Fabrice Landry has done the FA of Le consommateur (9a) in Manjo-Carn. The 32-year-old has previously done four FAs 8c to 9a in the same crag. (c) Arthur Delicque

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Happy to have succeeded in my 9a training path. This is a variation of my main objective, Chicken deluxe (9a+) which Lucien Martinez did the FA of last December. It shares crux two and three but avoids the first pitch estimated at 8c and replaces it with a 7c by starting in a neighbouring route.

I will take the opportunity to communicate the potential of this sector, which with 6 routes in the 9th grade without counting the variants has enough to attract the best and deserves to be better known. Not to mention the latest addition, a new natural 9b project, no reinforcement, no sika, nothing at all for 25 intense movements without rest!

There are 95 male and 76 female competitors registered to compete in the Hachioji Boulder World Cup this weekend. Japan has put 23 athletes forward and France as well as the USA, have 12 athletes competing. A new rule this year stipulates that each country can only have two athletes per gender, besides the countries that have earned extra spots based on the last year's WC results. The big names missing from the starting list are Adam Ondra, Alex Megos and Janja Garnbret, who broke her left toe in February.

The Boulder World Cup in Japan also marks the start of the Olympic qualification process. In 2023, 8 males and 8 females will get their Olympic tickets through the World (6) and the Continental Championships (10). The remaining 20 to 24 spots will be rewarded based on the Olympic qualification series in 2024, where 48 male and female athletes will compete in four Boulder & Lead events. With a max of four spots per nation in the series and the possibility that Japan, France and the USA will have already filled their Olympic quota, it could be that being in top-80 in the Combined World Cup ranking in 2023, is enough to make it to the 2024 Olympic qualification series.

Roman Alexander Hofmann has done Activate the Hyperdrive (9a) in Wedderburn Cave. Video

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
The line is located in Sydney & in one of the best roofs in the country. The cave was first established in 2011 with mostly power endurance boulders. Only one hard V11/8A short boulder existed there at the time. I have been climbing at the cave every winter (4-6 months) since 2017. Here I have consistently pushed and developed my climbing.

One of the hardest lines before "Activate the Hyperdrive" was Turbo Deluxe (8B+)4, which I established a few years ago. "Activate the Hyperdrive" adds a long V11/8A intro and has 44+ moves total. This is why it's more of a route at 9a. Boulder grade would be V14/15 (8B+/C). Super crazy power endurance. The line took me 2 more seasons to complete after Turbo Deluxe.

Can you give us more details about the cave?
Wedderburn Cave is located approximately 70km south of Sydney Central. It is still one of the suburbs of Sydney. There are about 20 individual lines from V7-V14 (7B - 8B+). The rest are link-ups, combining some of these lines into Mega Lines. There are no eliminates as all the sections are far enough apart to be able to be climbed completely separately and often also in reverse. A truly unique spot.

Two weeks ago, Chris Sharma, 41, made the FA of Sleeping Lion (9b+) in Siurana after projecting it for one and a half years. This was his first cutting-edge redpoint since he did the FA of El Bon Combat (9b) in 2015. Photographer Rikki Giancola has, since November, travelled with him from Barcelona to Siurana, doing long day trips, twice a week.

"He is a motivation machine. Toni Arbones was his belayer and mental coach. Chris fell on the same move I think 15 times and that move was near the very end of the route. Arbones helped him a lot with dealing with the fact that for some moments he thought he couldn’t do it. [The day he did it] Was epic and all the climbers on the Pati in Siurana were shouting and celebrating with Chris.” We recently caught up with Chris and he was kind enough to give us the inside scoop below.

Where do you get the motivation to keep pushing hard, being over 40, and how does that impact your daily life?
Well, I’ve been climbing about 30 years. And even though I’ve embarked on new chapters in my life with family and business etc, climbing is still a huge part of me and something that gives me so much joy, especially when I’m able to climb with good sensations on amazing routes like Sleeping Lion.

How did you find the line and how much time do you spend searching for new lines?
I think every time I was in Siurana over the last 15 years I would always look at that section of the wall and dream if it might be climbable, then one day I took the time to put some bolts in to have a closer look and I was pleasantly surprised to find a a perfect line just barely there.

What was hardest thing about projecting Sleeping Lion?
The route pushed me in many ways. Physically of course but also mentally and emotionally. It’s one thing to feel capable of something but it’s a whole other thing to restructure your life around an objective like that and bring it into reality. It’s definitely more challenging balancing all the elements of life these days but climbing is such a grounding activity for me so it felt really good to make the time for this.

Specifically though the last hard move of the route, move #54 or something…. I fell off there 16 times over three months. So there was a big psychological element in being able to endure that and not lose hope. Very happy it finally clicked.

What do you think was the most critical thing that made it all come together?
I guess, I worked the route into submission. In that process I also worked my own ego into submission as well. When I got to the point that I didn’t even really care anymore I was able to let go and go all out a little bit harder.

Do you have more "Sleeping Lions" on the horizon?
I have several other routes, multi pitch and DWS in mind but I’m also happy to float for a while until the next thing captivates me in an organic way without forcing the agenda.

Chris started making headlines at age 14 when he won the USA nationals in 1996. The next year he won silver at the World Championship and then he won his first-ever Lead World Cup. From 2000 to 2004, he did one Boulder WC per year and his worst result for four straight years was bronze.

Taking a look at everything he has accomplished on rock over the past nearly 30 years is nothing but astounding.
1996 SuperTweak (8c) at age 15
1997 Necessary Evil (8c+) FA
2001 Biographie 9a+ FA
2004 Practice of the Wild (8C) FA
2007 Es Pontas 9a+ DWS FA
2008 Jumbo Love (9b) FA
2013 La Dura dura (9b+)
2023 Sleeping Lion (9b+) FA

Chris has done nine routes 9b and harder, out of which he has bolted each of them, and made eight FAs. When it comes to 9a+, he has done twelve, out of which ten are FAs. When it comes to onsight climbing, he has done seven 8c's and his latest was in 2022. Bouldering, he has also put up a couple 8C's.

Michiel Nieuwenhuijsen, who previously has done five 8C's, has sent La Révolutionnaire (8C+) in Fontainebleau, wearing only one shoe. ”On to the next one!” Here is the Insta. Michiel projected it together with Tim Reuser who has also completed it, Insta video.

Can you tell us more about doing your first 8C+?
In January I went on a quick ‘recon mission’ with my friend Tim Reuser, both of us did all the moves on the first session. That made me really motivated to go for this one. The hard part of la Révolutionnare consists of 11 handmoves and about the same number of footmoves. So doing all single moves is great, but it’s still far away from sending. Having a project for motivation is great, but having the same project as your training buddy is even better! With full on motivation Tim and I tried to up our game, great sessions in the gym!

In March I went back to Font with La Revolutionnaire in my mind. Owww man, I was close! With just a few days more I think it could have worked out. The conditions where just amazing and the learning curve was steeper than expected. My goal of this trip was to make some good links, but I thought I would not be ready yet to do full on send tries. I exceeded my expectations and could do multiple send tries, even coming all the way to the end. Also shout out to my buddy Tim for sending, pure motivation there!

Now I went back for just 2 (climbing) days. Fully focussed on the send. It happened on the last day just before I had to go back home. Just before the send I had my best go, falling on the last move. I thought it was it, the tank was empty. But somehow it all worked out and I got the send. This little trip was a gamble with the weather, all paid off perfectly.

Why did you opt for just one climbing shoe?
This was the first time I used the barefoot technique. At first, I tried it with 2 climbing shoes and with different beta. Double toe hook into bicycle. But this transition was super hard for me. I am not so comfortable with toe hooks and I was afraid that I would suffer a lot from slipping toe hooks with this beta. Then I saw a video of the Charles of the FA. He (obviously) does i full barefoot and this gave me new ideas. The next time I was trying I was again suffering from slipping toehooks, so I tried some different things. This resulted in trying with just one shoe, that way you can squeeze your big toe in a pocket. And instead of a double toehook into a bicycle I can get this bicycle from the beginning. That way I can rely more on core tension and not solely on toehook power.

With the new beta, I felt way better in the section, which gave me a lot of confidence. But I had to find a new way for the beginning because I used to do that with a right toe hook and that would be super painful. I found a new way with a kind of heel toe cam. Luckily the rest of the footholds didn't give any problems.

How can you explain having progressed for so many years like a late bloomer?
Still not peaking 😉. Maybe in a few years. Hard to tell. I guess I am still hungry for more and it helps a lot I train with a young and strong crew. Training together is always a huge part in my progress. Spraywalling a muerte together.

What do you mean by, ”On to the next?”
The plans to late a look at Big Island assis together with Tim is already there...Let's see, why not? As I said, this is not my peak yet ;-)

William Bosi is the only climber who has repeated two 9A graded boulders. On Insta, he discusses and compares both with his hardest FA, Honey Badger (8C+). He says that the two 9A's repeats weren't at his absolute limit and that his FA of Honey Badger came with some luck and was on his absolute limit.

"Knowing this it makes me more confident that Honey Badger could be hard 8C+, Alphane soft 9A and Burden of Dreams solid 9A. Hopefully that made some sense 😂 and we can get more opinions soon!"

Connor Herson made his first 8a headline in 2018 when he did an 8c+, 2nd go at age 14. In the same year, he repeated The Nose 8b+ MP; and was #11 in the Youth World Championship. Short interview In the video, Connor sends Empath 9a (+) on gear, after previously having done it on bolts.

Roser Giralt, slab master,La Pedriza, Talo Martin better half, has done the FFA of Inuit (8b+). It was put up in 2011 by Aitor Bárez and the holds consist of crystals, smears and a few micro pockets.

What was your previous PB?
I did a 7b route in February and a 7a onsight, both slabs as well. Normally I climb routes 1 day a week in the gym and one day on the weekend, mostly bouldering cause it's easier with the kids. Although I did harder problems in the past, I climb in the 7A range.

How have you been training in 2023?
Not training as people train. I got a yearly membership at the gym to force me to go and I climb with a few friends but always for fun. I guess I'm lucky with my finger strength due to my job sewing and designing clothes.

What's your climbing background?
I have been climbing for 18 years and mostly bouldering. I did a 7C boulder 10 years ago-ish when I had my first daughter, which was also the first female 7C of La Pedriza.

What made you decide to suddenly start working an 8b+?
It was when I turned 39 in January 2023 that I looked back and saw that I spent 3 years fully dedicated to my entrepreneurial work. It has absorbed a lot of my time and now it gives me the time invested back. I wanted to prove to myself that everything I learned in bouldering over the years was applicable to a project of this magnitude. The thing is that I just wanted to try an 8a or so... My partner teased me telling me it was 7c... So I did it on top rope and I only hung once because my feet hurt. When he took me down he said, - Roser, you've done an 8b+ just for fun! Then on my second try on lead that day I fell on the easy 7a section having passed the crux due to my legs shaking a lot cause I was too nervous... So the send would have been a matter of time and tries.

What are you motivated for next? Casual climbing weekends or going for an 8c?
After having reached the highest women's grade in bouldering a decade ago and the highest women's grade in sport climbing La Pedriza nowadays, I would love to be able to seek my highest grade on MP climbing. Although combining MP climbing with kids is more difficult, I will surely end up trying an 8c and bouldering every weekend sooner. During this process, we had the support and help from many friends and this send is also theirs 😜

Jonathan Siegrist, who has previously completed four 9b’s, has repeated Chris Sharma’s Stoking the Fire (9b) in Santa Linya. ”A spectacularly hard route - and one that pushed me physically and even more so, mentally. Many big lessons to take away from this wild experience! Immensely, almost immeasurably stoked... My hardest. Now onward! -I used one left kneebar to clip before the first crux.” (c) Victoria Kohner

How long did you work it, and was there any small or subtle thing that got you to the anchor?
I tried the route for 6 weeks, I started feeling close a few weeks ago but no matter how hard I fought, it felt impossible to get all of the stars to align (conditions, skin, psyche, body, mind, etc). Because it's an intense mental battle - the most intense of my life, the trick was only to keep showing up and trying even when my ego, confidence, and hope was near to zero. I just kept fighting and got lucky with the last day, last try.

What’s your next plan and further 2023 plans?
I fly back to the states to get Married :) and then the plan is to return to Europe for the rest of the year. Just climbing "A muerte". We plan to live in France. Fingers crossed that I get the Visa...