Graham Owens has spent the last month in Siurana where his highlights have been onsighting Cronica (8b) and redpointing Estado critico (9a) and Pati noso (8c+). ”4th go. Flash pump of doom. 8c/+ maybe?”

Can you tell us more about Estado Critico and your injury background?
In Summer 2025 I was feeling stronger and fitter than ever, with lots of big goals for the year ahead. Namely, I knew I planned to take a semester off from school in the spring, and had tons of hard boulders and routes in mind. In July though, I had a freak accident where I decked sport climbing and fractured my ankle in several places. I needed surgery, couldn’t walk for over a month, or fit on my climbing shoe for another month or two thereafter. Once mostly recovered, I started training hard again, but promptly developed an overuse pulley injury. It turned out to stick around for much longer than expected, and when I still couldn’t crimp hard in January, I considered canceling all of my plans and going back to school. Fortunately, friends and family helped me stay sane, and I decided to go for it.

Once I got to Spain in February with my finger starting to feel better, Estado caught my eye immediately. It’s an incredible line that I had seen videos of for many years, and lots of other cool and strong people were trying it. At first my fitness was still lacking after so long without training hard, so I couldn’t try it more than once a day and focused on making links. Slowly I started to feel more confident though and pushed through the bottom boulder, then fell off the last few moves a couple of times, and then sent! Full disclosure, I used the new left kneebar on the headwall which allows for a brief, intense shakeout before the last few moves. It’s far from full recovery and replaces another optional rest a few moves prior, so I personally doubt it changes the grade. Those with freak endurance might find the route easy regardless, but that definitely wasn’t me, haha.

What is next?
We have two more weeks in Spain and I think we’ll spend them in Margalef. After that hopefully I can hit St Leger and Arco too. Lots of other hard routes in mind! Trying to take advantage before I’m stuck in school again 😂

Returning in May once my visa runs out, not sure from where. School is my main focus alongside climbing; I study International Relations at UPenn and am hoping to attend law school.

Davide Zane, with three 8B+’ under his belt, has repeated Dave Graham’s classic The Story Of 2 Worlds (8C) in Cresciano.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and say something about your climbing background?
I started climbing when I was 8 years old, in Arco. I began with competitions and managed to become part of the Italian national team. However, after many competitions, I became more passionate about outdoor climbing.

Three years ago, I started outdoor bouldering and immediately liked it more than competitions, so I continued. Now I’m a routesetter and instructor, but I would like to become a full-time outdoor athlete. I’m 20 years old and, unfortunately, for now I have to work to support myself because I don’t have the financial means to do so without support.

In December, I sent The Stand (The Dagger) in 40 minutes, but it wasn’t my main goal to make a story. I was there to try Dreamtime, but it was too hot, so I focused on Story instead, and after three sessions I sent it.

Connor Herson repeated Pete Whittaker’s Crown Royale (9a) in Jøssingfjord last summer, keeping the ascent under wraps until the video release. The 22-year-old needed just four attempts to send the 100-meter crack, assigning it a personal grade of 8c+. With a tick list that includes a handful of other trad climbs from 8c to 9a+, the American boasts one of the most impressive trad résumé in the world. Herson first made headlines in 2018 by climbing an 8c+ on just his second attempt at age 14. That same year, he also repeated The Nose (8b+ MP) and placed 11th at the Youth World Championship.

Tyler Thompson, who last month sent La Rambla (9a+), has completed La Reina Mora (9a) in Siurana. Noteworthy is that FA Ramon Julian suggested 8c but since then almost everyone has called it a 9a. (c) Esteban Lahoz

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
After doing La Rambla I knew I wanted to try the obvious line that follows the crack the entire way. I started trying “La Reina Mora” and found it much more pumpy and continuous, as opposed to the restful and bouldery style of La Rambla. After a few days I was having good tries but a foot slip during some poor conditions while I was reaching a jam in the crack ruined the skin on my left hand and forced me to take nearly a week away from the route.

After I could try again the conditions were quite bad. I had some promising tries falling in the last few moves before the slab but a week of rain left the route soaked for more than 10 days. That time provided some much needed rest and I came back ready. On the first day with great conditions following the storm the route was still dripping with water. I waited all day while the sun dried the route and, just as the shadow completely covered the wall, sent with a great fight!

I might also add that just a few minutes after I came down the route was dripping with water after the sun was no longer on the wall!

Do you know the reason for the upgrade?
Ramon was known for sandbagging so I wouldn’t be surprised if it was originally 8c+ but at least one important hold broke in the redpoint crux and I believe some other minor holds have broken a bit. I never tried the route in it’s original state but it certainly compares to other 9a I’ve climbed.

What is next?
Hoping to try Era Vella a bit but I developed a bit of an a2 injury while sending so I’m trying to rest up and come back to Vegas recovered.

Alex Ventajas, with 20 routes 9a and beyond under his belt, has done the first repeat of Gabri Moroni’s Mascella Serrata (9a) in Arco. ”Perfect line, all natural, really a must of Arco. 4 days, my style completely.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and possibly share a picture?
This route caught my eye the first time I saw it, just after it had been bolted by Gabriele Moroni, and I couldn’t wait to try it.

When I first tried it a couple of weeks ago, I had good feelings on most of the sections, but I couldn’t completely figure out the first crux. In fact, even though the whole route is quite complex, alternating bouldery sections and rests, the hardest part comes right at the start.

On the second day, the first boulder was unfortunately wet. I was worried that some damp holds might break, so I focused on the rest of the route, managing to climb it in one go.

In the mean time I was working a lot as a route-setter, so it was a bit difficult to understand the ups and downs of my body shape. On the third day I felt like I just didn’t have enough power to unlock the opening boulder, but at the same time I had the feeling I was missing something.

Finally, on the fourth day I tried to approach the crux differently: thinking about the sequence, I realized that while clipping I was positioning my body in a way that made the next move much harder. I tried to delay the clip and the feeling on those moves completely changed!

On the next go, with that simple adjustment, I managed to get through the first crux for the first time and then just kept climbing! It was a tough fight and I think the key to reach the chain was having fully internalized the moves, which allowed me to stay focus and push through all the way to the top. I’m really happy to add this line to my thick list! A real five-star route that combines technique and power.

Since I don’t have any good pic on the route I share an unposted one from summer holidays by @crimp.films.

”I stopped focusing on competition bouldering after last year’s World Cup in Prague, partly because I can already feel it on my body, especially in my shoulders. The modern competition style, with a lot of jumping from one hold to another, is very demanding for the shoulders.

Outdoor bouldering is more conservative climbing, something I’ve been used to since childhood, but I had never fully dedicated myself to it before. I had a short period when I focused on bouldering more intensively, for example in 2011, but otherwise I always treated it as a secondary discipline. On rock I mainly focused on bigger projects. This time I wanted to try something less stressful. That made the return to bouldering even more appealing, to see how far I could push myself in this discipline”.

”This year I managed to climb three additional 8C boulders flash, so I’ve now done it at least four times. I value Emotional Landscapes in Maltatal, Austria the most. It’s a legendary and technically extremely complex line. It has very few ascents, even though many climbers have tried it. Not only is it difficult, it’s also incredibly technical. People who climbed it before had to spend a lot of time working out the complex sequences.”

Now I’ll focus more on rope climbing. I need to build endurance before the competition season and the World Cup events, where success is not only about pure strength but also about stamina. I’ll try to convert this strength into the ideal form so I can present myself in Prague at the beginning of June in the best possible shape.”

Ainhize Belar Barrutia, who sent a 9a+ in 2024, has done Estado critico (9a) in Siurana.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Last autumn I took a couple of trips to Siurana and started trying Estado Crítico. It was a route that motivated me a lot, but I wasn’t in my best shape… At first I struggled to get through the first dynamic move (the crux for me), and then I started falling on the last slab a few times… When the real cold started, I decided to train for a couple of months, and this week, on my first day back here, I was able to do it on my second go (one to put the quickdraws in and another to send)!!

I’m so happy to have done this mythical line and so motivated to try other things around here in the coming weeks!

Piotr Schab, with 32 routes from 9a to 9b to his name, has been on a one-month trip to Spain where he sent Furia de Jabali (9a+), Parecero Igual Guerrero (9a+), and La Bongada (9a), as well as flashing L'odi Social (8c+).

Which was the most memorable ascent?
The most memorable must the flash of L'Odi Social, a classic 8c+ in Siurana. I love the magic of first tries. When something doesn't go according to plan and you start to fight - fight hard as hell. I really liked the process of trying Furia de Jabali. I had to dig into every single move in order to climb that route.

How did you prepare for the flash and who gave you the beta?
Tymon Heród - who sent the route just after me! Best moments. He told me the betas on the ground one day before the try and showed everything on his warm-up during the day.

Campbell Sarinopoulos and Sophia Hoermann have sent Meadowlark Lemon Stand (8A+) in Red Rock (NV). Last week, Hoermann also sent Hungry Hungry Hippos (8A+). ”First go from the bottom today! Had her teed up from december. With aidan, soren, and campbell.”

Can you tell us more about the team send?
We have known each other since we were 10 through youth competitions. Since starting college together at the University of Utah we’ve gone on many outdoor trips together. We’ve watched each other send and we’ve epiced together. We wanted to try Meadowlark Lemon Stand because Sophia got close last year and of course because it’s a beautiful boulder in a gorgeous zone.

We went to the boulder with a big crew pretty late to try to escape the heat. We started trying and even though we have very similar dimensions, we realized pretty quick that we would need to use different beta to send. On Sophia’s send, a little breeze came through as she pulled on and the bottom moves felt really nice and she was able to maintain focus and presence through the top slab. For Campbell’s send, she finally stuck the bump move to the crimp below the blocky hold and held it together (barely) through the top. We celebrated by making margaritas at the end of the day.