Yannick Flohé, who won the Brixen WC in 2022, has repeated Daniel Woods’ classic La force tranquille (8C) in Magic Wood.

”I tried La Force on the first day of the trip after I sent New Base Line and did all the moves quickly. I couldn’t really try though due to classic Magic Wood rainy weather. From then on I tried it two more session but it got worse every day. I feel like Magic Wood in September is either way too warm or wet.

On the 4th session I managed to dry all the holds with a fan after a heavy rain and basically sent the boulder. Unfortunately the slab at the end which is about 6a was still super wet and I had no chance to top out so I came back on the next day and climbed it all the way to the top. I fell only once after the heel hook move and about 30 times at the beginning when my heel slipped after doing the big move to the slot. Anyway nice boulder I’ll come back one day for the direct finish from Jakob.”

"Silver lining is a great highball! A long-standing project in Finland that was finally put up by Andy Gullsten back in 2020. When I returned to Finland in 2021 I had 2 days on it on top-rope trying the sequences. 6 pads weren’t for me enough, so I knew I had to return more prepared. Last year this line was in my mind as much as the other ones in the movie. Finding it dry isn’t simple, but that day I was lucky. I spent the whole session alternating top rope attempts and ground-up goes, growing my confidence in the fall. Surprisingly, at 5 o’clock, everything worked well! I had 10 pads :) logistics was crucial!

I love to return to Finland. I like the vibes, the settings and the variety of rock. There is so much to visit around Helsinki and with a bit of driving effort, you can climb some world-class problems. It’s really spread out and this is personally another good feature which makes travelling there unique!"

Giuliano Cameroni, who has made the FA of at least 20 boulders 8B+ to 8C+, is pictured in the latest great Mellow video sending three 8B+/8C'; Peace Corps, Flip the Switch (FA) and Solar Plexus (FA).

Ainhize Belar Barrutia, who did her first 8c at age 14, has done her ninth, Tsunami (8c) in Araotz/Oñate. Earlier this year the 17-year-old also sent her first 8c+ as well as Begi puntuan (9a) and in the female redpoint 8a.nu ranking , she is #1. "It’s a route that I’ve always wanted to try and I looked it every time I went to the Korea sector. It took me 5 attempts in total."

Janja Garnbret has won all three of the Lead World Cups in 2023 that she has participated in and she will secure her sixth overall title if she is #7 in Wujiang this weekend. However, the Slovenian is not registered to compete in China. Any of the other Top-6 ranked will surpass Janja by winning the last event. For Jessica Pilz and Vita Lukan, placing fourth respectively third, would be enough to surpass Janja (see below). The score is presented by counting four out of five results, including the results needed to overtake Janja. Complete ranking (c) Vladek Zumr

1. Janja Garnbret SLO 3 000 points: Not registered to compete
2. Jessica Pilz AUT 2 430: #4 in China = 3 040
3. Vita Lukan SLO 2 350: #3 = 3 040
4. Chaehyun Seo KOR 2 180: Needs to win
5. Nonoha Kume JPN 2 090: Not registered to compete
6. Jain Kim KOR 2 030: Needs to win

Based on the prerequisites above, there is still a chance for Janja to win overall. Ai Mori has been runner-up after Janja in both the WCs she has done in 2023 and she is the favourite to win in China.

"It was dramatic to the very end." On the 8a finish of Project Big in Flatanger, Jakob Schubert explains that a horn broke and he was close to falling. The last three minutes of the video show just how much this climb means to him.

"This horn could have ended my career... This was the biggest mental battle that I have ever had in my career with a route... I have never tried a route that much. This is actually the first lead route that I have tried and didn't finish in one trip. I have almost tried it for two months."

Domen Škofic, who last week did a 9a in Flatanger, has flashed Muy Verdes (8c). (c) Moritz Klee

Can you tell us more about the flash?
Special thanks to Henning Wang for explaining his beta’s 🙏🏻 I improvised at some moves especially the kneebars as they didn’t work for me again 🙃 but the rest was super useful. The route has two huge rests, so I took quite some time there. I’m not sure how long… I was very pumped when I held the jug after the last hard sequence because I messed up the beta and maybe made some moves too many, 😅 but it was still quite under control.

Karoline Sinnhuber, who previously has sent 48 boulders 8A+ or 8B, has done Invader of the kingdom (8A+) in Felbertal. "No words. I can still remember the days where little Karo was in the cave with her dad and tried this boulder. Haven't been there for ages now, because the cave was literally ALWAYS wet when I drove there. Last week - same story. We somehow made it climbable with a lot of fans. Fell at the end due to a heel slip urgh. This week the cave was D R Y! Never seen it dry before!!! worked out in my 2nd go 🙂 probably an FFA."

Benn Wheeler has done his third 8B+, The Wheel of Wolvo in Mount Blue Sky. The 18-year-old has a wide grade pyramid having done 41 boulders 8A+ and harder.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and your climbing background?
I started climbing when I was around 7 years old because my brother climbed. I mostly did comps, but in the last 4 years, I have started bouldering outside, mostly in Pennsylvania. Last month I moved to Colorado to go to college and The Wheel of Wolvo was something I had singled out as a project before coming. It took me 5 days of effort, mostly focused on getting through the first two moves. It was awesome to meet so many strong climbers in the cave, and have steady progression to the send. Excited to move onto more, harder projects in Colorado!

What is your autumn plan and what is your long-term dream in climbing?
Keep training in the gym for the majority of my climbing, but I’ve started projecting some climbs in Wild Basin, mainly Topaz, Railway White noise.

I would like to climb v16 [8C+] by the end of college, and in my life be able to travel to my dream spots and try the best problems in the world. End of life goal is to raise triplets who all climb v19 [9B].

Niki Rusev, who last year did his third 9a, has onsighted Helikopter v omaki (8b) in Mišja Peč. "At first I wasn’t motivated to climb but later I got enthusiastic to try something doable in a day. I managed to do my first 8b onsight✊. If the grade is solid, that means this is the first 8b OS for Bulgaria 🇧🇬, which is great for the Bulgarian climbing community🙂." (c) Vladimir Pekov

Can you tell us more about the onsight?
No doubt I felt in my best shape ever but not every time it goes how I wanted to be [He was #46 in the Koper WC]. Followed by a crazy eating of a big amount of unhealthy food, the next day we went rock climbing in Osp. It was hot and humid, also I really didn’t want to climb after all that food and bad qualis but then I got enthusiastic to try something doable in a day. First I sent Baram Baram (8a+) 2nd go, then decided to try an 8b OS.

I got pumped after the second clip but the big jugs on the stalactites made me stay. It was quite a big fight with the pump to reach out at the end of the first part. I tried to go into the ext. which is 8c but immediately fell. It was great this worked out. I can’t tell if the grade is solid, but I’m still happy I’m improving my onsight style, little by little. Usually, I project something longer, but short trips give great challenges for onsights.