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More info.

Mateusz Haladaj, who since 2009 has done 17 routes 9a or 9a+, has sent Fabelita r2 (9a) in Santa Linya. "Monster of a route, 100 moves, definitely solid for the grade."

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
As in the past few seasons, I've been mainly focusing on my main project in Margalef First Round First Minute (9b) but this spring it got extremely dry and I was unable to perform at the south facing Laboratori sector. The plan B was to finish off the Fabelita extension, from which I fell at the anchor last year. The main plan was to build the long-time endurance required for the 100+ move route, considering my usual training for First Round is rather strength-oriented. Happy to be able to switch styles and perform something that is not my style...

1. Mejdi Schalck FRA 2 000 - Brooke Raboutou USA 1 690
2. Jongwon Chon KOR 1 185 - Miho Nonaka JPN 1 325
3. Tomoa Narasaki JPN 1 155 - Anon Matsufuji JPN 1 300
4. Hannes Van Duysen BEL 1 085 - Hannah Meul GER 1 240
5. Dohyun Lee KOR 1 065 - Ayala Herem ISR 1 105

1. Mejdi Schalck FRA 23 (2) - Miho Nonaka JPN 23
2. Tomoa Narasaki JPN 23 (6) - Oriane Bertone FRA 22 (4)
3. Jongwon Chon KOR 22 - Brooke Raboutou USA 22 (10)
Complete male results and female results.(c) Dimitris Tosidis/IFSC

Mejdi Schalck (18) won his second consecutive Boulder World Cup by onsighting two boulders and getting one extra zone. (8a interview published last Friday.) Tomoa Narasaki was runner-up needing six attempts for topping two boulders and Jongwon Chon was third, also topping two boulders. Due to rain on the first day, the semifinal was the final round and actually half of the 20 participants did not make any tops.

The women also faced a tough round with few tops and in the end, Olympic silver medalist, Miho Nonaka won by topping two boulders and getting one zone extra. Oriane Bertone got the silver with two tops in four attempts meanwhile Brooke Raboutou was awarded the bronze, needing ten attempts for her two tops. Similar to the men, eleven out of the 20 participants did not get any tops.

Nonaka Miho: “I’m so happy. I’m delighted to win this gold medal. I don’t know what to say. I’ve competed for so long and it’s been five years since I won at a Boulder World Cup. It feels crazy. I’m happy.”

Mejdi Schalck: “I think I don’t really realise what is happening. It’s just crazy. I just wanted to come here and do my best, climb and have fun. It’s crazy, I don’t think I realise actually what is happening.”

The men’s qualification round in the Seoul Boulder World Cup was postponed due to heavy rain. Among the women, Ayala Kerem from Israel, who was fourth in Hachioji, was the only one topping all five boulders. The other qualification group was won by Lucia Dörfel from Germany, #17 last weekend. All the big names made it to the semifinals that will give the final rankings due to a scheduel change. The male will do both the qualification and the semifinal (final) tomorrow. Complete results.

Amandine Loury has done En voie dure Simone (8c) in St Léger. The 33-year-old has since 2014 done ten routes 8c and harder. (c) Jean-Luc Jeunet

What is your climbing background?
I always have been passionate about the rock, even when I was competing. In 2012 I decided to stop competition and to spend all my free time on the rock. I’m sport teacher close to Saint léger du ventoux and Buoux. I practice rock climbing 3-4 times per week and this is the main training I really do. I’m very lucky to live in this amazing area, surrounded by world-class crag.

Can you tell us more about the 8c ascent?
It has been bolted by Graou and Nico Favresse did the FA. The route starts by 10 powerful moves. Then we get to the dyno which is the crux of the route. After 10 extra moves, you get to kneebar rest. Then you start a twenty meters 8b+ with a punch crux. All of that makes it an amazing 35 meters pitch on crazy rock in a crazy crag.

The sending day was too cold for me at first. But luckily 5 minutes of sun appear and I went for it. It took me 5/6 sessions on the route. Thanks to the friends who support me during the send.

What’s the next plan?
I’m currently in Geyikbayırı where I’m glad to do a lot of onsight and flash climbing with my beta machine Jean Luc Jeunet. (Yesterday, she flashed Olympos Games (8b))

William Bosi has done the FA of Wild South (8C) at Raven Tor. “The Low start to Wild West starting hanging from the jug in the break under the roof. Adds three moves into the start of wild west and then finishing a couple moves higher on the two flat edges above the belgue. video on my youtube. Probably my longest boulder project spanning many years and countless sessions could be 8C+.”

Delphine Chenevier, who, over the last year has done her two first 8b+'s, has sent Little Kings (8b+/c) in St Ange. The 47-year-old did her first 8b more than twenty years ago and in 1999, she placed #6 in a Boulder World Cup. More info at Fanatic climbing.

Mejdi Schalck, who did his first 9a at age 16, won his second Boulder World Cup last weekend in Hachioji after also becoming the French Champion last month. The 18-year-old was kind enough to answer a few questions the day before the Seuol World Cup. "I’m managing everything including media contacts by my self and sometimes it’s not easy but that’s a good thing for growing I think." (c) IFSC/Dimitri Tosidis

What are the boulders you like the most and excel at?
Coordination for sure because I really like feeling this "coordination flow" between the holds. For sure I like all dynamic stuff but I also really like boulders with pinches and I start to be stronger with time.

How did you train last winter?
I trained way more than in past years. Due to the new combined format, I needed to have more volume and be generally stronger. I did also a lot of lead at the beginning of the year for trying to level up and prepare for the second part of the season. But yes, during some periods I did more strength and other resistance efforts. I think I really progresses because I was really consistent in my motivation every day and serious in my training.

In a normal week I rest on Thursday and Sunday. I have;
- 2 general physical preparation sessions
- 2 specific physical preparation sessions.
- 3 bouldering sessions, one on a spray wall, one on hard boulders after work and one focused on quality.
- 2 lead - 1 cardio - 2 stretching - 1 slab training

In some training weeks, I only do 10 Lead sessions. In total, I train 20-25 hours a week. The most important is to always keep the passion and the fire you have in you.

Do you have a training partner for all your sessions?
My coach Victor Larzul is always with me on my sessions, and yes I train with Paul Jenft [who was #3 last weekend] since 6 years and we train around 3/4 a week together.



What are your goals for 2023?
My biggest goals for 2023 are the world champs in Bern and to try to qualify for the Olympics games, but the World Cups are also very important and I want to perform well in every World Cup I will do.

How much have you been able to climb outdoors this winter?
I went to Ticino for 10 days in November [where he sent Off the Wagon (8B+)] but I didn’t really take another moment for going outside. This year it will be quite hard to go out, I will try to take one or two weeks maybe after the World Champs. But after the Olympics I want to take a long period to go out, 3/4 months and try some cool projects! :)

Do you go to school and what are your other interests?
I stopped school until the Olympics because I wanted to focus 100% on it. I like video games etc ahah :) but not other huge interests.

In the first Speed World Cup in 2023, in Seoul Korea, Leonardo Veddriq from Indonesia first set a new world record in the quali with 4.98. Later in the quarter finals, he ran up the 16 m 6b+ route at 4.90 winning his fifth World Cup event. In 2012, the WR was 6.07 and further progression has happened since 2021 when the WR was 5.48. Kiromal Katibin, also of Indonesia has broken the WR six times, but in Seoul, he slipped and recorded a 5.73.

In women's speed climbing, Alexandra Miroslaw, from Poland, set her three WR's and her fastest was 6.25 recorded in the final. Her first WR was set in 2021 with 6.87. Miroslaw, who has won four golds at Euro and the World Championships since 2019, was #4 in the Tokyo Combined Olympics.

Overall, this was the fastest Speed climbing competition ever with all Top-16 males sub 5.43 and females sub 7.41. (c) IFSC/Dimitris Tosidis