Tom Bolger reports on Instagram that he has done the FA of E.L.L.I.E. (9b). "This hybrid route of both boulder with pads into a route (where I low level decked a bunch of times )😅 has its own unique character. For the mathematicians out there it works out at 8A+/B Boulder - into an 7C+/ 8A Boulder into an 8c+ route … it’s a Lot of steeeeepppp climbing ." (c) Esteban Lahoz

The 36-year-old did his first 9a in 2011; in 2022, he did his first 9a+ with the FA of The journey (9a+) and last year he repeated Maya (9a+). The Brit has lived in Catalunya and put up several hard lines there over the last decade, but he often still travels back to the UK for work.

Stefano Carnati has made the second ascent Vicious Circle (9a+) at Mišja Peč, which is a bouldery 8c+ start linking into Sanjski par extension (9a) that Adam Ondra put up in 2016. "9a+/b. 40 movements, extreme power endurance climbing with a hard crux. Broke the first hold and the entry section got slightly harder (climbed it second try before then and had to spend another two days to solve it again ), I used kneepads which helped for some rests. In my opinion, the first half itself is much harder than the second (i.e. “Sanjski par”), but the second is definitely the redpoint crux. What a process! 2nd ascent and 2nd hardest route I climbed so far!" (c) Nicholas Hobley

What was the process like on this one?
It took me 3 sessions for “Sanjki par extension”, the second half of the route, and 10 to 12 more for Vicious circle, out of which 7 at least only for the first part. During my stay in Slovenia I gradually attempted to make up this condition in order to feel up to projecting something that was continuously pushing me to my upper limit. For the nth time in my climbing career I ended up in the loop of projecting, the typical process made of progress, setbacks, pressure, vacillation and so forth affecting all lovers of the sport. But, last Saturday I found the key to break this endless loop! Now it's time for some extra slices of cake and looking forward to diving into another upcoming loop!!! My warmest thanks to all the people who made this process so enjoyable! Proud! 🙌 🍻 🍰

Last year, the 25-year-old Italian did Erebor (9b) as well as Vecchio Leone Sit (8C+). Currently, he lives in Slovenia and he's in his second year of PhD studies in environmental and chemical sciences.

How do manage climbing and your PhD program?
As I mainly work in a lab, my schedule is rather busy, so I train mostly in the evening. I generally train three days a week and climb outdoors during the weekend.

What is next now that you have done almost all the routes in Misja Pec?
I’ll be in Slovenia until May so I am really looking forward to visiting some other crags around (e. g. Ter, Čreta…). Hopefully, they will dry soon. I also left some unfinished business in Istria, but the weather went from cold and rainy to too warm in a few weeks, so I’d rather save these crags for another season.

Ben Hanna sent Ace of Spades (9a+) at the Poptire Cave 17 months ago, but kept it a secret. ”I’ve been wating a long time to post this! [Climbed it] First time making it through the boulder, and I’d be damned if I was going to fall on the top and have to fight through that boulder again”. (c) Ian Dzilenski

What was it like keeping it a secret for almost one and a half years?
It was hard at first for sure, but after awhile it actually became quite fun. I had been thinking about this idea of making a climbing film with a few hard climbs which nobody knew I had done and when I sent Ace of Spades I decided this was my chance to make that film. I never thought it would take more than a year to make the film but in the end I’m really glad I committed to it.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I had tried it a few times over about a year and a half. I was able to do all of the moves the first day but linking the first boulder problem was quite hard for me. A lot of people fall on the last boulder problem, and I had belayed my friend on it a lot and watched him fall at the top a few times which was was really getting in my head. The day I sent it, I made it though the boulder to the first rest for the first time ever and I remember thinking “damn I really don’t want to do that boulder ever again” and so I just decided right there I wasn’t going to fall no matter what, and I was able to take it to the chains.

What is on your agenda now?
I am in Spain until the 7th of April, hard sport climbs! I’ve been here for 3 days. Still trying to figure out what I want to try.

Sierra Blair has repeated Chris Sharma’s Captain Hook (8A+) in Oak Flats and here is the video. ”First send post break…and possibly since 2003 pre-break haha.”

Can you tell us more about Captain Hook?
I saw Captain Hook for the first time when I was 11 years old and remember thinking it was impossible at the time. Last season I looked at Captain Hook and saw a hold broke. I put a few tries into the boulder and once again thought it was impossible (especially with the break). I made it a goal to send Captain Hook this season and was excited to get the boulder done in a few sessions. It’s definitely a very proud line at Oak Flat.

William Bosi planned to have a rest day but could not resist trying to flash Lethal Design (8A+) in Red Rock (NV). ”Very happy to get a no beta flash on this classic.” (c) Teresa Coimbra

Was it like a comp flash with just some observation?
Yeah, so I thought about the moves for a couple of minutes whilst I tried to quickly warm up and put shoes on.

How did you warm up? Was it the first climb of the day?
Yes first pull on of the day. I took max. 5 min of dynamic stretching and wiggling my fingers and then went for it as we didn’t have much time, so I knew I only had one quick go. Then I went and did the classic, The Pork Chop (6A). Was meant to be a rest day as my girlfriend was the one climbing that day, but those two problems looked too good.

Skibidi Rizz God, who last year sent The Game (8C) , has done Mind to Motion (8B+) in Elkland. ”Amazing boulder, had to find different beta for the beginning and top out sequences. I almost died on the top.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and about your dying moment?
Mind to motion is around 18 moves in total. The main portion of the boulder is techy compression on crimps, until you reach a flat jug. After that you have to compose yourself for the sketchy top out. I started trying it with my brother Sam, and after a few sessions we were both able to send!

“Almost dying” was a bit of an exaggeration, haha. The top out climbs right over a ledge, if you happened to fall there you’d most likely roll down the hill. When I got there on my send go, there were a few times where I almost fell. Luckily I was able to push through and make it to the top.

Luca Bacer has done Sanjski par extension (9a) in Mišja Peč. "Without kneepads and with the underclings all the way to the top. First 9a!" (c) Stefano Staffetta

Can you tell us more about Sanjski Par?
I started trying the route a couple of seasons ago, without knowing if I'd ever manage to send it one day. I started to put more effort into it only last season and I soon sent the first anchor (8c+), but then some injuries stopped me. This season I felt more prepared and I immediately started making some good links, managing to climb the first pitch 8 times. Last week conditions were good and I finally succeeded in climbing all the way to the top of the extension.

Working this route really taught me to appreciate the way the first climbers had done it and I wanted to respect their style by doing exactly the same line with the same tools of the time. ... Like this, trying and eventually climbing the route proved even more fun and challenging for me.

Adam Ondra has flashed Luftig kö till nålens öga (8B+) at Kjugekull. ”Probably hard 8B? Fit my style perfectly except for the last move. Did it with the left heel and then the cut loose was so much on the limit!”

This was the fourth problem graded 8B+ that Ondra has flashed however, he's downgraded all but one of these flash successes to 8B. (c) Paul-Martin Luc, who shared the beta with Ondra, said that, "He came very prepared and knew basically all boulders from watching videos."

On Instagram Ondra further adds, "Everything flowed really well, I got all technical details [down] perfectly on this compression beast and I found myself at the final cut-loose, where I just tried really really hard (can’t remember when I had to try so hard in the span of just a second) and I was on the top."

Emelie Gearhardt, who the over last two years has done roughly 20 boulders problems graded 8A and harder, reports on Instagram that she has sent Walk The Line (8A+) in Chironico.

Can you tell us more about this boulder problem?
I tried „walk the line“ many years ago for the first time but it felt really hard for me so I didn’t try it again. In January we‘ve been in Ticino for some days and I decided to give it another try after so many years. I was surprised because it felt pretty good and I was able to climb the stand start. So I was psyched to go back to Ticino to finish the sit start, and luckily [this trip] it went well!

Camille Coudert, who climbed Soudain seul (9A) in 2022, has repeated The Story Of 2 Worlds (8C) which he feels is not harder than 8B+. Dave Graham made the first ascent of The Story of 2 Worlds in 2005, and at that time he felt it was the new standard for 8C. Six years after Graham's FA, Paul Robinson made the first repeat and as of today it has been logged 29 times in the VL database, which makes it one of the most climbed 8C boulder problems in the world (if that grade were to stand).

Can you tell us more about why you think The Story is 8B+?
I think I spent 5 sessions on 3 trips, all with complicated weather conditions (rain and heat). Again this weekend I came for 2 days and only had a 3 hour window between the rain to climb.

The main difference [that makes it easier] is the new beta for the stand [The Dagger (8B)]. We could break the boulder down into 7C+ for the sit start part (with a knee pad), 7C+/8A (without knee pad), followed by an 8A+/B [for The Dagger portion] instead of what was originally graded 8B+. All the climbers who did The Dagger seem to agree on that.