Simon Lorenzi, who made the FA of Soudain seul (9A) in 2021 after some 25 sessions, needed some 20 sessions to send Alphane (9A). "Soudain Seul was harder to send for me. But as you know climbing is a matter of style." (c) Gilles Charlier

It should be mentioned that Simon personally hesitated to give Soudain Seul 8C+ or 9A but as some of the others who tried it thought 9A, the Belgian concluded that 9A was probably the appropriate grade.

The sending process of Alphane could probably have been quicker as he also had to tackle injury and skin problems as well as bad conditions. After he did it in two parts in August after just five sessions, he got a shoulder injury that made it impossible to fully extend his arm for a month. Then he injured his left index finger meaning that he only focused on the second half while working on it in November. Then in December, he made one more trip and was close to sending but got skin problems.

"It was a roller coaster because I opened my right index finger at my first attempt of the day. I had this problem 10 days ago and didn't find a solution to try with tape. Finally, I put one piece of tape in a strange way and I sent it on my first try with the tape. I went from being depressed about my skin to sending in like 5 min."

So if you had failed on that attempt, it was over for that session?
Yes, if I had missed it, it was over for a few days because I was not convinced of my taping technique ahaha :)

What made the trick in the end for sending it?
The trick for me was finding all the good betas and for that, I needed to put tries from the start because when you're pumped from the beginning it's easier to say if the beta is good or not.

Any thoughts on the direct version of Alphane?
It looks like one of the hardest thing I've seen but I didn't try so I'll be back.

Any other projects that you are keen to do?
For sure, there are still 3 amazing looking 9a's to be repeated 😁 And many other 8C+ or 8C like Floatin, Grande illusion, United, Box therapy, Lucid dreaming,... At the moment there is no project that I know that I'm pretty psyched for in Font. But there is a ton of easiest stuff that I really want to do there.

What is next and what about Paris 2024?
From today, the next goal is to be selected for 2024. I'll go check the hard stuff that I want to do after 2024 for sure 🙂

Simon Lorenzi reports on Insta that he has done Alphane (9A) in Chironico. In August, we reported that he had done it in two parts after just five sessions. (c) Gilles Charlier

Including his FA of Soudain seul (9A), Lorenzi becomes the second boulderer in the world, after Shawn Raboutou, who has done two 9A boulders.

The Belgian has been an active competition climber since 2011. In 2016, he won the Youth Lead World Championship, and this year he won the Euro Boulder Cup in Brixen. The 25-year-old has previously also done four 8C+ meaning that he has the most impressive boulder tick list in the world together with Daniel Woods and Shawn Raboutou.

Solomon Kemball has done The Story Of 2 Worlds (8C) in Cresciano, after some six sessions.

"As far as boulders go, this has gotta be one of the best in the world with two of the coolest blocs on it. I personally can't think of one better and the reason I decided to try The Story Of 2 Worlds (8C) first is down to the brutal nature of it. I wanted a fight and I got a fight. You could climb it as well as you want and you will still have to have a true fight to send it. I also think the 3D climbing with more heel and toe hooks than toes are cool. This boulder may have cost me my degree but was definitely worth it. Ended up taking me 6 sessions and was not expecting to get up it this session but somehow I found myself on the top of the bloc with numb fingers, biceps that were about to explode, and truly speechless."

How many weeks have you skipped from school?
Ahah yeah hopefully my parents don't see it lol. Been here the last two weeks and got another week left. Two assignments due in tomorrow 😬

What are you studying and what is the status of the assignments?
Computer games design and development. Had to get one extended cause I haven't done any and the other I'm almost finished but the quality is probably not up to the usual standard Ahah.

What will your focus be the last week?
Probably Dreamtime as my mate is trying it but came out with the goal of doing Story and usually float about trying to get mileage in after I complete my trip goals usually.

Great! Let's please your parents and teachers by not disturbing you more. It is time to finish that assignment in order to be able to focus on Dreamtime.
Ahah no problem thanks for the interest 🙏

Joe Kinder has repeated Jonathan Siegrist’s Smoke Wagon (9a) in . The 42-year-old did his first, out of 19, 9a or 9a+ graded climbs back in 2008. (c) Nico Savoia

"Between working and tending to life I put in tries and somehow caught the window of opportunity with the sun. It was COLD as f-k but found myself dropping the guard and meeting the moment perfectly. I LOVE ROCK CLIMBING!"

How did you manage to keep warm?
The first part of the climb is a 7a+ and has a kneebar at the top so that warmed me up just enough plus the sun was out so that saved the day.

What is next?
Next is a return trip to Mollans and St Leger in Jan and Feb as it’s been a WHILE since 2018.

Stefano Ghisolfi has done the first repeat of Adam Ondra's Bombardino (9a+) in Arco. As can be seen in the picture by Sara Grippo, it was freezing conditions including icicles on the neighbor route Liftscheisser (8b).

"It was an epic day, Gio Placci was really close to sending too. We warmed up in my garage and went directly there. The route is perfect for cold conditions because it has three kneebars so we could climb and warm our hands on the kneebars. The temperature was 0, with a lot of ice. Fortunately not on the route, only at the end slab a bit. We arrived and immediately climbed on a send attempt. While belaying it was cold and quite uncomfortable as you cannot move because you have to be tied to a ledge. Climbing was good, we had to wear shorts to feel the kneebars better. It was a crazy experience. Gio climbed first and he had to punch away some icicles. .

On his youtube channel he just published a video where he tries to do 100+ boulders in an hour.

In August, we reported that Florian Wientjes had flashed Amandla (8B+) in Rocklands and now the video is out. “I was playing with the (flash) idea since a month or so. I went up early to the crag and started my warm-up routine including some Hangboarding. After 40min I decided to give it a try. My mind was free, cuz I know it totally fits my style and it worked. But, all in all, I just did the same stuff like everyday when I climb😅.

Noa Shiran becomes the first woman from Israel to do an 8c with her ascent of Rolex Direct in Nezer Cave, video. The professional climber, who was #15 in one World Cup in 2022, needed three sessions for her send.

"I found some time to go outdoors after the comp season. I don't climb on rock very often but this route looked really cool with the overhang and the powerful dynamic moves so I chose to try it. It took me two sessions to understand that I can do it soon, and on the 3rd day I managed to send it dealing with bees that settled their beehive inside the kneebar rest before the last boulder problem. They acted friendly but were all around me so it was quite terrifying 🙂"

William Bosi has had a great day in Brione where he flashed Fake Pamplemousse (8A) and Flash Flood (8B). During the last six weeks, Will has flashed seven boulders 8A to 8B (+) as well as redpointed nine boulders 8A to 9A.

Can you tell us more about the two flashes?
So I wanted to go try Kingdom but when we got there the whole face was still soaking wet. Luckily the wall on the right was dry so I sent White Stripe (8A+). We then checked out the Frogger wall and somehow it was mostly dry. I got pretty excited and hopped straight on Fake Pamplemousse (8A) and got the flash! I really wanted to try to flash Liquid Nails (8B+) but it was unfortunately wet so I turned my attention to Flash Flood (8B). I watched a video and then went for it and just stuck the crux move and then managed to battle on. The line is very steep and crimpy so I think it suits me pretty well. Was right at the limit on the crux slap! although I reckon I could have used better beta.

Bronwyn Hodgins has done the second female ascent, after Mary Eden, of Necronomicon (8b) in The White Rim. (c) John Kasaian

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the route?
Necronomicon took 5 sessions. Two scoping days earlier in November to check it out. Then I went back at the end of the month to camp out there with some friends. I spent two more days dialling in my beta, gear placements, etc. Took a rest day on day 3. And then sent on day 4 (on my second redpoint attempt). I prepared before the trip for two months in my hometown Squamish, in my friend’s shed (where he has a new set-up similar to the wide boys dungeon) and on a few excellent granite roof cracks nearby. I also discovered a crack on the under side of a bridge that was the perfect training site for Necronomicon: a 25m perfectly uniform and slippery thin hands crack.

The route itself was really fun! Campus into the roof. Then climb a long section of wide hands and fists (yellow and blue cams) into the middle of the roof. Shake out in a hand jam and then launch into the thin crux (several body lengths of green cams, though I chose not to place any cams in the crux which lead to some fun big swings!). I then flipped feet first into the no-hands double knee bar rest. Then did another 360 to exit into the home stretch, a final section of wide hands/fists to the finish.

Can you say something about your climbing background?
I’ve been climbing for ten years, and enjoy a wide range of disciplines from sport to trad to big wall to alpine. I work seasonally as a rock guide in Squamish BC and travel in the winter months. The objectives I get most excited about are big wall free climbs; I love the combination of skills and mental tenacity involved. In 2018 I was the first Canadian female to free climb El Capitan (via freerider) and in 2021 I was the third woman to send golden gate (after Hazel Findlay and Emily Harrington). This past summer I spent two months in Greenland, establishing new big routes approached via sea kayak. Coming home from that wild adventure, I’m excited to get stuck into a winter season focusing on single pitch goals and some strength training, which will hopefully lead to bigger and harder cliffs in the future!