It's now confirmed: As part of the Vertical-Life Climb to Paris Challenge powered by Mammut, the grand prize will be a day of climbing with none other than Adam Ondra!

The challenge is already up and running, with climbers from around the globe logging their ascents. To date, more than 10,000 participants have joined the journey. The chance to climb with Adam is reserved for Vertical-Life Premium users, and the Gym Grand Prize will be awarded to the best performing gym. Additional top prizes are also on-hand for everyone who taps the join raffle button and logs climbs. To get in on the fun, follow the steps below.

How to participate:

• Log into your Vertical-Life account or create one for free
• Log your climbs on the website or Vertical-Life app
• Join the raffle on 8a.nu/climb-to-paris

Lorenzo Bogliacino, who has previously climbed five 9a’s and Naturalmente (9a+), has made the FA of Trainspotting (9a+) in La Stazione. (c) Isabella Sigaudo

Can you tell us more about this FA?
Last fall, after doing the FA of "Prima Classe," I took a few turns on a pitch bolted by Carlo. The line climbs very directly up the main overhang of La Stazione and, while offering slightly lower quality rock than Prima Classe, provides much more physicality. I quickly realized that I had to approach the route as a project at my limit and after about fifteen sessions I manage to get close to free it while realizing that I still lack something to be able to complete the FA; the season ends with the arrival of winter temperatures and the bill remains outstanding.

All winter long I had this line in mind, convinced that it would take very little to finish what I had started but the reality is that it took another 7-8 sessions, often looking for conditions with winter weather and the approach completely snowed in.

I never thought I would find a virgin crag with such routes at my limit where I could start my bolting experience, yet it happened and I propose the grade of 9a+. Trainspotting is my best performance and deserves a grade that is important to me. Thanks to all the bolters whose work allowed me to repeat so many routes before dedicating myself to FAs, a step I think is essential for any climber beyond the satisfaction of making a first ascent.

How many routes have you bolted?
About ten routes counting those in an other place I recently found. I'm definitely novice but I'm looking for quality and difficulty rather than quantity.

Palmer Larsen has sent The Nest (8C) in First Creek Canyon. ”My proudest accomplishment to date and a true mental test of belief and determination knowing I could do it but unable to get it done until now. Cried after the send. Stoked!” (c) Jonathan Vickers

Can you tell us more about The Nest and how things played out?
The nest is one of the best boulder problems I’ve ever done. Perfect line, tall, aesthetic, long approach, interesting moves. I did the stand start a few years ago and sampled the bottom moves. I knew I could have a chance on it if I committed myself to it. I started trying it in November and did many separate trips and weekends from SLC. A 7 hr drive for 2 days of effort. I got really close to sending around my 4th session but then the true battle began. This boulder tested me mentally in ways I’ve never faced before. Self doubt, motivation, effort were a constant struggle but after 18 sessions on likely the last day of the season and my last go of the day I was able to climb it to the top.

Giuliano Cameroni reports on Instagram thathe has done the FA of Eye in the Sky (8C) in Valle Bavona after projecting it for around ten sessions. "Super psyched on this one! One of my all time favorites for sure. Last year I started trying this bloc with @kimmarschner and @dave_graham_ after they hiked up the hill and found this higher sector. Since the beginning we realized that it was a great mix of power and technique where both foot precision and body tension were required. This year I focused more on it and after some work it finally came together!"

In total, Cameroni, has since 2014, done 26 boulders 8C or 8C+, out of which ten are FA's. The 26-year-old has also done two 9a FA's.

What does your daily climbing life look like and how do you train?
I go out most of the days, even if I’m resting. My main training (besides trying to send some projects) during winter is about visualizing some next level moves. Sometimes I try them but most of the time I simply try to understand what muscles I’m missing in my body in order to do these hard moves. This way I can practice almost every day because I don’t get much tired from such exercises.

This approach is great because I often feel fresh for what I’m actually trying to climb. I’ve been using this method for a couple of years and I definitely see the improvements, especially in the fingers. For what concerns the bigger muscles, last summer I started training on the moonboard and it felt great. Instead of swinging back and forth between rock and gym I prefer to focus on the gym for a few months in a row and then apply the new strength on the rock during the wintertime. Both vision and technique have improved a lot since I started exploring what’s physically possible for me.

Toby Roberts, who was first in the semifinal, won the final on countback over Taisei Homma in Wujiang. The bronze was awarded to Sorato Anraku who was second in the boulder World Cup, in Keqiao, just five days ago.

Janja Garnbret had another dominating victory, topping all four routes with ease. The runner-up was Zhilu Luo who, who also made the podium at the first boulder WC, earning a bronze. Final highlights © Kazushige Nakajima/IFSC

1. Toby Roberts GBR 36+ : Janja Garnbret SLO Top
2. Taisei Homma JPN 36+ : Zhilu Luo CHI 44+
3. Sorato Anraku JPN 32+ : Chaehyun Seo KOR 43+
4. Zento Murashita JPN 24+ : Natsuki Tanii JPN 40
Complete results

Garnbret: “I was just having a lot of fun and just excited to be back competing. I had a good start back with Boulder and I hoped I would have the same with Lead, and I guess my Lead shape is as good as Boulder. I’m excited now to go back home and get some more training in before I return to do the World Cup in Innsbruck where I will do Boulder and Lead, and then it’s Paris.”

Roberts: “I slightly misread the beta, but I managed to stay there and compose myself and find the right way luckily. Preparation for Paris is going well and I’m using this competition to see how I am doing after a hard winter's training and I'm just enjoying competing on the comp circuit. So things are going well.”

Marwin Winkler, who did two 9a’s in 2019, has completed Chilam Salsera (9a) in Villanueva del Rosario.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Chilam Salsera* combines the first pitch of Chilam Balam (8c+) with an easier exit than the original Chilam Balam. I did the first part back in 2020 after a rather lucky punch sticking every hold in the bouldery crux perfectly. In the following years, I didn't even come close to linking the boulder anymore, but was able to do the upper part starting with an 8a in 2021 and did the whole route except the bouldery crux by traversing in from another route (Buchilam Salsera (8c+/9a)) in 2022.

This trip, however, felt different. During the first days, I managed to link the first boulder (the one I struggled so much with) and linked it from the 2nd boulder (which was still wet) to the top. I knew that it could be possible this time, but the fact that it got seeping wet didn't make things easier... After the rain, I did it on the first days when it was climbable again.

How come you did not do any 9a's for almost five years?
I did my PhD [sports sciences], during those years, so had less time for outdoor climbing. Therefore I was more motivated to try several not so hard routes instead of projecting one route during the entire trip.

Sam Watson broke the Speed World Record twice in the Wujiang qualification with 4.85 and 4.79 respectively. In order to make it to the Top-16, 5.25 was needed which also was a new record. Complete results
© Kazushige Nakajima/IFSC

Lucy Mitchell has completed the 50m long Freefight intégral (8c) in Luberon. ”I have tried it on and off in the past 2 years but the ‘big’ move in the middle has always been a bit of a stopper for me. This Easter I came back a little stronger and it went from a ‘maybe get it before my skin gave up’ move to an ‘I’d get it every other go’ move. It took a little longer than I thought to finish off as I struggled with the increase in temperature in the region. But, luckily I found a weather window of cool temps and managed not make the most of it! On to the next :)”

What could "the next" be?
Going home on Monday. Next Christmas I hope to get stuck into trying some harder things if all is well

What about the next eight months until Christmas?
Just working at home, unfortunately. I manage a bouldering wall. And set and coach freelance on the side. Some of my staff are doing the competition season and want time off this summer to train and compete. So I am happy to give them that opportunity with no strings attached. Perhaps I could get a week in Ceuse in July … that would be amazing. I am head setter for the youth series of competitions in Ireland from September - November. So I am too busy to go then.

What about your local outdoor scene?
My nearest rock is 2 hours from my house. And then a minimum hour walk up a mountain to get to it. It’s is all trad. There is one small side area bolted with 6 routes 6c - 8b+, but I have done them all. Ireland is nice to look at. Less nice to climb in. Britain is closest, which is £300 ferry and 5-hour drive. Easier to fly to France!

Michaela Kirsch repeated Chris Sharma’s classic five-star climb, Era Vella (9a) at Margalef, last November, after trying it for roughly seven sessions.

Brian Squire, who has already climbed ten 8B+'s has completed Pegasus (8C) and Sound of Violence (8C), logging it as 8B+, in Joe's Valley (UT).

Can you tell us more about your latest ascents?
Pegasus was sorta the final boss of Joe’s Valley for me. After moving to SLC last year I spent a bunch of time here trying to tick off all of the classic 13s [8B's] first and then move up to the harder stuff and finally I got to Pegasus and was able to take it down after a couple of sessions. 15 minutes or so after doing Pegasus I was able to do Sound of Silence as well. I had done the stand (Sound of Silence) before, but never tried the sit. I managed to do it pretty quickly riding a wave of psych! [It] Made for one of my better days climbing!