Elias Arriagada Krüger, who previously had one 8c as his hardest route, has done Unendliche Geschichte 1+2+3 (9a) in Magic Wood.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
“Unendlich Geschichte” was on my mind since I have stepped into magic wood the first time. Before even arriving I saw it on pictures and I was instantly impressed but also intimidated. Back then I did not even climb 8a and didn’t dare to think I could climb it someday. From the beginning on I hated the idea of climbing the boulder just into the middle of the wall and then jump down, especially because it’s possible to top it out. So for me it was always clear that if I climb “Unendlich Geschichte”, I had to do it with top-out and then as a route. In fact I checked out the last part even before I climbed the first part.

Last year was the first time I seriously tried to link the parts. I think I had like 2 sessions, came kinda close to link part 1 and 2, but wasn’t successful. This year, right after my competition season ended, I drove to Magic Wood for a few days and put some work into it again. On my last day, after climbing “Voigas” 8a+ and “Dark Sakai” 8b, I was able to link part 1 and 2 but didn’t have the harness on. One week later I came back with my good friend Flo Wintjes for the weekend. He started the day with an ascent of “Mystic Styles” and gave me later the spot a belay on “Unendlich Geschichte”. I warmed up with the link of the second and third part. Then I started giving my first real Go’s with harness and on my 4th Go, I finally came through the second part again and didn’t let go until I was standing on top of the bloc. I was so happy that I did not fall on the last part, because I got so pumped that I still felt my forearms the next day hahah. Incredible happy that I finally climbed this kingline, absolutely a dream come true!

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Jain Kim, who previously has won 29 Lead World Cups, secured her first victory since 2019. The 34-year-old made it five holds higher than Nonoa Kume and Helene Janicot. It should be mentioned that Chaehyun Seo, who won the semi, was called down as she missed clipping one quickdraw. Complete female results

Among the males, Toby Roberts was in a league on his own cruising to the top and he actually turned to the audience and waved two holds from the top. Sam Avezou was runner-up and 16-year-old Sorato Anraku got the bronze. Complete male results (c) Jan Virt

Jain Kim: “I really didn’t expect to get gold as there are so many good young climbers, I’m just happy to stand between them. It’s pretty amazing. Unbelievable. I wanted to make my daughter proud, and I think she will be. I’m sure she is in bed right now but when I get back to Korea I am going to give her my medal.”

Toby Roberts: “It’s absolutely incredible, I’m a bit lost for words right now. I’m still incredibly pumped and my heart is going. There are no words. The crowd was incredible and it felt so surreal up there. For me Lead has always been extra special. I really enjoy the aspect of fighting and giving your absolute maximum and hearing the crowd get behind you when you give everything."

Jonathan Siegrist, who previously has done 70 routes 9a to 9b, has sent Jungle Boogie (9a+) in Céüse. Including also an onsight of Radote jolie pépère (8b) the 37-year-old is #3 in the 8a ranking game. (c) Ryan Deegan
“A total nemesis for me! So hard. I lost track of the days but it was.. a lot. I felt so close for a while now but just couldn't quite get the stars to align. Patience was the key. So proud that I saw it through, especially as the heat has arrived and the pressure was really mounting.”

What was the trick in the end?
It took some time to get the specific strength for it, and then it took a while to keep pushing and hope for the variables to align (skin, conditions, my mental and physical). In the end the ‘trick’ was patience and accepting the idea that I might try forever 😂

The Reusa brothers, Michele and Matteo, who both previously have done two 8c+, have sent TCT (9a) in Gravere.

Michele, in the picture, comments: ”I tried the route for 2 days plus attempts on the 2 routes that make it up (L'Extremacura (8c) and Base Jump (8b+)). The route is very beautiful. It’s a resistance route and the game is to do the 8c very easy in order to arrive on the 8b+ well.”

Matteo, 15, has won two Euro Boulder Cups in 2023 and Michele, 16, was #6 in his only appearance. In the 8a ranking game, the little brother is #4 and big brother is #6.

Ainhize Belar Barrutia, who two months ago did her first 9a, has done Welcome to Tijuana (8c) in , after trying it 4-5 sessions. (c) Javi Pec

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Café solo was one of the few crags that was dry because it has been raining a lot so I decided to try it. It’s a short route with very powerful movements, especially if you are not tall, but I enjoyed it a lot.

What are your summer plans?
Now I want to do some projects that I have close to home and in August I will go to Ceuse and Frankenjura to know other places. I have national competitions after summer (Lead especially) but now I’m more focused on the rock.

Stephan Vogt has done Power of now 8B+ and End of Story (8c+) in Magic Wood. The 29-year-old German has previously done two 9a's and also two 8C's. (c) Friederike Traub

Can you tell us more about these latest sends?
After two very intense months filled with lots of route setting and filmmaking, I decided to return to Magic Wood. A place very dear to my heart. The plan was to focus on a few climbs I always wanted to do. When climbing „Stil for Talent“ (fb8C) and „Never Ending Story 1+2+3“(9a) in 2021 I already saw this beautiful yet intimidating line going from the Jug of Never Ending Story slightly left and up to the top of the Bruno Block. In my opinion, this is the best and most logical ropeless way up, and it seems crazy that no one had climbed it yet. When I arrived here a few weeks ago I heard that Josh Cornah did the first ascent last year. I checked it out on the rope and sent it quickly after relearning the lower parts. This line has about 25+ moves so I think giving it 8c+ as a lead grade makes most sense, for it feels slightly easier than the right exit, which gets 9a. It also feels a lot easier than „Stil for Talent“ so if you were to give it a boulder grade I think 8B+ sounds fair considering that the first two parts are low end 8B+.

Two Years ago I also had a good session on „Power of Now“ in my opinion one of the best boulders in the forest. First Ascended by Giuliano Cameroni. So naturally this one was on my list as well. Pretty happy to see that my winter training with Gabriel Prange seems to have helped with becoming a more powerful climber. In my second session this trip I finally stuck the first hard move which I could not do last time. A few sessions later I found myself on top of this amazing boulder. Good trip so far. Can't wait so see what the next week will bring before returning to Germany.

”During the IFSC Executive Board meeting yesterday, 5 July 2023, the IFSC took note of the resignations submitted by the Medical and Antidoping Commission Chair, Eugen Burtscher (AUT) and member, Volker Schoeffl (GER) and thank them for their service to the sport and athletes’ health. The Executive Board gave full support to the remaining members of the Medical Commission and to the IFSC Sport Department to deliver on approved IFSC Executive Board protocols.” Here you can read the IFSC statement.

8a asked Volker Schöffl, who just resigned from the IFSC Medical Commission, due to the "non-action of IFSC", in regard to RED-S problems of the athletes, to comment on the new IFSC statement.

"Well, it just shows that they do not get the message, continue the way they treat it and do not take internal consequences. Disappointing. Also, it just causes me to worry even more. We have made a very detailed plan and worked on this for months. Nevertheless, they always delay it… or don't want to take real action. Thanks for taking up the topic.”

Could you say something about the plan especially if it includes something practical which can easily be understood?
The plan was: to screen for low BMI/MI. Athletes under a certain threshold would be considered and needed to hand in medical tests, eg lan, bone mineral density, etc, as well as psychological evaluation and questionnaire for reds and eating disorders. These medical health data would undergo medical evaluation in accordance with a scoring system developed with IOC Medcom guidance. Then they would get graded; Green, Yellow, and Red. Red, meaning the risk for athletes' health or psyche IFSC would be supposed to not allow competing for a certain time. It is quite easy. A lot of work went into establishing the evaluation parameters. Everything was finalised from our side weeks ago. No further action was done by IFSC, delayed the process, and did not communicate. MI is mass index which is a fairer version of BMI. Had lots and lots of external specialist opinions etc considered. While BMI/MI has its flaws it is still the easiest ubiquitous accessible tool, also proposed by WHO. It is not used to disqualify anyone, just a filter to see who may have a problem.

In Schöffl's own words on Instagram:
"As a consequence of the non-action of the IFSC I resign with immediate effect from my voluntary position in the IFSC Medical Commission.

Hereby I am drawing the same consequence as our MedCom president [Eugen Burtscher]. We share the opinion that as medical doctors we can no longer accept the non-action of the IFSC concerning the RED-S problems of our athletes.

I have been a #MedCom member since the inauguration of the IFSC in 2009. During that time frame we achieved many goals for the well-being of our athletes. However, the current politics with regards to RED-S cannot be accepted. We have worked for more than 10 years on the topic. We have collected numerous data, have measured BMI/MI at every WorldCup last year and have developed very profound plans how to detect and help athletes with such problems. We have spent many hours in meetings and on the desk establishing a new and better system of monitoring and decision making. As a consequence, we now have the most profound data on this matter of all sport disciplines. We have pointed out the problem and possible solutions to the sports director and board continuously and repeatedly. However, the only acknowledgement we have received has consisted of defamation and discouragement. In short, the IFSC may not be willing at all to undertake further action regarding this important health issue of its athletes and is acitvely delaying and slowing down any decisions that could lead to much needed action.

As medical doctors we cannot accept this any longer. Sport climbing has a RED-S problem. Possible solutions to detect, evaluate and help critical athletes were developed through the Medical Commission. These solutions have been and are being ignored. No further action is taken by the IFSC.

For the wellbeeing of our athletes and the development of this sport, I cannot take any responsibility on this matter and am forced to resign.

Many thanks to my long-time colleagues and friends in the Medical Commission for their work and efforts, especially to our president Dr.Eugen Burtscher. I hope this step may help the cause and our athletes but I know it won‘t."

Volker Schöffl – climbing doctor