The Hachioji Boulder World Cup starts on Friday with the qualification and the semi and the finals will be live-streamed on Discovery+. 24h after each round, you will be able to watch a replay on the Olympic channel.. More info at IFSC. (c) Dimitris Tosidis/IFSC

2022 Overall Rankings
1. Yoshiyuki Ogata JPN - Natalia Grossman USA
2. Tomoa Narasaki JPN - Miho Nonaka JPN
3. Kokoro Fujii JPN - Brooke Raboutou USA

Japan has dominated the last ten years and 2022 was possibly their best year ever with eight guys in the Top-19. There just might be ten males from Japan in the semifinal and four in the final. 16-year-old Soratu Anraku won the last cup so he is the new star to look out for.

Among the female, Natalia Grossman won the last five events in 2022 but she is actually not the favourite to win as she has had a harsh winter dealing with unknown stomach issue after food poison. In March she reported on Insta, with a picture laying in a hospital bed. Japan has eleven females competing with Miho Nonaka as the biggest challenger.

Cody Roth has made the FA of Flipping the Bird (9a) in Arco. On Insta he comments, ”The name is inspired by both the crux move that tore a huge hole in my middle finger, and by those far braver than me on the front lines in Ukraine and Iran, as well as the LGBTQ community here in Italy that stands up to Meloni, her goons and her party’s absurd policies and dangerous ideology." (c) Fabian Poels

How does it feel stepping up your game and doing your third 8c+ and harder, at 39, in the last month?
I did my own on research and I read, on the internet, that a segment of the population spontaneously combusts when they turn 40, so I'm anxiously trying to get it all in before October, just in case ;-). Honestly, I'm just trying to take it in stride. If it's all I get this year, I'm more than okay with that. In mid January I took four weeks off due to chronic elbow tendonitis, I didn't think then that I'd be where I'm at now.

What are your strengths and talents making this possible? You work a full-time management position at Vertical-life and climb just three days a week?
Three if I'm lucky! Maybe my talent is not overthinking it and being comfortable not being in control. The night before I did this climb, we had friends over for dinner, I probably had one cocktail more than what would have been ideal, and I went to bed later than I should have. I wasn't even sure we were going to Grottosauro the next day. Growing up, my mom always told me showing up is the most important part. I didn't believe her when I was younger, but now I see what she means. Oftentimes you get something over the line in spite of and not because of, and the less you worry about yourself and every little detail, the more open you are to every possibility. As for my work, I'm really lucky to work with an amazingly talented and kind group. My work keeps me balanced and it feels good to contribute and to be appreciated beyond just climbing. Vertical-Life also allocate some flexibility in my schedule, so I'm lucky in that regard too.

What motivates you in climbing?
I think it's the friendships, curiosity, surprise and discovery that keeps me going.

When is your next vacation and where? Is it about time to raise the bar to 9a+?
I'm going back to the US to see family in May, but I probably won't have much time to climb. I'd love to paddle some rivers in Scotland later this summer and my wife and I have a couple summer concerts on our radar. I wouldn't rule out going back to the Frankenjura and trying Action Directe a little more, but it's a little hard to line up with the weather there. There's plenty of things around Arco and Italy that give me my climbing fix. As for 9a+, I might have already done that with my FA of, M.E. I eat Dust, six years ago. Doing another would be nice, but it's not a must for me. Honestly, if you told me I could either do Action Directe or a 9a+, I'd probably choose Action Directe; and I'd still view that as raising my bar.


You bolted this one ground up? Is there still potential around Arco?
I did. I'm a bolting dilettante, but I enjoy going ground-up whenever feasible, and contributing where I can. The 8mm removable bolts make it a lot easier and safer nowadays, and the hole they leave is nearly invisible in steep terrain. I was hiking with my dog this winter, when I noticed that maybe there could be just enough features to add a line where I did. Around Arco, there's plenty of potential still. It's just a matter of hiking and discovering something completely new, or coming back to known places like this with a fresh set of eyes.

Emilie Gerhardt, who last year completed roughly ten boulders 8A and harder, reports on Insta that she has done Taijutsu (8A+) in Valle Bavona. (c) Julius Westphal

Can you tell us more about the trip and the 8A+ ascent?
Unfortunately, we only had four climbing days in total. Here are so many good-looking lines, so it’s hard to choose which one I‘d like to try first :)“Taijutsu” sums up my style quite well as I like steep boulders with many moves. After checking out all the moves I sent it directly.

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!"