Gio Placci, who was #12 in the Briancon World Cup, has repeated Stefano Ghisolfi’s Erebor (9b) in Arco. ”Hardest climb of my life ! The moves and holds are so sick, such a fun climb!” (c) Crimp-Films

Earlier in 2024, the Italian has done three 8C’s and Erbor was actually his first 9a or beyond since 2022.

How come you have focused on boulders during the last two years?
I was injured for nine months in 2023 so after I decided to focus on bouldering just for improve my strength. I’m a rope climber for sure.

Can you tell us more about the Erebor?
After I finished the comp season I wanted to try something hard so I decided to focus on La Rage d'Adam (9b+) and Erebor. La Rage was unlucky wet so I focused on Erebor. The process was about ten days. I feel it is a lot of my style.

What is next and what is the ambition for 2025?
Don't know exactly but probably I'll check Pic Saint Loup. I'm still mainly a competition climber. I want to make a Lead World Cup final.

Annie Sanders, who last year sent her first 8c+, has done Pure Imagination (8c+) in Red River Gorge (KY). The 17-year-old is primarily a competition climber who 2024 participated in seven Boulder and Lead World Cups, with her lowest finish being 7th place. At the final event in Seoul, she claimed victory in Boulder and earned a bronze medal in Lead. (c) Steven Hu

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I tried Pure Imagination 3 years ago, but it was at the end of a long climbing day and I was nowhere near the level that was required to send it. I don’t think I even got past the first crux and lowered down pretty early on the route. Fast forward to this year, I only had 3 days to try and send it. On my first go, I did all the moves with relative ease and was pretty confident that I could send it. On my second go, I messed up a couple foot sequences, but by then I had all the moves pretty much dialled. On my 3rd go, I ended up executing my beta perfectly, resulting in the send! I’m super psyched to have put this one down in one day, and I’m already looking forward to going back for my other project.

What project would that be?
I only had 2 days to try Golden Ticket (8c+). I did all the moves but the dyno, 2 days wasn’t enough, I was pretty tired on day 3. Hopefully, I’ll be able to go back next year.

How was winning your first World Cup?
It felt very special, I put a lot of effort into the training this year and it definitely paid off. And just a lot of fun during all the rounds, something about Korea, I really like competing there!

How does a normal training week look like and how many hours are we talking?
Depends on the season, if I’m training for bouldering or lead comps but during the season the training load is not as high as during the offseason, I usually try to focus on a lot of onsighting and mental preparation. 5 days a week, 4-5 hours, I always take 2 days off before the comp.

What do you like the most about climbing?
I like that it’s never the same moves, boulders, routes, and that I always have something to improve. There are endless possibilities, whether it’s indoors or outdoors.

Laura Rogora has repeated Gabri Moroni’s Trofeo dell'Adriatico (9a+) in Arco. Over the past ten weeks, after securing double gold at the European Championship, the Italian climber has redpointed five routes graded 9a or harder and onsighted an 8c. In doing so, she is about to set a new standard for female climbers. (c) Giulio Diener

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I tried Trofeo dell’Adriatico for the first time two years ago. However, before the crux, there was a section with a very long move. At the time, I might have managed to do the single move, but it felt really tough, especially because it was part of a not-so-extreme section before the harder boulder problem. So, I never went back to it.

Last week, after climbing Bombardino the day before, I returned to Bus della stria and decided to try Trofeo again because it’s such a beautiful line, and I really wanted to climb it. I found a method for the long move that was still hard, but felt more doable. After that move, there was also a knee-bar rest that many climbers use, but I couldn’t reach it, so even resting there was a bit uncomfortable.

I wasn’t sure I’d be able to climb the route quickly, even though I managed to figure out the single moves. But I loved the line so much that I went quite often in the last week. Today, on my fifth day on the route, I managed to send it. Already on Sunday, even though I was a bit tired from climbing on Saturday, I had some good tries that made me realize it was possible. Today, I felt good, but on my first attempt, I made a mistake. On my second try of the day, however, I succeeded in completing the route.

Sebastien Bouin, who previously has done five 9b+’ and one 9c, reports on Instagram that he has completed the FA of Wolf Kingdom (9b+) in Pic St Loup. The french says it is a link-up of a 9a start followed by 9a+ climbing and only the 9a approach he has done 50 times. (c) Sam Bie

”What a wave of emotions to complete this project. It’s one of the routes that has inspired me the most in my climbing career. I am proud and happy to add such a route to the climbing scene and to place Pic Saint-Loup on the worldwide map of climbing.”

”Wolf Kingdom is undoubtedly one of my best additions, one of the most fun, and one of the prettiest. I think it will be one of the most tried 9b+ routes in the future, considering its style of climbing. I think this route is my second hardest achievement.”

Notably, when it comes to redpoints, Seb and Adam Ondra have comparably impressive ticklists.

Sungsu Lee, who has climbed five 8C boulders since stepping away from IFSC competitions last year, has sent First Ley (9a+) in Margalef.

Can you tell us more about the trip and First Ley?
Yo, thanks! It’s my first time in Margalef—just a short one-week trip ✈️. I sent it on my 3rd session, so psyched and pumped! Actually, one week is too short for such a massive area. There are both long endurance routes and short power routes, so I love having the choice to pick between them. I have only tried First ley. Tomorrow I think I am going to try Furia de Jabali (9a+). It is my last climbing day in Spain.

After eight sessions, William Bosi has sent Adam Ondra's Terranova (8C+) starting six moves in. In the The Struggle Climbing there is a debate in between Ondra, who thinks it is 8C+, and Bosi who says it is possibly harder.

Leo Cea, with two 9a’s under his belt, has repeated Chris Sharma’s classical Era Vella (9a)* in Margalef. In the Vertical-Life interview from September the 11-year-old Chilean said that his dream was to try Era Vella and his uncle Javier reports. (c) Cris Posadas @gamantri

”Leo had 11 sessions on EV. Most of them with terrible conditions due to the storm affecting Spain. Only on 3 sessions he was able to try to second half of the route. He never complain about the conditions nor was frustrated. He worked with perseverance, calm mind, and enjoyment on every single go.

Due to his height [141 cm], he had to figure out different ways to solve many of the sections of the route. Even on the send go, he climbed EV figuring out on the moment different ways to climb it because the conditions of the route were not optimal (pretty humid and some holds even with water inside). He had to solve moves on the spot by changing the way that he was climbing it before.@

How long is the trip and what about school?
26 days including travelling time. Leo is a very good student. He enjoys school and work hard, so his teachers thought there will be no problem of him missing some class time. They created a plan with his teachers to minimize the impact of him being away for this long. He is going straight back to school as soon as he is back in Chile.

What was the background for the trip?
Last year, in october, he sent his first 8b+. As a gift for him, René, his dad, gave him the climbing guide of Margalef. Leo knew a little about Margalef at that time, but after he got the guide he started to explore Margaled through the guide and fell in love with some iconic routes (demensia senil, victimas perez, era vella, etc). then his eyes and goals were put on climbing in Margalef. With the help of his coach and other experienced chilean climbers, he choose EV as the main project for his first visit to Margalef. At his house you can see many drawings of Margalef routes made by Leo hanging on the walls. This was really a dream for him that came true.

* It should be noted that we have previously reported Era Vella as an 8c+/9a but due to a break it is now considered 9a.

Loic Zehani, who earlier in 2024 has sent 16 routes 9a to 9b, has done the FA of Rio négro (9a) in Chateauneuf les Martigues. This was the 42nd FA 9a and beyond by the 22-year-old.

”Fingery and physical climbing at the beginning with a hard bouldery section ( more or less 8A FB ) in a nice slighty overhang . Then after a good rest , a nice wall with fingery climb. Old project bolted for about 25 years. Very nice route I recommended.”

Sera Gearhart, the #2 in the VL ranking game, has sent Blackout (8B) in Joe's Valley (UT). ”Fell too many times trying to cross under to the jug before getting smart, crimp card retained. Conditions matter”(c) John Oungst
Can you tell us more about the ascent and the number of sessions needed?
I tried Blackout in the spring hoping I could do it in warm conditions before the end of the season. The crimps are really sharp so coming back in the fall it felt like a different boulder. Much easier in the cold! Overall took me a few sessions between both seasons.

Nicolai Užnik, who was #5 in the World Championship last year, has flashed American Gangster (8B+) in Zillertal and repeated Aidan Roberts Unison (8C) in Brione. ”2nd ascent of this absolute kingline! Got super close to doing it yesterday already in my first session but luckily did it today in just a few attempts!” (c) Kim Marschner

Can you tell us more about the flash?
American Gangster was high up on my list for a while since got really close on flashing Anam Cara (8B+) this summer. I was psyched to try flashing this grade again and so I just went for it. Quite surprised it actually worked out on the flash since it‘s quite low percentage!

What are your winter plans and what about comps in 2025?
This winter I’ll definitely try to be outside as much as possible and probably put my focus especially on Alphane (9A). Then slowly switch back a bit more to comps and do the whole season next year again most likely!