Keenan Takahashi did the FA of Ego Death (8C) last September a couple of months after he did his first 8C+. "Immediately upon walking up to it, I knew it was something special if it was possible. It’s the sort of thing I’ve dreamed of since I started climbing, steep compression, at my limit, decently tall but safe, and such fun movement. An amazing combo of technique and power."

Alex Khazanov, who won a Boulder WC in 2018, has sent From Dirt Grows The Flowers (8C) in Chironico. “A boulder that represents a level up in my personal climbing. The hardest part of the boulder is a legendary mantle, that a few years ago would seem impossible to me. Trying "Alphane" over and over became a mental challenge. Trying and climbing "From dirt" was a good reminder of how amazing and diverse our sport is. I could relax my mind and just climb a good personal challenge.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and your progress on Alphane?
The last 3 trips to Switzerland the only boulder I have tried was Alphane. The trips were short, about 5 climbing days each, so I didn't have time for anything else. Alphane consumed my mind and I couldn't think about any other climb.

This trip the weather, my skin and mind needed a break. I always thought I would have zero chances on From Dirt…as mantles and mobility are not my strongest style of climbing. But it was in the shade and a short drive from Alphane. Doing it represents a growth in my personal climbing, and I am very happy about doing it rather quickly. I do feel like a better climber than I was.

As for Alphane, the weather this trip was really strange. Snowing one day and warm 18 degrees the next. So I didn't have many good tries from the start. I do feel the flow on the boulder and confident I can send, I hope to come back in two weeks.

This boulder is very hard. I have spent about 20 sessions on it already and saw some of the best climbers in the world try it. Definitely feels like a 9A.

What are your current competition plans?
This year is last one of my competition career. I will not do any World Cups and compete only in the Olympic qualifiers. I have sacrificed a lot for the World Cups and I am ready to move on. The style of climbing in competition has changed a lot, and although I feel the best I ever have in my style, I feel like a cannot show it in World Cups anymore. It's okay, and it's the progression of the competitions. The beauty of our sport is that I can still show it on rocks, and I very much plan to do so in the upcoming years. I also coach Ayala Kerem, so now that I have stopped competing I can dedicate myself more for her training.

Abigail Humber has completed Spannuth Armada (8c) in Summersville Lake. ”Such a unique route that deserves more ascents. Technical yet powerful climbing with a spicy foot cut at the end. Psyched to get the FFA of this amazing line. :)” (c) Bill Holman

Can you tell us more about Spannuth Armada and the two year gap between this 8c and the first 8c you completed?
After the Youth World Championships last summer, which were my last competition as a youth competitor, I wasn’t really sure what direction I wanted to go in regarding climbing’s role in my life. I had a lot of accumulated fatigue, and I knew I needed to change my approach to training and climbing performance. I also started college this year, and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t so focused on climbing that I couldn’t develop the other parts of myself. I also decided to go vegan for ethical reasons. (I was originally concerned that choosing to go vegan would negatively affect my climbing, but I actually feel great!)

After taking some time off, I was looking for something to motivate me and I saw some video footage of Spannuth. The idea of going outside again and getting strong enough to try Spannuth got me psyched on climbing and training again.

In terms of why it took me two years to send another 8c, I try to always follow what gets me psyched in the moment. While I was in youth I was splitting my time between competitions and outdoor climbing, so I had limited time. I also spent a significant amount of time on Thug Life (8b) in the Red River Gorge, because it was a significant route to me and a dream project of mine (even though it was “only” 8b). I spent a lot of time in the gym last year though, since I wanted to perform well in my last year as a youth competitor. It payed off, because I was able to get 2nd at Nationals and placed 17th at Youth Worlds!

Iris Bielli has repeated Beat Kammerlander’s Prinzip Hoffnung (8b+) in Bürser Platte. The 20-year-old, who says her passion is multi-pitch climbing, onsighting and technical slab climbing, sent her first 8c in January. Beat Kammerlander first did the 40 meter line with bolts before chopping them, and in 2009, he made the first ascent with trad gear.

Can you tell us more about your ascent?
I visited the Bürser Platte for the first time at the end of December, unfortunately the route was wet, and it was too cold to climb, nonetheless the line immediately charmed me with its aesthetics. I returned for a day trip on March 3, many hours of driving and little climbing but enough to fuel me up to return the following weekend. On Saturday, I studied the movements and gear placements while top-roping and on Sunday I attempted a lead climb. During my first lap, I fell in the final part of the crux slab due to sweaty fingertips caused by heat, humidity and even a bit of tension. I waited for 3 hours, in the meantime the wind picked up, my hands dried and I managed to send the route on the second lead attempt. I think Prinzip Hoffnung is a truly special line because it combines the mental factor of trad climbing with the technical difficulties of precarious slab climbing, all in a relatively safe way.

Michaela Kiersch is back in Margalef where she has completed Combifetis (8c) and Victimes del Passat R2 (8c+). (c) Jan Novak

Over the last couple of years Kiersch has completed a dozen boulder problems 8B to 8B+, as well a dozen routes 8c+ to 9a+.

Can you tell us more about your current trip and the 8c+ you just sent?
It shares the start with Victimes del futur (9a) and it was helpful to already be familiar with the bottom moves, even though it really only shares about 2-3 draws. I fell maybe 2 days on R1 and then sent R2 the next day. There is a tricky match in a pocket with 2 monos which was super difficult for me. I ended up finding alternative beta with a crimp that was a bit harder but less precise and it made the difference! I’m finally settling into a routine here in Margalef after about 2 weeks. My skin is good and the sends are coming together. I’ll stay at least another week or so.

In a few months, the world's top sport climbers will compete at the Olympic Games in Paris. However, before the Games begin, we’re calling on all climbers to climb there with us by joining The Vertical-Life Climb to Paris Challenge powered by Mammut. With your support, we’ll be linking together the world’s longest multi-pitch by starting in Tokyo, host of the 2020 Olympics, and topping out 14 million meters later in Paris.

How it works: Start by simply logging into your profile and add your climbs to your logbook by ticking your ascents on the Vertical-Life app or website. If you don't have a Vertical-Life account yet, you can create one for free. All indoor and outdoor climbs completed before July 17th count towards Paris. Along the way, top prizes provided by Vertical-Life and Mammut will be raffled at every milestone that we climb to, just make sure to click the "Join The Raffle" button on the challenge page. Plus, all premium users will be entered into a draw for the Grand Prize - an exclusive climbing day with a Mammut athlete.

Add your gym to Vertical-Life: Additionally, every Vertical-Life Gym is competing in the Climb to Paris Global Gym Ranking, and the top-performing gym will claim an exclusive Gym Grand Prize. If your gym isn’t on Vertical-Life yet, just let us know and we will get in touch with them. If you’re a gym manager or employee, email us at [email protected].

Share the psyche: Share your climbing pictures and videos with us from anywhere in the world. Tag @vertical.life.climbing on Instagram and use #climbtoparis to get reposted!

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William Moss, who one year ago did the FA of the mixed line Best Things in Life are Free (9a), has sent three 8b+ trad routes and he says he thinks all of them should have an R, for run-out, added to the grade. The 19-year-old is #1 in our trad climbing ranking game just ahead of Alex Honnold.

Kill Switch (8b+) in Gross Reservoir: "Cool grit style route. Put it down second sesh. after it was wet during the first session."

Viceroy (8c) in Castle Rock: "Did so much tr solo on this thing, probably about 14 sessions before giving it a lead burn. Worked it a lot cuz of the danger factor and wanted to make sure I had the placements dialed and didn’t fall on the sketch sections. Fell once on the first crux after the 13c and then sent next lead burn."

Cheating Reality (8b+) in Flatirons: "Really cool route. Did it all on gear. Found a good rock sling that made the 5.12 not a solo. Super good route in a sick area."

Matt Fultz has made the first repeat of Shawn Raboutou’s Big Z (8C+) in Tahoe making it his eighth 8C+.

“This is the hardest problem I have ever done without a doubt. Honestly, this is the first time I truly understand the concept of a problem being bigger and more meaningful than just the number attached to it.

I’ve been trying Big Z for the past 3 years. During my first 10-ish sessions I knew it was impossible for me. I’m too tall and don’t fit into the positions at all. My fingers are too big to fit into the cracks. My butt is too big to avoid the dab on the rock! I only continued to show up because I knew it was good for me to work on my weaknesses, and holy cow what a sick line! I eventually worked out the kneebar beta which unlocked the middle crux, but the kneebar also created a new issue... The transition out of the kneebar became a new crux [in itself] and set me up for the next moves terribly. This year I fell on the last move. Then a couple days ago I basically did it from one move in. I truly believed for the first time. Fast forward about 20 more sessions and I ended up on top with full confidence on my first try of the day.”

Luca Bana, who climbed Supercrackinette (9a+) two months ago, has completed A present for the future (9a/+) in Valle dell'Opol. "A couple of afternoons to put up the quickdraws, clean a bit and check out the holds, then a handful of sessions to get the job done. Some holds broke off some years after Adam's FA, when my friend Teto Carnati was trying it, making the lower section (crux) considerably harder. Fortunately the following traverse, of course challenging, didn't feel too hard to me once optimised to its best. That's why, when I got through the crux for the first time, thanks also to a good amount of fuel left in the tank, I accepted the game and made it to the top. Overall, a pretty good looking line despite the poor rock quality in the first meters and some very painful holds. About grades, solid 9a/+ or normal 9a+ should be fine."

The 26-year-old has done eleven routes 9a's and harder. He has also done the FA of 36 routes 8c and harder including five 9a's.

Bana adds: "I still have a few hard unclimbed projects near home, so the plan in the short term is to challenge again myself for high level FAs, let's see! I bolted most of them with my friend Bernardo Rivadossi"

What's the longest you've ever project a climb?
I think that the most challenging routes I did took me a maximum of 8/10 sessions to complete. I'm not a super fan of routes worked for too long, and I know that if I want to make it one step further and move to the next level I need to invest more time. Let's see, for sure I'll dedicate myself to longer projects sooner or later.

Samuel Ometz has made the FA of Avant demain (9a) in St-Loup. "Happy to free a new hard line on this mythical wall! After having tried "Demain" a dozen times over the last 4 years, I decided to try a variant starting in "Nightmare" to skip the 1st crux, the rest being already quite challenging. A first slabby crux with a textureless sloper, followed by a second low percentage crux on shitty feet. 8 days focused on this variant this year."

Can you tell us more about the Demain and how hard it could be?
It was bolted around 20 years ago, by David Hohl, both the original and the variant I did. Demain is the direct start and adds a hard boulder at the start. The variation I climbed joins Demain after that hard section (7bish climbing instead of an 8B/+ boulder). Such slabby routes are tricky to grade but Demain could be 9b.