Marine Thevenet, with over 100 boulders 8A to 8B+ under her belt, has done Tronic summer (8B) in Sanetsch.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I went to the Sanetsch for the first time at the end of July with a friend of mine. She showed me this boulder, opened by Theo Chappex. It’s physically demanding, you need to keep a good tense for a long time and do some compression moves on crimps. The footholds are good, which makes it all possible! But it’s also tough for the skin so… no big sessions!

For the process… it is always the same :) on the first day I did all the moves. On the second day, my skin was trashed but my motivation was high so I tried to do some links. I came back alone 4 days later with the ambition to climb it in 2 parts. I quickly redid all the moves and made good links, so I started to think « why not?! Why I should wait until the next day with my friends to try it?! ». I switched my mindset and decided to try :)

Moritz Perwitzschky has flashed Fred Nicole's classical Amandla (8B+) in Rocklands giving it a personal 8B grade. The 24-year-old made his first VL/8a headline in 2013 and his last was from this summer when he sent Corona (9a+).

Can you tell us more about the flash and your 8B personal grade?
The boulder was graded 8B+ with the direct jump beta over a crimp. With the high right foot and the bump method, I think it is rather 8B. But the holds are there and it is easier so for me it doesn't make sense to climb it the direct way.

I trained a lot in this style the last weeks and was quite confident, to climb it quickly, didn't expect to flash it though.

Here are Olympic gold predictions based on almost 1,000 Vertical-Life/8a members. You can make your prediction until the games start on Monday.

96 % Janja Garnbret SLO
02 % Ai Mori JPN
01 % Brooke Raboutou USA

40 % Sorato Anraku JPN
29 % Jakob Schubert AUT
11 % Adam Ondra CZE
08 % Toby Robers GBR
04 % Alberto Gines Lopez ESP & Tomoa Narasaki
01 % Alex Megos GER & Colin Duffy USA

Nicholas Allan has repeated James Webb’s Khoikhoi (8C) at N1. ”Easily my proudest send to date!” (c) Rowan Toselli

Webb put it up ten years ago and commented, ”Absolutely stunning boulder problem. Potentially one of my proudest first ascents. Perfect compression on just barely there slopers leading up a pristine 20 foot tall boulder.”

The 17-year-old did his first 8A+ at age eleven and sent his first 8B+, four years later, comments, ”I first tried Khoikhoi in march and was immediately psyched on it. I wasn’t able to try it as much as I wanted because it’s very condition dependent but always had it in the back of my mind. The weather was never good and I wasn’t able to give it any close ground burns until my 6th session where I dropped the top several times. Went back the next day and managed to send it second go from the bottom. One of the best boulders I’ve done and so psyched for it to be my first 8C!”

What is coming up next?
I have some projects in mind for next season but my main focus for now is youth worlds in August.

Alex Totkova has repeated Daniel Woods' Crystal Vein (8B) in Rila Monastery. During the last three Lead World Cups this summer, the 19-year-old has been 6-15-5.

"After the past WC’s I knew I wanted to make that boulder, to restart a bit in nature. Made one session last year in September and these days I had 2 night-morning sessions to do it between the preparation for future comps. I am mostly happy that mentally I persevered. I knew I could send it through it in that short time. It was just patience. Something similar to competitions. Fell 2 times from the Top and then realised I made the wrong beta with my left hand for this move. It was a small correction but totally at the right time… Rila mountain has been my lovely place since childhood not only because of the amazing rocks but also from the beautiful monastery."

Jorge Diaz-Rullo has onsighted the 55 meter long Nordic flower (8c) in Flatanger. “One of the best route I ever climb in this grade. What a fight!” (c) Marco Müller

This was the fifth 8c onsight for the 25-year-old and he is #2 in the Vertical-Life ranking game. Now the Spaniard has started to project Change (9b+).

Marco Müller has repeated Adam Ondra's Thor's Hammer (9a) in Flatanger. The original FA grade in 2012 was 9a+ but later Adam and others suggested a downgrade due to better beta and kneepads. (c) Leo Bøe

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I had a couple of tries on Thor's Hammer two years ago, but I couldn’t continue because I injured my knee at that time. So, I was eager to try again this year. The first sessions on the route went great; I quickly found some beta and started making links and attempts from the ground. After getting stuck at the same move at the first crux for a couple of days, I needed to tweak my beta. I discovered a new, easier sequence, and in the same session, I climbed through the entire first part of the route and fell in 'Nordic Plumber' (Thor's Hammer continues into Nordic Plumber after about 25m, making the total route around 60m). I was super pumped and fell on what is probably the easiest part of Plumber. I needed a few more tries to climb through the first part again, and this time, I fought my way up without falling on Plumber. I had a huge fight at the final rail, and even clipping the chains were at my limit.

Dylan Chuat, who earlier this spring did his first 9a+, has made the FA of Big nose (8C) and repeated Compass North (8B+) in Fionnay. (c) Sebastien Maflin

Can you tell us more about the first ascent?
After a major cleaning session with Clément Lechaptois, extensive method research (not easy to find), and a few attempts, here I am at the top of this King Line in Fionnay, which I named Big Nose in reference to the magnificent hold in the middle of the boulder. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most beautiful lines in Fionnay. It’s impressive, the moves are incredible, the holds are crazy, and the effort to link it all together is really cool!

I took a while to decide on the grade because it’s much harder than all the 8B+ routes in the region and tougher than the only 8C I’ve actually tried and completed (over 4 years ago 😅). However, I wasn’t in my best shape, and once I found the methods, I completed the boulder fairly quickly. Additionally, the last crux is very condition-dependent, and I’ve never had truly cold conditions, which makes a big difference in the difficulty of the boulder. So, a heads-up to future repeaters!

Finja Perschmann has, during her first session, sent Scary Christmas (8A) at Gotthardpass. The 11-year-old got inspired from Greta di Biase who, last year, sent it at age 10.

What was most challenging with the ascent?
The hardest part was to trust my feet and place them so they wouldn’t slip. The second challenge was to keep my nerves together, as I absolutely wanted to send it in this (first) session.

What is her climbing background and how much does she climb during the winter and summer seasons?
[Axel and Katinka] We both climb for a long time and have always had our focus on rock climbing over competitions. Since we moved to Freiburg in 2014 and started working life time on rock has sadly reduced significantly, but we still find some time for regular climbing trips. While home, we are both active coaches for the local youth climbing teams in Freiburg. Finja (and Merle) consequently joined us on many climbing trips since their birth, grew into the climbing teams early and successively started to enjoy the sport more and more.

For about two years Finja has been pretty hooked on improving her skills. She really enjoys the time with her friends in the climbing team and has fun competing. Currently, she trains regularly twice a week in our training team, plus some extra sessions every few weeks with the Stützpunkt Süd-West. Additionally, when she gets the chance she joins us parents or friends during climbing sessions.

Jonathan Siegrist has done The Ritual (9a) at The Temple. In total, the 38-year-old has now sent 79 routes 9a to 9b. ”Bad ass route. Long RH move at the end of the traverse was my definitive crux. Some left over fitness from Swiss helped me get through the second half. Loved climbing on this thing, fingers feel ready now for the neighbor!”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and your latest trip to Europe?
There’s a really unique area in Ten Sleep canyon with steep clean rock called ‘The Temple’. Matt Wendling bolted some futuristic lines back in the mid 2000’s and in the last several years BJ Tilden opened 2 of these projects at 9a. Both are amazing! ‘The Ritual’ is a bit easier so I started on this one with the hope that it would help train my fingers for ‘Pneuma’ (its more bouldery neighbor).

Earlier in July I was in Chamonix for the Arc’teryx Alpine Academy and decided to extend my trip for a week to check out some of the climbing around Martigny, Swiss. I was so psyched on some of the new stuff there! For sure it was clear that I need to come back next year for more.