Jules Marchaland has repeated Chris Sharma’s First Ley (9a+) in Margalef, which is a slightly easier variation to the test-piece First Round First Minute (9b). (c) Esteban Lahoz

”I came to Margalef and my main goal was to do this route and I was able to do this masterpiece in six sessions. I tried it the first three days but after a long rainy day the route was completely wet… I took the opportunity to go do other easier routes and when it dried up I went back and I had crazy feelings! I took a rest day and I started to put very good tries (in). I fell at the last movement once but then on the following session I did it!”

What's next?
For Margalef, just to do some 8c or 8c+ but my trip finishes in just four days… and after, training for Supercrackinette (9a+) and for lead comps!

Last year, the 21-year-old took silver at the only Euro Cup he did. After that comp he did three World Cups, always placing in the top 20, in addition to sending his first three 9a’s.

Ethan Salvo has made what seems to be the first post-hold-break ascent of in Squamish. Harry Robertson did the original FA of the line, as an 8B, back in 2003.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Zazen is an old boulder that has quite a bit of mystery around the first ascent. The story is a bit unclear but a hold may have broke after the ascent making it harder. It has been unrepeated until now.

I’ve tried the boulder for around 15 days over the past year, but mainly the past 3 months with very cold dry weather. The boulder breaks down into a 3 move intro v11/12 into the hardest single move I’ve ever done, I’m not sure how to grade that move but it’s much physically harder than any other move I’ve tried in Squamish. After that you climb the classic V8 Gibb's cave. I sent the boulder 2nd try today, by myself with only a few pads. It was pretty cool to enjoy the moment by myself and have to try so hard, yet climb so well.

What is your climbing background?
I’ve been climbing for just over 5 years now, but was a competitive swimmer for years before. I think swimming helped a lot as a base strength for my climbing. I did the comp thing for a few years but slowly started to focus on bouldering outside. Last April I moved to Squamish and have mainly been climbing outside. It’s been a huge help for my climbing growth and progression. I like to try things at my limit and spend a lot of days trying them. Zazen was a cool one that fit me because of the crux hold, it’s a very small left hand mini pinch. During covid I had been training on a board for Lucid Dreaming (8C) which has a similar crux move. I never made it to Bishop but I think the hold specific strength really helped me with Zazen.

Drew Ruana reports on Insta that in just the last two weeks he has done three 8Cs (+) in Clear Creek Canyon (CO). He started off by repeating Daniel Woods' Everyting is Gniess 8C, after having projected it for around 15 sessions. Later he did the FAs of Maxwell’s Demon sit 8C+, as well as, Fox and the Hound sit 8C.

Paul Robinson, who has been synonymous with bouldering over the last two decades, took the above picture and says, ”He is so damn strong it’s insane. Never seen something like it before!”

In 2019, he was #8 in the World Championships. After failing to make it to the Olympics, the full-time chemical engineering student has chosen to focus on bouldering and has become arguably one of the best boulderers in the world. In total, he has done 100+ boulders 8B+ and harder including eight graded 8C+. Here's an interview 8a did with Drew a little while back, 8a interview..

Two weeks ago, Yannick Flohé made the FA of Return of the Dreamtime (8C+) in Cresciano. "Start like Dreamtime but go right after the Dyno and finish on Somnolence (8B)." This has been an open project for many years and links 8B/+ into 8B.

Loic Zehani has done Aubade Direct (9a+) in Sainte-Victoire, check out the video. The 21-year-old has now logged 60 routes 9a and harder with 22 being sent in just the last 12 months.

"Very nice route bolted by Christophe Daconcecao more than 20 years ago and first red pointed by Gérome Pouvreau in September 2010. An easy and fast intro sequence followed by a hard and physical first section. Then after a bad rest, you have a nice hard section, very fingery and demanding climbing followed by a stunning grey wall, typical "Sainte victoire". It took me 4 days in 2019 for the 8c+/9a version and 6 days more this year for the 9a+ version. This style of climb demanded a lot from me but I loved this route. 😍😍😍. So happy to climb this."

Giacomo Raimondi has done the second ascent of Christian Core’s Nim (8C) in Varazze, which was put up some 20 years ago. ”The send happened quite fast but I knew very well the first part of the boulder because it is common with my first 8B+.”

Do you know if there are more Core FA’s still unrepeated?
Last year, I did Bunjil (8B) and Majinbu (8B) which also were second ascents. There are still a lot of unrepeated boulders from Christian and I think that they are not so much repeated because some of them are really hard and not that cool and finding good condition it's really difficult.

Enrique Beltran Blasco has done Priorato de Sion (9a) in Alquézar. Daniel Fuertes bolted it and later in 2008, Ramon Julian made the FA suggesting 8c+ but as with many of his FA's, the repeaters have upgraded it.

Can you tell us more about this route and your send?
This 9a is the one that has cost me the least of all my three 9a's, about 18 attempts. It is a short and hard route with small crimps and a boulder with inverted holds. Happy to share the send with Dani Moreno and Dani Fuertes. They have done it previously and going to the sector with them was perfect. They came to belay and push (my) motivation.

Katie Lamb has made the FFA of Dave Graham’s iconic Spectre (8B) in Bishop (CA), logging it as 8B+ for herself. ”Freaking out. With the jump method - hardest single move I've done and proudest ascent to date. Never thought I'd have a chance. Doesn't get any better!!”

The 25-year-old has, during the last 12 months, done five 8B’s and two 8B+'s making her #1 in the 8a ranking game for the third year in a row.

Tyler Thompson has skipped 9a and gone straight to 9a+ by climbing Full Metal Brisket (9a+) in the New River Gorge (WV). The line was bolted by Lee Robinson and Jonathan Siegrist did the FA in 2021. (c) Hansac Ho

“Wow. Huge endeavour for me starting back when it was still an open project. Last fall I spent every weekend trying and the occasional Thursday when I could skip my lab. Wasn’t able to do it then but this week I was blessed by the weather gods and we got several beautiful coliseum days. Tuesday, during a breezy short sleeve day in mid February I clipped the chains! 30+ sessions. What do I do with my life now….”

When did you start working the route and how did you manage to skip 9a?
I started trying two years ago when the route was still a project but put more serious effort in last fall. And, I’m a student so it’s hard for me to travel somewhere to project a route. The New is only 3 hours away so I could work the route for an extended time. I thought this route was inspiring and that the moves were really great, so it was the route I wanted to put serious effort into. The 9a route nearby didn’t inspire me in the same way that Full Metal did.

Can you describe the route and what you liked so much about it?
The route is crimpy and body tension oriented. I’d say it suited my style well which was motivating. The holds are pretty bad for the entirety of the extended boulder problem that defines the route. The body positions are very specific because of how bad the holds are and I found the process of dialling in the sequences and the process I felt even after 20+ days was still very rewarding.