Vojta Trojan, who previously has done eight 9a's, has done Sanjski par extension (9a) in Mišja Peč. (c) Lucie Černá

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Happy to finally send this outstanding roof climb! Never climb a route which is so technical yet so powerful before. At first I struggled a lot with finding the right beta, then I managed to send the first part the 3rd day on. From that point I was falling in the last hard moves before the good holds. During the send I didn’t do anything differently and also didn’t feel better, but somehow I managed to keep it together and send. It took me 3 short trips to Osp this Spring and climbing 7 days in total. Today I also add Strelovod 8c (second go).

What’s coming up next?
Next plans are definetely finishing Action Direct in FJ if the weather is okay and then France in summer.

Patxi Usobiaga was one of the very best lead competition climbers during the 2000's. He won three silvers and a gold in the World Championships and in the World Cup, the Spaniard won the overall in 2006 and in 2007. In 2007, he also made the first 8c+ onsight in the world, Bizi Euskaraz (8c+) and he has redpointed five 9a+'.

In 2010, he suffered a traffic accident that left him with neck injuries and stopped his climbing for some years. In 2016, he bounced back and the following year he managed to climb to #4 in the 8a ranking game. Patxi has also been working as a coach and has trained many world-class climbers like, Adam Ondra. Lately, Patxi has also dived into bolting routes around his home base in Catalonia. Following the release of this video portrait we reached out to Patxi to find out more about what he's been up to.

Can you describe a normal week?
A week of my life is always a week as I have chosen it, [it's] chaotic, very far from what it was when I was exclusively a professional climber, now although I consider that I can climb like a professional climber, because of my option to be able to climb whenever I want, I need to work to be able to eat and live. The luck that I have is that I have always done what I wanted, I have decided what I want to do and what motivates me.

So if it's a week where I'm fine and I can climb, it could have different variants: In all the possible variants there are priorities and I have to combine them as best I can to get to everything and that is why there are seasons when I get up at 4 am, and others more calmly at 7 am, but always maintaining the order of priorities:
Family,
Work, (PUCtraining, PUCSeries, PUCseries Temple Nargó, YouTube, social networks, events and sponsors) and
ME (climb, train, equip etc)

But since I really like everything I do, I manage to organize myself to be able to combine everything as much as possible. Although it is difficult considering that there are 24 hours a day, nothing works if I don't climb, train and/or equipment, and for this reason, I prefer to sleep little and get to meet all my needs and obligations to be able to continue doing what I like. And luckily and by my own decision, I live in Oliana, Lleida, in Alt Urgell, where I can materialize all my concerns by climbing, equipping and training in the climbing walls that I have built for myself. The PUCTraining LAB and the PUCseries Temple NArgó.

Enrique Beltran Blasco and Dani Moreno have done Ali Hulk Extension Total (9a+) in Rodellar, both feeling it is a soft 9a. The two Spaniards now have their sights set on,9b (a+) Sit start. (c) Dani Moreno

Can you tell us more about your ascent?
Enrique: I wanted to try something hard in Rodellar and my friend Dani Moreno and I got motivated for Ali Baba. The truth is that the route has cost me little, just 6 days of work and what has cost me the most is the rope part since the bouldering part was going well. Now the idea is to try the sit version. Total respect for Andrada. His FA was absolute performance and much more difficult compared to using knee pads and resting no hands every other ten moves. I used four no-hand rests where I stayed for 1 - 5 min in each."

Enrique has logged Hulk extensión total (8c+) with an personal 8b+ grade. With most recent ascents in the cave utilizing knee pads, it's likely that many of the cave's climbs could be subject to downgrades when climbed in this style.

Matjaz Zorko, who did his first three 9a’s last year, has sent Malvazija (8c+) in Dvigrad, after projecting it for ten sessions. Maurizio "Manolo" Zanolla put it up in 1988 as an 8b+ and then in 2010, Cody Roth made the first repeat and suggested 8c+. It's been speculated that holds broke in the crux sometime after Manolo's ascent, plus a few holds broke on Roth during his time on the route. Last month Ale Zeni made the third ascent and confirmed the upgrade, which Zorko says he also agrees with.

Can you fill us in on your ascent?
Well, I spent a few sessions on it last season, just enough to do it with one fall. This year I managed to send it I think on one of the last days with cool temperatures. I think this style suits me quite well. In the first part, the route is vertical on small imaginative holds and footholds. In the second half, it gets slightly steeper and more physical on chipped pockets. I assume that there are 4 drilled pockets. They are quite deep but my fat fingers don’t fit in as well as I would hope. Super happy about the send😊😊 It was nice sharing one session on the route with Zeni and I’m really happy about his send too😊.

What's coming up next for you?
I still have some old projects here in Slovenia to finish😊 and a short trip to Pecka, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Andi Stullhas been in Ticino for almost three weeks, sending three 8A's; Teamwork (8A), Pause cervelas (8A) and Forever More (8A), in the picture.


Can you tell us more about your trip?
I think ‘Teamwork’ was my favorite of the 8As I’ve done this trip! Sharp crimps and cool movement with a toe hook! ‘Pause Cervelas’ is so beautiful too, being that is it right on the river on beautiful rock! I had to find my own beta for that one, as the normal, more dynamic beta felt like too big of a span for me, so that was a fun process! The top out of forever more is a bit silly and simultaneously spooky! It’s a true mantle, then some bad slopers and smeary feet. As a was mantling, my hand slid a little due to my skin being so dry, that was pretty scary, but luckily, I didn’t fall! It’s a bit unfortunate that there’s graffiti on the next boulder over, as it’s right by the river and such a beautiful scenery, otherwise!

This is my first time in Ticino, and I’m already planning another trip back! I didn’t want to focus too much on one specific project this trip, as I wanted to get a taste of everything! I was initially planning on being here for 6 weeks, but I, unfortunately, will be cutting my trip short and leaving at the end of this week.

What is next when you are back home?
I would love to make it out to Bishop, but the Buttermilk road is inaccessible at the moment. So, I may either do the 3-mile hike to the boulders, or get straight back into training mode and prepare for next season! I may come back to Swiss in October. If that’s the case, I will be training hard for that!

Giuliano Cameroni has had a great day in Valle Bavona sending both Ninjutsu (8B+) and Fight Club (8B+).

"Fight Club was founded by @jwebxl in 2019. That same year we built the landing but didn’t get a chance to try. The next year I spent 5/6 sessions with @daisukeichimiya but we didn’t find any of the kneebars that make this thing more doable. In 2022 the line was finally freed by @shawnraboutou. This year I went back with @dave_graham_ and he showed me his impeccable kneebar beta. What a vision 🤯." Check out Cameroni's Insta video

Luisa Deubzer, who last year did Speed Integral (9a), has sent La théorie des cordes (8c) in . (c) Martin Leitner

"Majeur! Felt rather solid for the grade to me, no idea what the downgrade in the new topo is about. Fell so many times on the lower crux move to the pinch that it was starting to be a bit overdue… but well worth my while to stick with it! Loved it."