Akira Waku, who at age 48 did Hydrangea (8C) in 2019 , has repeated Ryuichi Murai's Birth of the Cool (8B+) in Shiobara. Waku started climbing at 35 and didn't have any previous sports background. As there was no gym around he built one which he still runs.

Can you tell us more about your second 8C?
The number of working days was 5 days in 2021, 30 days in 2022, and 7 days in 2023, for a total of 42 days. Every single move of the original part up to where it joins Karamba was difficult. At first, I couldn't link them at all. In the second half of 2022, all the moves were finally solved and the connection try started. In 2023, a stoic weight loss and conditioning went well, and as soon as I entered awakening mode, I was able to break through the core stability, and I was able to send it.

How do you train?
Training is mainly 3 hours 2-3 times a week of finger and weight training with the beast maker and fingerboard at home. I don't go to the gym very often. I go outdoors on weekends.

Currently, the 52-year-old is working Nexus (8C+) which is a harder variation and in this video we can see he is pretty close sending it. Ryuichi Murai did the FA and it is still unrepeated. "It will be a line that connects to the 8B+ that I climbed the other day after doing 10 moves of 8B to 8B+ with my own moves. It's a long line with a total of 40 moves. I started trying it immediately after climbing the 8B+. It seemed like I could climb with a good feeling, but the season where I could exert my strength has come to an end. In Japan, July is the rainy season and the rocks get wet. July and August are summer months, with temperatures exceeding 30°C. The next season will start in September when it gets cooler. Until then, keep training."

In the female and male Combined national ranking, Japan is #1 with 4 870 points, followed by Austria with 4 399 and Slovenia with 4372 points. Complete National Team Ranking.

Noteworthy is that Jakob Schubert will not do the two upcoming World Cups in Chamonix and Briancon as his focus is the World Championship in Bern in August. The same goes for Tomoa Narasaki. Furthermore, neither Adam Ondra nor Alex Megos is registered for Briancon.

Janja Garnbret topped out the final with ease, just like the quali and the semi. The route setters created a spectacular rotation move where Janja stood facing the spectators. Janja has now won 40 World Cups out of which 25 have been Lead events. Jessica Pilz took silver and Brooke Raboutou bronze, and both timed out climbers timed out before falling. Complete results (c) Vladek Zumr

Garnbret told the IFSC, “It feels incredible. I’ve always loved Villars. I’ve always loved coming here and I feel a bit like it’s my competition and it’s home here. After Innsbruck I felt confident and I can see my Lead [comp] shape is there. I have been climbing with confidence and that’s how I have climbed in the finals here.”

The youngsters are coming up strong and fast, but this go around, it was the three of the most senior competitors on the Villars' podium. Jakob Schubert, 32, won his 20th Lead World Cup. The Austrian has now won 25 WC’s which makes him the men’s record holder. Adam Ondra, 30, was runner up followed by Alex Megos, 29. The average age of the other five finalists was 19. Complete results (c) Lena Drapella/IFSC

Schubert told the IFSC, “It feels so amazing, it’s been a while especially in the World Cup. I spoke to Adam [Ondra] and Alex [Megos] in Innsbruck, the field is so strong now it’s an achievement just to make finals. Going against these old guys, and the youngsters, it was amazing to come out on top today. It also feels amazing to be on the podium with two great friends. We were discussing if this is the oldest podium. The old guys dominated today.”

Adam Ondra and Janja Garnbret won the qualification in Villars. Among the men, Japan had six among the Top-10 and the biggest sensation was that Alberto Gines Lopez was #54. Garnbret topped both routes and the only favourite missing out the Top-26 semi was Miho Nonaka #37.

Ryuichi Murai started his trip to Rocklands by doing Book Club (8B+) and Ménage à trois (8B+) followed by Monkey Wedding (8C). On Insta He says of the Fred Nicole classic, "Climbing for 6 days without rest days because African life is too fun. Yesterday, I managed to send one of the main goals of this tour. Seven years ago I couldn't do the full reach crux at all, but this time it felt easy." (c) Nari Tomo

The 29-year-old was #5 in a World Cup in 2018 and stopped his competition career one year later. Since then he has done five 8C+, out of which three FAs.

Martina Demmel, #43 in the Villars World Cup yesterday, has last week sent One Piece (8c) in Frankenjura. "Totally enjoyed the crux sequence on this one which demanded a lot of tension & precision! 2 more tries after "Akira"! Felt like a very first of its grade;) now after my recent injury."

How did you break your wrist and how long time ago did you remove the cast?
2,5 months ago now😉. I was falling pretty high up and there was a lot of rope-drag why I hit the wall pretty hard (probably I was belayed a bit too hard as well) and it took 20 days to find out that it's broken and in total 4 months without using this hand at all, so I'm pretty surprised and relieved how well I can move on the wall already again😁💃📈

What are your summer plans?
I'm already nominated for the next 2 WC's in Chamonix and Briançon and then I hope to be able to go World Champs in early August but this depends on how the comps are going now... after that I'm planning to go to Switzerland and France (probably La Ramirole and a few other crags I wanted to check out for years already😁) for a few weeks of rock before the next comps and before police school starts again🌞🏔💃

Vojta Trojan sent his dream route Action Directe (9a) in May, which he commented on 8a. "Action Directe is definitely a route I always wanted to do. It’s an amazing feeling to tick off something from the life goals down. Even if it’s just another 9a - but with this one it’s a bit different." Now his video is released with more beta details.