Max Milne, who started the World Cup season by beeing #9 & #8 in Lead and Boulder, has flashed Bewilderness (8B+) in Peak District. In total, only a dozen climbers have previously flashed 8B+ including Will Bosi who was at the scene giving him the beta as well as cleaning the holds on the top.

“It was quite surreal. I obviously knew i could do it but i'm really chuffed and it was cool that I had to fight. On this one [Bewilderness], a lot of the moves felt fairly at my limit so I had to lock in to get it done. I am proud to have said I was going to do it and then back up what I said with my actions.

I have looked up to Will for many years and we know each other fairly well but for me it is always super special to climb with him as it’s not that often we do get to train or climb on rock together. I have looked up to him for many years ever since I was a kid and I still do now too. So it was quite magical to have him there and help me through the whole process of flashing Bewilderness from the beta, spotting, encouragement and the good vibes. For me one of the best parts of flashing a bloc isn’t just the challenge itself but is the fact that it’s not just you”.

Max warmed up climbing on Badger Badger Badger (8A) which was a perfect warm-up for him as moves are very comp-style with a bit of spice at the top to jump to the good hold and then as me, Will and photographer Jake were grabbing photos elsewhere Max slowly got himself into the headspace for the flash.

The 'lock in' scribbled on his hiangles is a cool story. It is a meme online but Max jokingly put it on his shoes as a nudge to focus and now it is a key part of his routine for comps and he brought it to the flash attempt at Badger.

Janja Garnbret talks about her climbing background, being a women competing and her mindset going in to Paris, in three different videos.

Alexander Feichter has done the FA of The Darkness (9a) in Drittlsond, which is an easier variation of The Lord of Darkness (9b) he did in 2022, but which has not been reported. "Crazy powerful Line! Starting with a really nice crack continuing with the big roof of the Witch!"

What is interesting is that Alexander often projects his routes rope solo and actually often also sends them in this style. "I'm doing it because it makes fun and I really like climbing when my head says let's go. If not every time someone has time to belay you can climb and be safe. Also in the mountains, it is useful if some crux sections are and you need to belay if you are alone. Maybe well known by alpinists. Most of the time I get belayed by others. On big projects sometimes you are alone."

What kind of rope solo system do you use?
You make a fixed point in the other end of the rope and fix it in the first bolt in the bottom. Then you make 2-3 fixed knots in karabiners which you wear on a climbing harness and hang them in the boltes. The distances you have to calculate before or testing it. You can combine it with the Grigri, for the upper part, you can really quickly climb. Demonstrating Vimeo video.

Paige Claassen, with five 9a’s under her belt, has done Black Shadow (8A+) and Mooiste Meisie (8B) in Rocklands. "Choses the straight up original beta - suits me better and makes for a better climb imo. Crux move is maybe coolest move I've ever done. Stellar piece of rock, so much tension required for every single move."

Can you tell us more about your trip and the ascents?
I started the trip with no real vision and a bit lost in what I wanted to project. These are both Rocklands classics and seemed like reasonable choices on a trip with loads of rain and a toddler. In previous years, I had made half hearted efforts at pulling onto Mooiste when passing by. This year, we ended up there again on the way to Olifants Dawn and I figured I’d actually give it a go. All the moves felt reasonable, so I committed a few days worth of efforts. Each day I had a different crux - one day I couldn’t do the early toe release, one day I couldn’t do the middle move to the ear, it changed each day. Once I got close on day 3, things got a bit too serious with timing my rest between attempts. On day 5 I came back after a week of rest and aimed for a more chill atmosphere, with some bantering. That was the ticket, and it came together quickly that day.

Black Shadow is easy to access, so my daughter could join for those sessions and play in the sand. Again, the moves all felt reasonable, I just needed to link them together. I fell off the top a few times before refining beta to a less powerful method.

The sends felt satisfying, as I didn’t feel in the best condition this year due to elbow tendinitis. But there is never much time to celebrate, because as soon as I come down my daughter wants me to join in the sand digging mission, so mentally I move on quite quickly. I always find the most satisfaction looking back on my achievements after a few months distance. That’s when I feel proud of what I have accomplished, whereas in the moment it is more of a fleeting and slightly uneventful thing.

Jonathan Siegrist has onsighted Fuckin' Sphinxus in Ten Sleep Canyon (WY) and Hellbound (8b+), as well as flashed No Country for Old Men (8c) in Strawberry Roan. In total, the 38-year-old has onsighted twelve 8b+’, out of which half the last 15 months, and he is runner-up, after Adam Ondra, in the VL onsight ranking game. (c) Nate Liles

How have you been able to step up your onsight game lately?
To be honest I was never very good at this style (mainly a redpoint climber and never really did competition). But I practiced a lot when I was in France last year. And really the main step for me was just to try onsighting more - to make it also a priority some days. Like anything else you can’t get better at it unless you try. I’m starting to enjoy it a lot more now and actually find a nice flow when onsighting. Before it always felt so awkward and I was climbing with too much hesitation.

I really like flash climbing because it’s easier to find a nice flow with some information but for sure onsighting is a bigger challenge. I hope I can keep improving in this style but it’s hard! It also makes a crag with lower grades suddenly really exciting to go and try your best at. It would be fun to do a whole trip only for onsighting.

Mary Eden sent Necronomicon 8b (+) in 2022 and here is part of what she said. "The challenging roof crack has a 12 ft crux of WC friend .75s surrounded by fists, baggy hands, hands, and thin hand sizes. Necronomicon’s slash grade of 8b/8b+ comes from whether or not the climber can thin-hand or hand jam the crux section of .75s. If the climber can get thin hands or hand jams in the .75 section, then the grade is 8b. If they have thick palms and have to ring lock, paddle hand, or finger bar the crux, the grade is 8b+. "

Maël Musson, who did his first 9a last year at age 17, has repeated Seb Bouin's Little Badder (9a) in Flatanger. (c) Christelle Lafont

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Little Badder is a 55m route that can be split into 3 parts. The first is a 25m 8b approach to a big rest. It's from here that the route really begins, with a series of 3 cruxes. The first is the most unpleasant of the route: a 6C+ boulder crack, not very hard but very painful to climb with very bad feet. From there, we move straight on to the hardest crux of the route: a 7B+ boulder with lots of small, important wedges. We then relax a little on one knee before arriving on the last crux. This is the most physical part of the route, with great movement and swinging on good holds. All that remains is a 10m 7c in a ceiling to reach the belay.

Originally, my trip to Flatanger was intended to try Thor's hamer, another 9a in the cave, for a month. But when I arrived, I couldn't resist starting on some of the easier 8b/c routes, which seemed so incredible. After ten days, I decided it was time for a more serious project and, without really knowing why, I went for Little Badder instead of Thor's Hamer. On my third day on the route I managed to link up the whole end, so all I had to do was add the 8b approach.

During the next 3 sessions I fell into the main crux and almost abandoned the route after falling once into the first small crack crux (which is very frustrating knowing that you already have to climb 30m of 8b and change rope in the middle to avoid the pull). But by persisting, the crux finally passed. It was very motivating for the rest of the process, but the route wasn't finished yet. It took me another 4 days to get through the last physical section to the top.

Gabriele Moroni, with 26 routes 9a to 9b under his belt, has sent X integral (9a+) in Ravoire giving it a personal 9a grade.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and your personal grade?
X Integral is a logical combination of two previously established routes, Satire (8c+) and The Shoker (8c+). Both opened by local Dylan Chuat. He then had the idea to combine them togheter and did the FA of X Integral just after. I discovered Gottreux this summer looking for a place to climb in hot weather. I went there for a couple of weekends and quickly repeated The Shoker and started trying Satire with clearly the idea to have a possibility on X Integral. Finally august holidays came so I had more time to dedicate for this project. But eventually on my first day back I already climbed Satire and tried to keep going past the chains into The Shoker and fell right before the last rest. After a rest day and some failed attempts on Satire I could make it past the chain once more but this time, having it more dialed but with a good fight I could climb my way to the chains of The Shoker and finished X Integral for its 3rd ascent.

About the grade it's hard to tell. Unfortunately (or fortunately) in between the two routes you have a very good rest so after you climb Satire you can really recover and start the second part fresh enough. I haven't climbed that many 9a+'s but the ones I did they took me a lot of more effort (months or seasons) and this one just a bunch of sessions.

Adam Ondra is back on "non-plastic holds" directly after the Olympics. In Sloup he made the FA of Peppa (8B+). “Took forever to actually figure out the line and never really trying it, but once the mystery was unlocked, it was disappointingly easier than expected. Maybe harder, maybe not.”

Then he travelled to Val Daone where he on the same day, flashed Grizzly (8B) and sent Blue Arrow (8A) as well as Flow (8B).

On Instagram, he comments on the Olympics, where he was #6 overall after having won in Lead and placed seventh in Boulder.

"I poured my heart into the preparation, I don’t think I have ever been so focused in my life like in the last months before this event ✊ I don’t think I have ever been better prepared than this time... For now, let’s have some rest and touch some non-plastic holds for a while 👊" (c) Petr Chodura

Tom O'Halloran, who participated in the Tokyo Olympics, has done The Red Project (9a). “The epitome of Blue mountains climbing. Does not get better.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I think 4th ascent after Alex Megos, Wiz Fineron, Ben Cossey. It was always known as The Red Project and was going to be known as that even once climbed. Alex called it Retired Extremely Dangerous however we reclaimed it as the red project like biographie/realization.

It’s brilliant. Partly bolted by Garth Miller in the 90s. Finished by Lee Cossey a few year later. It’s the most beautiful balance of technical, powerful, subtle aggressive climbing you could ever find. The crux is as frustrating as it is brilliant. Which is to say it’s a mega A++ for both. Skin, conditions, ability and head space all need to come together to make it happen. Several days of work in 2013 as Alex did it. A few in 2015 then nothing until the four days it took this year. A true life list route 😀