Ainhize Belar Barrutia, who has sent ten routes 8c to 9a, over just the last year, has done Ildonuska (8c) in Baltzola. The 18-year-old is runner-up in the ranking game after Martina Demmel. (c) Aitziber Narbaiza

Can you tell us more about your latest 8c?
The route has the same start as my current project and I decided to try it to combine and make different moves. It’s a very long route, with an intense traverse and a crimpy final after some knees [kneebars]. I tried it a little a couple of months ago and yesterday I did it on my first go.

What's the other project you have going that shares a start with this one?
Iñi Ameriketan (9a), I have managed to make some very good tries, now I have to be patient and continue working!!

Brooke Raboutou, who won the first Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai, won in Budapest as well, securing her Olympic ticket. The runner-up was Miho Nonaka, who scored 156 points which was just 3.8 points shy of Brooke, and placing third was Erin McNeice who was a further 28.5 points behind. Complete results

Raboutou said: "It’s hard to believe, I’m incredibly happy. It’s been a hard journey. I missed some chances to qualify. So it was panic no, stress yes. It’s been a lot of heartbreak and a lot of growth. Honestly, I am grateful for it all. They say the harder the journey the better it feels, and I could not feel that more. I am incredibly proud about how much each stage taught me. I’ve had really good performances."

The podium at the OQS in Budapest was the same as in Shanhai and Luo Zhilu, Seo Chaehyun, Laura Rogora, Mia Krampl, Ievgennia Kazbekova, Lucia Dorffel, Zelia Avezou, Camilla Moroni and Molly Thompson-Smith secured the last nine remaining Olympic slots. Complete results of the OQS.

Sam Avezou won a hard final in Budapest getting 105.6 points, after having won in Boulder and placing third in Lead. The runner-up was Lee Dohyun followed by Adam Ondra. Complete results.

Avezou, who also saw his sister qualify for Paris, said, "I never reacted this well to pressure before. You could see in Shanghai it wasn’t great (he slipped on the first hold in Lead in the final). I am super happy I could manage eventually the pressure here and yeah, probably under pressure my best climbs ever.”

Twelve competitors from the two combined QS events held in Shanghai and Budapest secured the remaining Olympic spots available. In the men's event Mejdi Schalck placed sixth but missed out on qualification due to France's country quota being filled and thus, 13th placed Yufei Pan of China took his spot. See the full results here, Complete OQS results

Mattea Pötzi, who was #15 in the Lead World Cup last year, has done Der Nihilist (8A+) in Zillertal. The 23-year-old Austrian has been an active competition climber since 2018 focusing on Boulder events as a junior where she won two Euro Youth Cups. (c) Giacomo Meneghello

Can you tell us more about your ascent?
I came to the boulder for the first time yesterday, after having heard about it quite a lot already. I didn't think it would suit me too well, because the first move is a far move out of a high heel, which is exactly the kind of move I don't like and find quite scary. At first I couldn't do a sinkle move but after about an hour and a half of trying I had all the moves, except for the topout which was a bit wet and I didn't dare do it. When I was giving it send goes I sent it on my third go from the ground. What makes it even better, I sent together with my boyfriend Miro Enzenberger. For both if us it was our first 8A+.

What are your summer plans?
I am doing the World Cups and after Briancon I am going to Céüse.

Shauna Coxsey reports on Instagram that she has repeated Giuliano Cameroni’s Hazel Grace (8B+) in Ticino. This is the third 8B+ in three months for the 31-year-old former competition climber, who won eleven World Cups.

"This line is truly majestic and I honestly can not believe I pieced it together yesterday. Last day of the trip, sub optimal conditions but a magical moment let this one flow. So freaking proud to say I’ve done this."

We have released a new version of the Vertical-Life map! Our goal is to provide you with an improved user experience when searching for crags or gyms, and to set the foundation for more innovative features to come.

What's New?

• Advanced Search Functionality: Easily search for cities, areas, and crags with a map-specific search.
• Seasonality and grade graphs: From the list view, you can immediately see the seasonality and grade distribution of each crag in the viewboard, with your hardest redpoint in the last year and the current month marked to make it easier to read.
• Better information about trails, mountains, etc: The new base layer has many approach trails and mountain names. There is a satellite layer as well.
• Better UX: we refined how the map and list items respond
• Your location and direction are shown on the map for easier navigation

If you find a crag that’s missing, you can go to its info page and add the coordinates there. It’ll appear on the map within 24h. If you know a local restaurant, gear shop or bar that should be on the map, send us an email to [email protected]. Thanks!

Happy climbing!

Explore the Map Now

Ethan Pringle signed up to 8a as one of the very first members back in 2000, just after he had won a silver medal at the Youth World Championships. Fast forward to today and the now 38-year-old remains a very solid all around climber having completed Realization (9a+) in 2007, Iron man (8c) onsight in 2007, Jumbo Love (9b) in 2015, Blackbeard's Tears (8c+) trad in 2016 and Empath (9a+). (c) Catarina Monteiro

What are the lessons you've learned over the last 25 years of high-level climbing?
1) NOBODY truly knows what they’re physically capable of, and almost everybody is physically capable of so much more than they think. One of the biggest differences between elite-level climbers and everyone else is that, elite-level climbers are way more familiar with their strengths and way better at suspending their disbelief in themselves and trying hard anyway, whereas most other people are more encumbered by their limiting self-beliefs.

2) Strength will never be a substitute for experience. You can have Alex Megos strength, but if you don’t have good tactics, technique and a deep practice of being able to find good beta quickly and execute when it counts, you’ll never climb even close to your physical limit. Once you have that experience, then strength training will help.

3) Even elite-level climbers have fear and insecurity, but what separates them from the rest is a practised ability to try really hard in a calm and deliberate way, despite those fears and insecurities.

4) Grades are extremely limiting!

What has been your driving force and how has this affected your climbing?
I think I’ve been incredibly lucky to travel a lot throughout my climbing career and climb outside a ton, but I know my physical strength has plateaued for many years because of a lack of motivation to trade trips to destinations or outdoor projects for serious training cycles. I think at the end of the day, my passion for exploring new rock and styles of climbing has held back my physical ability because that usually takes president over wanting to stay in a gym and get stronger. I’m always too psyched to go explore a new project or check out a new area…

I’ve switched disciplines a lot over the years from sport to bouldering to trad and even a few expeditions and I think not sticking to one thing doesn’t really allow you to fully excel in any one discipline or any one style.

Also, I’ve always come back to the San Francisco Bay Area as a home base, to be close to my dad after his stroke and now to be near my mom who’s getting older… and while the bay has amazing gyms and a strong community, everyone is kind of psyched on different things, and the community is kind of dispersed. Plus the good rocks are pretty far away and I find it pretty hard to be inspired in this environment. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I’d moved to Boulder of Salt Lake 15 years ago.

What are your next plans?
I’m heading to South Africa in a few weeks. I’ll check out some sport climbing and do a little bouldering around Cape Town before heading to Rocklands again for July and August. I would love to finish up Monkey Wedding (8C)(I was close-ish last year after just a few sessions). I’m hoping to put some sessions into Livin' Large (8C), which is my ultimate dream boulder. I’m not sure if it’s really possible for me but I need to find out. And, I want to work on a few other obscure things and undone lines.

How do you train to get stronger and to have better endurance?
I don’t really train haha. I “should”!!! If I wanted to climb 9a+ or 9b sport again I would have to do some endurance training. Fortunately sport-climbing outside is good endurance training. If I wanted to climb harder than an 8C boulder I would probably also have to do some specific training. I don’t know which one I’d like to invest in though, besides Living Large.
I’m not the best person to talk to about training. Classically, I haven’t done much.

What advice would you give to up and coming teenagers?
Try to have fun with it and try not to take it too seriously. Be silly. It doesn’t really matter that much if you send or not, or if you win that comp or not. It doesn’t dictate your worth as a person. A lot of the strongest, most psyched climbers I know, seem to have kind of a detached attitude about sending or winning. They get less upset if they don’t meet their expectations, they climb more relaxed and they seem to just have more fun. Also, climbing on rock and having outdoor psyche and goals will relieve some of the importance of comp results. Comps are fun and thrilling, but outdoor climbing is good for the soul. I’ve seen a lot of strong competitors just quit climbing after their comp careers ended or they got burned out because, without a love for the pursuit of climbing rocks, which I think can be lifelong, there’s no reason to stay in it.

Also, forget about the grades and just allow yourself to be inspired by beautiful lines. You can label a climb whatever you want, but it doesn’t change the difficulty of the climb. Also, mix it up! Try some crack[climbing]! You might like it. It’s oddly satisfying, in a masochistic, magic-trick kind of way.

Matteo Marobin, who last year made the finals in three Euro Youth Cups in Lead and Bouldering, has redpointed Pornographie (9a) in Céüse. The 19-year-old has previously redpointed four routes 9a and harder.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Pornographie is a short endurance route on crimps and pockets in a 35° overhang. The first ascent was made by Alex Megos without a kneepad. After that, the first repetitions were done with a kneepad, providing a good rest in the middle of the route (where you can let go with both hands).

What I love about trying hard routes is the challenge and the playing around. If it can be done without a kneepad, then I'll try it without a kneepad, even if it makes it harder.

So I decided to try Pornographie without a kneepad. In my opinion, the beauty of this line lies is the fact that you need to be strong enough to maintain a high level of intensity throughout the 40 moves without a good rest. Since I decided not to use a kneepad, I also chose not to use the knee bar at all. I thought I might as well go all the way and just climb it with my two hands and feet.

The process was long and mentally tough, as I felt very close to sending it quickly. In the end, it's probably my biggest rock climbing battle so far. Nevertheless, I am proud to have persevered and completed the route in this way. I fell more than 20 times after the last draw and more than 5 times going to the last hold.

What are your summer plans, will you be competing like last year?
This summer I really want to try Three Degrees of Separation (9a+). It is my first year in the adult category. I felt in shape but didn't managed to make the selection for internationals comps so I keep training for next year.

Marine Thevenet reports with an Instagram video that she has done One summer in paradise (8B) in Magic Wood, which is a five move extension to Pura Vida (8A+). The 34-year-old has completed more than 100 boulders 8A to 8B+.

Can you tell us more about One Summer?
I had climbed Pura Vida in 2019 and had never tried One Summer in Paradise. After Pura Vida, which had taken several sessions and a lot of effort at the time, I needed to do something else, but I always told myself I would go back to it. This year, I went for a session in May and redid all the moves of Pura Vida fairly quickly. I changed my method at the end by opting for a knee, which made the finish less « low-percentage », all on the advice of Alizée Dufraisse :)

I went back on June 13th and it took me 2 attempts. I am really happy to complete this boulder because I have been dealing with a finger injury for several months, so I have limited outdoor sessions and prioritized training a bit more. I hope my finger holds up for the summer season in the mountains :)

I am also very happy to share beta and climbs with Alizee. It is really inspiring for me to learn from her technical skills.

Connie Shang, who has previously redpointed three 8b+’s, has completed Spyfiction (8c+) in Mt. Charleston, after projecting it for some 20 sessions over two years.

How were you able to go from 8b+ to 8c+?
My two main climbing areas, Mt Charleston and the Red River Gorge, have very few 8c's. The 8c+'s are fun and classic so I decided to spend time on the better routes!

Can you tell us more about Spyfiction?
I believe this was the first female ascent and certainly my first at the grade! It climbs like a comp route, where each successive move is harder than the last, with few opportunities to rest until the last bolt. My strategy was to climb it quickly before my arms went lactic, but on the send go I caught the final dyno badly and had to improvise a swapped hand sequence. Instead of my rehearsed sprint to the finish I had to shake out a full 2 minutes before tackling the redpoint crux.

In some ways the steep blocky limestone plays to my strengths - underclings are my strongest grip - but also the route is short and strenuous, which forced me to level up my power endurance. I'm grateful for the time I spent projecting this route because it unlocks many variations, including the extension Manphibian (9a), and an alternate start Dad Bod (8c+/9a).