4sport.ua has collected the 9a+ or harder statistics and in total 46 climbers reached this level in 2022. For the last 15 years, we have seen great development and in 2021 50 climbers did at least one 9a+ or harder route.

In total, there are now some 256 routes 9a+ and harder out of which;
83 Spain
47 France
22 Italy
21 USA
12 Norway, 11 Switzerland, 10 Austria and Germany

Interestingly, when it comes to the number of climbers per country having climbed 9a+ or harder, the USA is #1 with 27, followed by France at 21 and Spain at 20.

Štěpán Volf has done Sanjski par extension (9a) in Osp/Misja Pec, although being partly wet. “Finally this big dream of mine became reality. I was dreaming about climbing this beauty since my first trip to Mišja Peč 🇸🇮 8 years ago, when I was trying my first 8a. Still can’t belive I did it even tho it was wet 💦. Somehow skipping the Boulder after first part with one long move was a bit easier. 10 more tries after first part. No kneepad.

From his scorecard we can see that during the last years, he has mainly been focusing on bouldering, in spite of having done his first 9a two years ago. In 2022, he flashed his first two 8A+ boulders and did five out of his first six 8B+.

What is your 2023 ambition?
To climb an 8C boulder. Few weeks ago I tried Warrior (8C) from Martin Stranik and was pretty close to sending. So I hope it will came down during winter.

Pietro Vidi has done in Margalef. Will Bosi did the FA in 2021 but originally it was an old Dani Andrada project.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I arrived in Spain wanting to climb short routes in Laboratori but the heat forced us to climb in La Capella. I checked Last night on the first day of the trip and managed to send it quite quickly after finding my own beta as Will Bosi’s beta was just impossible for me.

The route climbs better than expected. Even though it is chipped it offers some really fun moves. I’m satisfied to have finally ticked a 9a but I’m definitely more psyched to come back to Ticino to try some hard stuff!

What do you have in mind in Ticino?
I was trying Primitivo (8C) before leaving, but also Forgotten Gem (8C) is high on the list!

Stefano Ghisolfi does his possibly hardest boulder ever, Goldfish Trombone (8B+) in Bishop (CA).

Oriane Bertone has during a ten days trip to Rocklands done three 8A's, Oral Office (8A+) and . "Finally the main project of this short trip comes true! I had tried "Armed Response" several times in the past, but I did not yet have the physical capacities for this "very physical style" project (8A+ hard or 8B soft? I don't know). Ten days of climbing, for a little less than two weeks in Rocklands, are over. Shorter than usual trip for us. I left some harder project for next year ;-)".

Alex Ventajas, who in the last 18 months has done ten routes 9a and harder, has made the FA of El Osteopata 9a in Mula, Murcia.

Can you tell us more about the first ascent?
I can’t imagine a better way to start the new year. The route is a project bolted in 2014-2015 by my friends Rafi and Oscar. I gave it a try back then, but it seemed too hard for me. For the Christmas holidays, I went back to Murcia to visit my family and I felt motivated again after seeing some videos of other local climbers trying the route.

It’s a quite “old school” line: a technical roof climbing, with chipped pockets, very small feet, and a lot of body tension. There’s no place for mistakes and saving as much energy as possible in every section is crucial. Even if it’s not a natural line, all the boulder problems are great climbing and I enjoyed refining every detail to find the perfect sequence to send the route! I went to the cave for four days and I finally managed to send it on my ninth attempt. About the grade, I think it’s 9a. I hope other climbers will repeat it soon and give their opinion too! After the Santuario sector was shut down, this could be the region’s first 9a.

"Project Big is a line that I bolted in 2013. It has always seemed like the most improbable part of the Flatanger (Norway) cave, looking just too intimidating to be climbed. Bolting it and finding out that there were actually holds was just mind-blowing, yet I was still too intimidated actually to start trying it for many years! At the same time, I knew that line was too perfect just to let it go. I was sure that one day I just had to climb it."

Max Bertone, lead youth World Champion in September, has done The Vice (8B) in Rocklands. "Super classic of the Fortress. I felt this roof harder than in Font. 7 sessions needed to send this force test of 13 moves."

Previously, the 15-year-old has done two 8B's and three 8c+. Max is a sibling to Oriane Bertone and it has been a tradition for the family to visit Rocklands during the Christmas break for several years.

Michaela Kiersch sent Dreamcatcher (9a) last year after five days and now the video is out. Here is the article from 2021.

What was the key to sending it so quickly?
I trained specifically for this route for weeks. Focusing on increasing endurance, finger strength, and campusing power.

What was the crux for you? Did you have to invent a new beta being shorter (152 cm) than the previous repeaters?
The crux for me was the final boulder problem. My beta is relatively similar to everyone else, maybe just higher feet.

In April she completed her doctoral degree in hand therapy and immediately went for her first extended trip only focusing on climbing. During three weeks in Magic Wood, she did two 8B+ and another 12 boulders 8A and harder. In total, the 27-year-old has done nine 8c+' and last fall she did her first 9a, Dreamcatcher after just five days of projecting. Here is an 8a interview from this summer.

What is your plan and ambition for 2023? Any specific climbs you want to do?
Several 😉 but as always, you’ll have to wait and see! I’m looking forward to seeing where 2023 takes me, I feel stronger than ever and have more time than ever. I’m surrounded by a lot of love and joy right now.