Leo Bøe, who did his first, out of 13, 9a’s last year, has sent Change P1 (9a+) in Flatanger. (c) Adri Martinez

”Double send with Josh and good support from the team! Took me around 5-6 days and done just before the end of the trip. I can’t believe that Change is possible for me! Next year we will try the full line!! The grading is difficult, the boulder either suits you or not. For me it suited well, but still super hard from the start. Low end 9a+ could seem right for me personally.”

Loic Zehani, who earlier in 2024 has sent 15 routes 9a to 9b, has done the FA of Taille Land (9a) in Baume canouille. ”Nice ultra physical route bolted by François. About thirty moves in big overhang and rather homogeneous with two harder sections. I fell about eight times at the top with a very bad and hard méthod, to redpoint directly with a méthod found by my father just before. So a dozen attempts instead of four!”

Marco Sappa, who this summer sent the mixed Sans liberty (8b+) at 3,800 m on Mont Blanc, has completed the third ascent of Tom Randall's La Pura Pura (8c) in Valle dell'Orco. The hybrid route begins with a 15 m 8a traverse, leading into the classic Greenspit (8b). Like the second ascensionist Pete Whittaker, Sappa’s personal grade is hard 8c.

”The first day of trying was the 10 September, I immediately remembered the complex movements of Greenspit. I had to really focus on the boulder traverse and the transition between the boulder and the cave, in which you had to be able to rest a bit and collect the friends needed for the second part.

It took me 7 days of hard work to figure it out and to be able to arrive at the last crux of Greenspit with enough energy to crush it! Pura Pura, it's a crazy endurance test piece, a really Pure line. My journey under that impressive roof is now over☺️! Grateful for how these kinds of climbs and performances keep me motivated, and with passion, effort and determination could fit in my life as a father, husband, alpine guide and Professional Climber.”

Matteo Gambaro, who sent his sixth 9a two years ago at age 47, has completed Trip tik tonik (9a) in Gorges du Loup.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I've been trying it for a while... a few times over the years but never with continuity and without ever understanding much about it. Last spring I spent several days on the route managing to find a good setting for my characteristics and solve the crux section with a hybrid method between the male solution, definetly too physical for me, usually used, and that of women or mutant kids, too compact for me..

I managed to break the line with a rest but at the beginning of the crux section and the goal remained far away. In August a bad back injury and no autumn season but a long period of pain, fatigue and struggle to recover above all the possibility to climb on such overhanging routes and with the use of the controversial kneepads. At the end of August, after having recovered and climbed some routes and considering myself now healed, I decide to try again. After two days on the route to regain the feeling and re-internalize the sections, unexpectedly I manage to improve and for the first time I feel close to the climb. I decide to try it continuously but I realize that at my age and with my current level I have to learn to manage myself and not try too hard... I risk overtraining quickly or worse, breaking down. So I dedicate one day every 4-5 to the route and gnaw at holds until I always fall in the final two moves. Something always happens..too dry, too wet, no wind, too tired... Too poor

The rains are starting to be frequent and the route risks getting wet and goodbye season. Let's try again, let's take it as training. Yesterday everything finally went as I repeated in my mind every evening and every time I went over the route again and was convinced to climb it. At 50 years old in a month the game remains the same, but managing the body and mind is becoming more and more interesting😵‍💫.

Ludo Delmotte has repeated Alban Levier’s La force (8C+) in Fontainebleau. Since the climb consists of approximately 35 moves, both 9a and 8C have been proposed as possible grades. In Fontainebleau, a unique intermediate traverse grade is sometimes used, and this is how it is reported in the news. VL attempts to distinguish traverse gradings by using the term 8Cc+.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
This line is composed of “Act 1” (8A) followed by an upside down rest, then the hardest part “Act 2”(8B) and finished by “Morpheus” (7C).

Four years ago, when I did “Quoi de Neuf” (same beginning but ending up on the right) the left exit (La Force) seemed impossible to me.

Two years ago, I finally started working on “La force” but did not try it in 2023. This year I came back into it. I did 4 sessions of only trying the moves. Then I started “sending session” and I did it at the 2nd try. In total I did Morpheus more than 50 times for training. It tooks me 17 sessions and I fell in the final section (morpheus) 5 times.

For me, it is the most beautiful roof in the world. Right next to where I grew up.

All the climbers who made the podium timed out, but Jessica Pilz reached two, and three, holds higher than Ai Mori and Annie Sanders, respectively. Pilz needed to finish at least second in Seoul to secure the overall title ahead of Janja Garnbret, who had won all three events she participated in during 2024.

“It was quite a long route so I knew I had to be fast. It was kind of part of the game on this route. I really didn’t expect it. I think it’s only my third World Cup gold medal so I’m quite happy, and what an end to the season.”

Last year, Sorato Anraku claimed victory in both Lead and Boulder at the overall World Cup. Three days ago, he secured the Boulder title once again, and today, he triumphed in the Lead event in Seoul, edging out Lee Dohyun on countback from the semifinal. Team Japan dominated, with nine climbers finishing in the Top 12.

”I’m just happy to get a gold medal this year, finally. This competition Toby [Roberts] didn’t compete, so I am happy now, but I have to train more for next year. I want to beat Toby. His concentration is so high.”

Sera Gearhart, who just the last year has sent 18 boulders 8A and beyond, has done Lone Wolf (8A+) in Burnside Lake. In the VL ranking game, the 27-year-old is #2 after Caroline Sinno.

”It’s a link up near Tahoe! I did the 8A when I lived here a few years ago. I’m in town for a day and thought I could do the 12 [8A+] since it’s a power endurance line.”

Elisa Lauretano has completed Black Mamba (8B) in Rifugio Barbara - Lowrie. This was the first 8B for the 24-year-old Italian who earlier in 2024, has sent eight boulders 8A or 8A+.

"I discovered this line last summer, and after fantasizing about it all winter, I started seriously trying it in mid-August. It seemed crazy, but I really wanted to try something at my limit that I could put my heart and soul into. I started taking all my pads to the block so I could try it on my own, at my own pace, and find all my methods. Every day I discovered a new feeling, a new turn of the foot, improved small sections. Meanwhile, the hunger to try it was growing.

On a Saturday with excellent conditions, I found myself for the first time under the block, with my friends who were there to support me. I was still far from feeling that it was possible. I started to try it and to my astonishment, I fell in the last moves. At that moment I realized it was really possible! I was thrilled! Then, after a week of tension and a snowfall to complicate everything, the day arrived. I started to warm up and felt light. The conditions were bad, it was drizzling, but I didn't care: I was going to climb the block!"