurance to use. The tricky part for me was managing my skin and energy, since I had a short trip and it’s a long climb. It took me most of my first session to tinker through my beta, so my tank was running low by the time I started giving goes. I was psyched to send it first ground go the next day. It felt really nice to finish up Lethal, it has some movement I’ll keep with me for a while. And it’s my first of the grade!

What is your climbing background?
I grew up mainly as an indoor comp kid in New Jersey, but I’ve been lucky to have gotten some good time outdoors, especially in my early teens (thanks mom). It’s been busier for me since I started competing in multiple circuits, especially when I started applying to and attending college. But now that I’ve graduated from youth I think I’ll have more choosing room. I’m excited for that!