Pepa Sindell, who last year sent Chiropetra (9a+) in Sulov, has done The FA of Hypoxia extension (9a) in Harmanec Krpcovo. The 15-year-old has previously also done four 8c+’. (c) Petr Piechowicz

Singing Rock has the full report and here is part of it. ”I tried Hypoxia in the fall of 2022 but failed to resolve the crux of this route at all, or even hint at it. The breakthrough didn't come until late December when the temperature dropped to zero, the rock was dry, and I found the solution of the boulder. But it was still far away to send. On April 23, I started Hypoxia with a clear head and no expectations. Just like that. I climbed easily the bottom 8b, shaked out in the rest, held the micro crimps and held the jump to the last small crimp, and that's when gravity turned off and I flew to the jug where I could shake again. I enjoyed the end of the route to the maximum.”

Pepa’s father has previously commented his sons ascents. "All members of our family climb and climbing is a our lifestyle, motivation and love for us. Pepa trains on the home bouldering wall in the barn and goes to the rocks as often as possible. Ideally every weekend plus the whole school holiday. Although he does not specifically prepare extra, he trains a lot. At least 3 to 4 times a week, power bouldering - old school wall, ideal conditions :-)."

Tristan Chen comes with the great story that he has done The Fly (9a) in Rumney (NH), only nine months after receiving a bone marrow transplantation due to leukemia. "Consider it chopped, I did it without a rope and I had cancer." Dave Graham made the FA back in 2001 with a rope but later more and bigger crash pads have made ropeless ascents possible. (c) Jordi Llauvi

Can you tell us more about the ascent and your leukemia treatment?
The send was not too bad, I fell on the last move on a rope a few times back in 2019, but hadn’t tried it since then. This time around I wanted to do it in better style, which meant bouldering/soloing it since it’s not very tall. So I borrowed some pads from a friend in town (I don’t live here anymore), and carried them up to the crag with some small help. One day to rehearse, one to weanie out, and then first try today thankfully to grab that sweet 9a free solo.

This comes just under a year since I was diagnosed with Leukemia, and nine months since I received a bone marrow transplant. Considering I didn’t think I’d be back to climbing ever again I’m quite excited. Getting back into climbing has been a bit of a process, and now I’m more focused on enjoying all aspects of it and not being so wrapped up in sends. I repeated Esperanza this winter, but this is the first new hard climb I’ve been able to do, and I’m positively oscillating that I was able to send in good style.

How come you had to go for a bone marrow transplantation and for how long have you been able to train hard?
Cause of the type of leukemia I had, and with it being refractory (still present after the first round of chemo), my oncologist said there was not a doctor in the country who wouldn’t recommend a BMT. In terms of process, it involved another round of rather intense chemo, another month in the hospital, plus some full body radiation. In terms of difficulty, I’d say relative to the other chemos transplant was harder then those chemos were to having no treatment. For instance after the first rounds of chemo I could still climb v10 fairly easily, and function sort of normally day to day, but after transplant I could barely do two pull ups, and walking around the block was quite difficult. And for at least a few months I was sleeping well over 12 hours a day.

I started weight training around Halloween to put back on the weight I’d lost, around 20 lbs, but didn’t start climbing again until around thanksgiving I’ve been climbing quite intensely again since around the New Year, and have been working quite hard to get back to my old strength level, particularly since I realized I may actually be able to. Plus I’ve been more psyched on sport climbing so I have some new challenges in climbing to work towards.

Last weekend, we saw the Speed World Records were beaten six times and there were multiple PBs. Commentator Matt Groom explains in a video that the new wall they are using has better texture and also, "Apparantely, the new holds set are just a little bit deeper." The grade of the 15 metres and 5-degree overhanging route was previously estimated to be 6b+.

Over the last two years, we’ve been improving the search-ability and data quality found on 8a with the help of our talented software developers who have had to cut back on their crag time to see this one out. We’re down to the final crux sequence and to get to the chains, we’ll need some insider beta! If you’re a well versed crag local or route developer, you can now apply and take advantage of 8a’s Crag Moderator Feature. As a moderator, you’ll have the power to edit and make corrections, plus merge double entries, where and when needed. 60 pilot moderators have already ironed out some of the kinks by carrying out 100,000 updates so far. Before we open this feature up for all locals, we would like to do another round of beta-testing by onboarding a further 30 moderators that are keen to have the utmost accuracy at their local spots on-hand in the 8a.nu database. Use this link to get started.

Mattéo Marobin, who last year did his first 9a, reports on Insta that he has made the FA of a project bolted in 1987 in Pène Haute, calling it Remise de Pène (9a) in Pène Haute. Here is the uncut video. Two weeks ago, the 18-year-old placed 5th at the Bouldering Euro Cup in Portugal.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Pène-Haute is THE cliff of the Aure valley, from where I’m a native. It is our little Céüse. Climbing there is known to be demanding. Good footwork and a strong mind are essential. Pène-Haute also marks the local history of climbing, written in the 80’s by great personalities of the valley. I was lulled by legends told by legends themselves. Climbing at Pène-Haute means following in the footsteps of this inspiring first generation.

This Christmas holidays, I spotted a line bolted, old and whose movements attracted me. On the guidebook the route was mentioned as “Project”, without grade. Alain Crenn told me that he had bolted it in 1987 because he knew that it was okay, even if they did not yet have the level at that time, because it was perhaps a 9th grade route.

So I spent every winter weekend there. The foot of the cliff was covered in snow, it was down to -7° [somedays], and there were [ice] stalactites on the route. Tuesday April 4, I finally sent the route. After 36 years, the route is finally free. That’s why I chose to call it “Remise de Pène”. It’s hard to grade a first ascent. I suggest 9a. The next repeaters will give their opinion…

Victor Guillermin, who last year made one podium in a Euro Youth Cup, has done the second ascent of Avaatara (9a) in Bataara Gorge. ”Incredible line in a sinkhole, bolted and climbed for the first time by David Lama.”

Can you tell us more about the Avaatara? It looks like a pretty unique line!
So I discovered this route back in 2019, when I saw for the first time the RedBull video of David Lama trying this route. Since I've always wanted to try this route, but I never had the occasion. Finally, I found the time to go to Lebanon and try this route. I wanted to make sure that I gave more than I took, so we came (thanks to Tenaya and Petzl), with climbing shoes for young Lebanese climbers and bolts for Jad El Khoury (the main developer of rock climbing in Lebanon).

Avaatara, is very particular, because it is located near a 100m sinkhole, so the access to the base of the route is very scary and dangerous. This took me a lot of mental energy during the trip. During the two first sessions, I managed to do all the moves and doing some sections, but when I started real tries at the third day, I fall in the crux, a hard dropknee to a half crimp. I kept falling at this move 20 times in a row, during 5 sessions but finally, I found an other beta, which was better for me, with heel hooks, two days before we took off to France.

In my last day, I felt better than ever, but conditions were really bad. It was windy, so the waterfall wet the holds and it rained a lot. But finally, probably on my last try, with a bit of sun, I managed to pass the crux and kept going to the anchor, with a huge fight and big screams! It was definitely for me one of my biggest fights and one of my proudest ascents!

I just would like to thanks David Lama for bolting this route, and also Jad El Khoury, but also Lea El Medawar (the photograph), Anthonin Salz and all the community of climbers in Lebanon! This country has just a craaaaazy potential for climbing🤯

What are your summer plans?
Haha nice ! This summer I don't really have a particular plan, but I will compete in different competitions. First European cups, and then maybe European and the World Youth Championships! Of course I want to try hard routes all over France like Trip tik tonik (9a), Supercrackinette (9a+), Le Cadre Nouvelle Version (9a), Beyond Integral (9b+), La moustache qui fâche (9a+)... A busy summer in perspective 🤣

Vojta Trojan, who already has eight 9a's to his name, has done Action Directe (9a) in Frankenjura. "The day of the send AD was all wet when we got there - I did the drying job, but it didn’t seem to work much and I was sure that it’s gonna be a miracle to even be able to try all the moves. Eventually, it got much better very quickly and I got very close with still a bit wet holds on the first try and managed to send the second go later on - at that point all the crucial holds were already dry." (c) Vojtech Ruta

How long have you been trying the route?
I tried last fall for 6-7 days. Actually, I was pretty close the fourth day or so, but then I had some bad days - opening splits or having bad conditions. So I had to wait until spring, sending it on the second day of this season.

What does it mean to send such a historic route?
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.

Have you climbed in other parts of the Franken?
We actually go to Frankenjura pretty often as I live 3-hour drive away. And I also tried and send my first 9a here (Der Heilige Gral) so I’m kinda bounded to this place. And I’m incredibly happy to send the most iconic line of Frankenjura even more.

Tanguy Merard has done his fourth 9a+, Biographie (9a+) in Céüse. Jean-Christophe Lafaille bolted it in 1989 and then in 1996 Arnaud Petit made it to the first 8c+ anchor. Five years later, Chris Sharma made the FA of the full 35+ meter line and later on, the first anchor was removed. (c) TLC Prod

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
After 3 years of trying it, coming back with the same motivation every season was so hard. I had ups and a lot of downs but I never gave up, every try I thought that was the good one and this during 4 summers. I tried this route for 50 or 60 days maybe, I don't know, too much to count. And then, with a lot of rage and intention, the biggest project in my life crystallised😋. I wasn't in the best shape on my first try, I struggled in the first part but on my second try I was a little bit better, I gave a big fight 🔥 and it happened!

This year in training I managed to give a lot of energy and intention, I worked on that in connection with breathing. I ventilated a lot to excite myself, I worked a lot on that and that's what got me to the chains that day. Biographie was like a mirror to me; she helped me to know myself better and understand how my mind and body work and made me grow. Thanks to all the people who supported me in this project, my friends, my coach, my sponsors, my family.

What are the next and 2023 plans?
The next project is coming 🔥: I tried Ratstaman Vibrations (9b) just after sending Biographie and I like it so much, I will try this route this summer, it is my main goal.

Fanatic Climbing has made an interview with the 19-year-old where he comments on his ascent. "What made the difference was having succeeded in getting me excited and having the rage to win at the top crux. I put that in place in my training this year, and with breathing, I managed to activate myself to be ready to give everything. I managed to reproduce exactly what I was able to do in the gym in terms of intention and excitement."

Maho Normand, who previously has done six 8c+'s, out of which, two at age 14, has sent Sachidananda (9a+) in Orgon. "First 9! Best line in the sector with a great effort! Harder than the 9a try! Hard for 9a and for me not 9a+ reference. Even if I do not like slash grades, I think the correct rating is 9a/+! The next ones will see if I said right. I can finally go somewhere else with peace of mind. What an incredible process!"

Already one year ago, he told 8a that he was working Sachidanada after having had almost a year off due to injuries and a lack of motivation.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Sachidananda was a project that I had in mind since my friend Victor Guillermin sent it. For the sequence, I spent say a big fifteen sessions to try, spread over one year! A few sessions last year were really bad, I couldn’t even do the movements of the crux and I couldn’t stack the sections because it was so intense for me. This year after a big recovery and regular training, I move well in the movements and in the 3rd session of the year I finally succeeded with a method of mine to pass the famous crux in the middle of the route!

After that, continuing to the chain...a whole other matter. After adapting to the route, we had to put in runs. Several sessions later I finally manage to chain. It was a big mental fight, full of emotion, I loved the process.