Nicolas Cioffi has done the FA of Trap House (9a) in Bismantova. The route starts with an 8A+ boulder and a 7B+ link into an 8a+ route.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
An idea to try this route appeared in my mind 2 years ago, after sending the first part, 8A+ boulder itself. Anyway, I didn’t focus on the whole line because I used to think that it was too difficult.

In the late spring 2024, after a winter of consistent training, I went back to the route. During the first session I sent the first boulder again and it gave me the confidence to focus on the project. After 3/4 session I figured out the middle 7B+ boulder and I made some good links, I started to try the route from the ground. In few sessions I found myself fallling during the last hard move of the second boulder. On the send day thanks also to a psyched crew, very good shape and pretty good conditions everything went perfectly and I found myself clipping the anchor. In total I spent on the route around 12 session.

How come it has been almost a year since you sent any harder routes or boulders.
I had a surgery on last October, cause I broke my bicep during a training. After this I just focused on back in shape and trained a lot till march. I went back to rock and I sent fast an 8b+ and 8c. 2 session each one.

Arisa Hayashi got the third gold for Japan in the Youth World Championship, winning the U16 girls category. Arisa won on countback from the qualification and, notably, four girls topped the final route. "I’m very, very happy. I like Lead and I have trained a lot of Lead for this event. I knew I had to top to win, and I felt a little bit nervous, but I wanted to win and get a medal and so I just had to do my best."

Among the boys, Chanjin Jung from South Korea got the gold having won all three rounds. "I didn’t expect first, but I expected a podium, so I’m really happy and I can’t wait for the next competition. This really gives me confidence for the Boulder competition now." Interesting is that Korea and Japan continue to dominate getting all Top-5 positions among the boys. Complete results © Richard Aspland/IFSC

Check out Jonathan Siegrist's latest film, PASSION. A core climbing film focused on the tension, commitment and emotions surrounding relentless travel and climbing at your limit. The film features send footage from more than 10 different routes up to 9b across 3 countries!

Slovenia claimed two gold medals in the oldest girls' categories, while Japan secured both golds among the boys. The standout performer was Jennifer Eucharia Buckley, who climbed the highest on all four routes. "I feel good. I’m really happy. I came here with a goal, and it was to win. I’m proud I managed the pressure, especially knowing I had the potential to win. I trained smart, I trained hard, and it all came together as I hoped."

Kurashita Manato was tied #1 in both the qualification and semifinal rounds before winning the final. Notably, in the Youth A category, all Top 5 finishers were from Asia. Complete results © Richard Aspland/IFSC

Rosa Rekar: “I’m super happy. I didn’t expect it at all. I trained super hard for it, so everything paid off. I’m also really happy about my climbing that I was able to stay focussed even though I was a little bit nervous. I gave it my all and I’m happy.”

Sugimoto Yusuke: “It’s unbelievable. My goal in this competition was to get a medal, and I’m really happy it was the gold. I can’t really find the words, I’m just really happy.”

Diego Cameroni, younger brother to Giuliano, has been three weeks in Rocklands where he managed to flash Hipster Whale (8B) and Moon shadow (8B). In total, the 22-year-old who had 8A as his flash personal best prior to Rocklands, flashed six boulders 8A and beyond.

Can you tell us more about your trip and how you were able to raise your flash game?
For the first Rocklands trip my idea was to try many different good boulder problems in the font 8 grade, not focusing on projecting something very hard that can take multiple sessions with the possibility of a failure.

After one week of our 3 weeks trip I got sick and could not climb hard for 5 days. However, it turned out that this had one positive aspect: after recovery my skin was really good! In the last part of our stay I was able to do the hardest ascents of the trip, many of them in my flash attempt.

The flash game has never been a central part of my climbing. The reason is that over the last years my climbing days were mostly based on discovering and projecting problems as well as developing new sectors: I like those things a lot.

Visiting a new place was of course something special and gave me the possibility to give a proper flash attempt to almost every boulder I wanted to try. This by collecting informations from the ground such as: video betas, touching holds, finding what I feel it is the right spot to grab holds and footholds. This way I felt able to try hard on the first attempt as if I already knew the boulder! Luckily many first attempts have been the good one.

Solveig Korherr, with 34 routes 8c to 9a under her belt, has completed One Piece (8c) in Frankenjura. (c) Stephan Vogt

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I didn’t go to the Frankenjura with a specific goal, nor did I think I would try something hard in summer conditions. I mainly came here to have a good time with friends. This send came as a bit of a surprise to me.

Since I’ve been trying to take it a bit easier before coming here, dealing with some shoulder pain, I also wanted to relieve some of the pressure I sometimes put on myself. I couldn’t really tell in what shape I was at the moment. With the heat, I was already struggling on 7c+‘s, so that wasn’t a good indicator of my current shape either.

„One piece“ was recommended to me, and I thought I’d check it out, perhaps for a future trip. Actually, I didn’t feel very good the two days I checked it out, and a send felt far away. On the third day, we were lucky to have some cooler and drier conditions, which definitely was a game changer. After a promising second attempt and adjusting my beta, I could send it on the third try.

Over 1,000 users took part in Vertical-Life’s Paris Prediction Game. The top predictions were made by Marina Bretos Ezcurra and Flynn Grimstone, both accurately guessing 6 out of 10 podium places and correctly answering some of the quiz questions, each scoring 1,000 points out of a possible 1,500. Prizes have been raffled, and the lucky winners have already been contacted. A big thank you to our sponsors for their generous contributions.

Alex Megos reports on Instagram that after a disappointing performance at the Olympics, he traveled to Flatanger and in just five sessions he was able to complete Adam Ondra's Change (9b+). "I used one kneepad on my right knee, which does make the crux of the first pitch a little easier than the original beta from @adam.ondra. The top doesn't change too much with a kneepad, when you have really bad kneebar skills like mine. The rests feel more comfortable though."

The German has previously done the FAs of Perfecto Mundo (9b+) and Bibliographie (9b+), besides being the first to onsight 9a, Estado Critico in 2012.

Great to see that all the hard Olympic training paid off. How was the process and how long time took the ascent?
I was definitely in good shape after the training for the Olympics. I could feel that. Unfortunately I couldn't show it at the comp...

The process was simple. We arrived to Norway on Thursday and on the afternoon I did Purgatory (9a) in Hell. On Friday and Saturday I started working on Change. Sunday we went bouldering and I flashed an 8A and did an 8A+. Monday and Tuesday I worked on Change again. Wednesday was rest day and Thursday was sending day.

The ascent took something between 45min and one hour and I was super nervous all the way up. I hadn't done either of the parts separately, so I wasn't super confident in all sections yet. I think I'll have a look at some more routes in the cave. A lot has changed since I was here 9 years ago.

From 29 August to 1 September, Serra San Quirico, in the Marche region of Italy, will host the 10th edition of the Frasassi Climbing Festival, an international event dedicated to climbing and outdoor activities in one of the most evocative environments in Italy: the Gola della Rossa e di Frasassi Regional Natural Park.

Every year, the Frasassi Climbing Festival (FCF) appeals to more and more climbers and mountain enthusiasts of all ages and nationalities for an unparalleled experience. The focus of the event is obviously on sport climbing with various activities planned for all levels, including the Street Boulder Contest, inside the splendid medieval village of Serra San Quirico, the Frasassi Challenge, a prize-winning climbing marathon on 8 selected crags in the Park, and the FCF Lab, dedicated to all those who want to acquire more climbing skills and safety. But that's not all: calisthenics, slackline, yoga and acroyoga workshops will allow participants to work on flexibility, balance and performance, which are fundamental for climbing. Moreover, in collaboration with the Park Guides and the CAI of Jesi, trekking, mountain bike excursions and speleological visits will be organised to discover the Gola della Rossa and Frasassi territory. Among the novelties 2024 the Biodiverse Experience, organised with 3Bee, will lead you to discover the biodiversity of the Park's flora.

Several evening events will enrich the festival: Frasassi Talk with Elias Iagnemma, La Sportiva athlete and first Italian to climb Burden of Dreams, the first 9a boulder in the world; Zofia Reych, author of ‘Born to Climb: From Rock Climbing Pioneers to Olympic Athletes’ and founder of the Womens' Bouldering Festival in Fontainebleau; Samuele Mazzolini and Francesco Piacenza who will present “Dolomiti King Line”, a Versante Sud guidebook dedicated to high-level trad and sport routes in the Dolomites. Furthermore, in collaboration with Reel Rock and Reel Rock Italia, there will be a film screening of the film ‘Resistance Climbing’, a testimony of how climbing can bring meaning to those living in war and occupation, such as the inhabitants of the West Bank in Palestine. For the occasion, the FCF made a donation to UNICEF Italy, which works in Palestine to support children victims of war, and opened a fundraising campaign during the days of the festival.

Finally, the DJ Set will close each day in beauty: Miryam Magnoni, Dejandj and a.j.over with Climbing Radio will take turns to make us dance and have fun until late at night! Are climbing and the outdoors your passion? The Frasassi Climbing Festival is waiting for you! For all info on the programme, where to stay and how to reach us: www.frasassiclimbingfestival.it

Ainhize Belar Barrutia, who was #4 in her last Euro Youth Cup, has onsighted Txirrin txirran (8b+) and redpointed Bongo X in Egino, La Leze. The 18-year-old, who onsighted her first 8a at age 14, is #2 in the female ranking game.

Can you tell us more about those two ascents?
Well, I chained Bongo X and the truth is that I was not sure what to do. I looked at ‘txirrin txirran’ which looked like an amazing line and decided to try it. The idea was to look at it a bit to try to do it the next day, but as there is only one attempt onsight, I went with everything. I felt very good climbing and was very focused on task goals (without giving importance to the result), so little by little I managed to clip the chain on this 8b+.