Camille Claude (17), who last year won a Euro Cup, and Mael Claude (20) (pictured) have done Dreamtime (8C) in Cresciano. (c) Eliot Barnabé

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I tried Dreamtime for the first time at Christmas with my brother Camille. He did it, but I fell at the top. I was so close. After my exams, I was planning to go back, but the weather was not good, all the holds were wet. So I decided to take a rest day and wait for better conditions, but even after this rest day, the weather was still bad. I grabbed every fan I could find, and for my last run, I send it ! it was a project with my brother and we did it together it was one of the best process i did 😎

What is your climbing background?
We started climbing very early in Grenoble thanks to our dad. Later, we joined the Drac Vercors climbing club and started competing. Then we moved on to the Voiron national training center, where we achieved podium finishes and reached the finals in national competitions. Camille managed to compete internationally, unlike me, who stopped competing two years ago to focus outdoor climbing like off the wagon. Before the start of the competition season, we decided to go to Dreamtime. Now Camille is at the french championship the first big comp of the season.

Stefano Ghisolfi, who last year sent his first four 8Cs, has done Gioia (8C+) in Varazze, which FA Christian Core gave 8C back in 2008. Later Adam Ondra gave it a personal 8C+ grade. The 32-year-old Italian is best known for having climbed four 9b+ routes and for winning six World Cup events, as well as the overall World Cup title in 2021. (c) Sara Grippo

”This one means a lot to me, I tried it for the first time in 2012 when I sent the stand start, and focused on the full line a bit more between 2015 and 2016. For 10 years I haven't been back in Varazze and then this season I felt I was ready for it. The name of the boulder means Joy, and it couldn't fit better for the feeling I had once I climbed it. It is the hardest boulder I've ever climbed and it is incredible how @corechristian was ahead of its time when he did the FA back in 2008, it is considered one of the first 8C+ in the world (maybe the very first?)”

Esteban Daligault has released the video of his ascent of Bon Voyage (9a). ”Easily one of the most aesthetic routes I’ve ever climbed. A trad roof, a very natural line, finishing with a traverse — classy from start to finish. I first tried it for a couple of days last spring. Back then, it felt really hard and I thought it would be a long-term project. Then I came back this fall… and things clicked much faster than I expected.”

Dylan Chuat, who last year sent four 9a+’ and his first 9b, has done Finite Infinity (9a) in Interlaken. The picture by Rémi Degenne, is from Charmey.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I first came to try this route several years ago, and since then, I had never been back. I didn’t plan on returning this winter, but I don’t have any projects close to home at the moment. And above all, I’m dealing with a finger injury. Last weekend, I didn’t really know where to go climbing, so I thought I’d see if I could try this line I’d kept in the back of my mind, while avoiding using my right middle finger as much as possible. And in the end, it worked out that way. Really happy to be back putting my hands on this King Line.

The route starts with a slightly morpho bouldery move, but super fun to climb, leading to a rest on a big crimp. Then comes a second small crux on friction flat holds, not easy to manage with not-so-optimized beta and a lack of friction that day. But once that section is done, you can just enjoy climbing on good holds all the way to the anchor… and that feels great. It had been a long time since I climbed something a bit more in endurance, and honestly, I’d missed climbing 30 meters without stopping 🤩

Jakob Schubert, who already has two 9A ascents to his name, has repeated Sean Bailey’s Shaolin (9A) in Red Rocks. The send came on the penultimate day of a multi-week trip to Red Rocks, following a physically and mentally demanding process that included split-heavy movement, a small hold break, and a forced reset of already dialed sequences. © Michael Piccolruaz

The Austrian has previously established an 8c+ DWS and B.I.G. (9c). Combined with his exceptional competition résumé, the 35-year-old stands as a serious challenger to Adam Ondra for the title of greatest male climber in history.

How many sessions did it take to send the boulder?
All in all it was 10 sessions that I needed to send Shaolin. I have to say at the beginning I thought it could go down very very fast because already on my second day on it I did it in two parts and basically did some send goals already on my third day and felt like I could do it really quickly but then the process took longer than expected for various reasons. I mean one of the main reasons was that I had probably the biggest issues with splits and skin on a trip ever. I would just have like one really big split and would always try to heal it for two days. So, rest two days, climb again but then re-split again, rest two days. So, I think in my first 10 days of the trip I only did like four climbing days and that made it pretty tough to really do some good tries because I would always have tape on and also just bleed through the tape and have to quit the session earlier than I want to.

Then just before we left to Arizona, Matt Fultz broke a tiny part of one of the holds at the beginning of the boulder which also didn't help the process I would say. It definitely made the boulder a tiny bit harder, and, in the end, I was pretty lucky to even do it this trip because I got pretty stressed and only did it at the second to last day of this trip, so I was really happy to finish it in the end.

How was the process of the send?
It was six sessions I had before I left Arizona for a couple of days to check out Duality of Men. And that very last day before we left, I already had some good tries of sending it. When I came back from Arizona, I had one session, which basically I lost all my confidence because it was so bad. In the end, I found out it was just because I got so pumped in Arizona. That obviously didn't help my bouldering shape for a couple of days.

So, I had to rest a bit longer and then I had my first try where I finally stuck the crux move in the middle, which was on my eighth day then. I did it twice that session, but both times fell at the last move. And then on my ninth day, again, I only made it two times through the crux move and fell again, two times at the last move, always being really, really close. So, I knew I can send the boulder. But at the same time, yeah, I got pretty stressed because I knew I don't have like a lot of days left.

On my 10th day, again, the whole session, I couldn't stick the crux move all of a sudden anymore, although I did it so easily as a single move. I couldn't really focus or get my nerves under control. Only at my eighth try of the day, I finally stuck the crux move and then didn't let go on the last move and like barely sent the boulder. Finally.

Zach Galla has repeated Sean Bailey’s Devilution (8C+) in Buttermilks, which includes a two-move sit start to the highball Evilution Direct (8A). The 25-year-old stopped competing in 2024 and since then has had impressive outdoor progress. Last December, he sent two 9As, and in the VL ranking he is number 3. (c) Jarrid Nakata

”Hardest move I’ve done? It’s rare that something fits my size and steeze so well but feels this nails. just when I was about to call it quits, I found a new way to take the left hand start hold that unlocked the first move for me and made it all possible.

Sorting through subtleties and and finding a way has to be the most exciting moments on the sesh. Learning to appreciate those breakthrough moments more and putting less weight on sending has helped me so much this season. I can feel that I am slowly getting more consistent about maintaining a clear mind and executing without letting self imposed pressures affect how I climb.”

Gabriele Moroni, who made his first 8a/VL headline by winning bronze at the 2004 European Championship at the age of 16, has made the first ascent of Mascella Serrata (9a) in Arco. Now 38 years old, he has climbed routes up to 9b and sent several 8C boulders. (c) Crimp Films

”I tried this magnificent line on and off for a few seasons but this winter I finally managed to spend some quality days on it and surprisingly the progression was very linear and fast! I am very excited to feel my body fit again after some chill months, mostly trad climbing and a rather unfortunate two weeks trip in Yosemite(and consequent post trip depression)… Looking forward to the next months!!”

Nathan Williams has repeated Daniel Woods’ Return of the Sleepwalker (9A) in Red Rock (NV). Five years ago he sent the 8C+ stand start.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I felt like I was strong enough to send my first season trying and it still took my so long to send. My biggest crux was being numb when I got to the red point crux (the big move to the sloper). Instead of trying to figure out that issue I just tried and tried in hopes that I’d maybe get strong enough to just be able to climb it numb. This season the session before the day I did it I figured out the tech for not being numb and after that I stuck the sloper every try. I think I’ve I tried to figure this out earlier I maybe could have done it years ago haha.

What is next?
I think I’ll try Shaolin (9A) a few more sessions before heading home. Feels good and I have it in two parts, but not trying to start a full siege again quite yet haha.

Tereza Širůčková has been on a trip to Margalef where she redpointed Aitzol 8b+/c and onsighted El Fustigador (8a+). Last year, the 22-year-old opened the World Cup season with 14th- and 16-place finishes, and over the summer she sent her second 8c+.

Can you tell us more about the trip and the routes you tried?
I went to Margalef for my first time with a pretty clear plan – I wanted to push my grade on rock. I really like pockets, it was clear to me that this place could suit me well. I was really excited. I worked out the moves on my 9a project quite quickly and went for the first attempt thinking I might just try some good links. But suddenly I realized I was only two moves away from the top. Total surprise. Huge motivation, but also that classic feeling of “wow, that was really close.”

Then the weather got worse. And that’s when the sentence was born that followed me for the rest of the trip: “It will be dry in two days.” In the end, I didn’t come back to the project, and choosing routes started to look something like this: “Hey, this one is dry… so maybe we’ll try this.”

Eventually, I managed to climb my first 8a+ onsight. I have to say I was pretty lucky there. I read the route well, everything came together, and suddenly I was clipping the chains. Then came Aitzol. That was a different story. I didn’t have that much luck there. The route wasn’t in condition at all and was quite damp. When I climbed through the main boulder and reached the “rest,” I realized the headwall was more like a stream of water. At that moment, I thought it was unclimbable.

But I tried anyway. I catch the first pocket, which was more like a pool than a hold. Luckily, two slightly better ones followed, where it didn’t bother me as much that they were wet. From there, I chalked up the footholds properly so I could at least stand on them, and just hoped I wouldn’t slip. And somehow, it worked. Honestly, in those conditions the route felt insanely hard, and I feel like I probably had more luck than sense.

Hayley McKinney sent Night's Watch (7c+) last summer. ”13a – my first 5.13!! After four big back-to-back injuries and many, many months off, it felt SO damn good to clip the chains on this thing. Thoroughly enjoyed figuring out all the pieces of the (very intricate) puzzle. Took nine sessions in total, including two on TR solo. Sent fourth redpoint go, on a perfect – and rare – cold and windy July day.”

Can you tell us more about your climbing background and the video?
I started climbing when I was 28. Back then, I didn’t think sending 5.13 was something I’d ever experience (or 5.12, for that matter). But seven years later, I managed to do just that: send 5.13. And it felt… really big. But maybe not in the ways you’d expect. It wasn’t the send, or the grade, or even the route: it was all the things I learned along the way. So I made this video essay to try and capture a small piece of that. I hope it’s inspiring. Turns out passion, persistence, and hard work can actually take you pretty far – even without exceptional genetics or an early start.