Mateusz Haladaj has just been on a trip to Osp - Banje in Babna with the Polish Youth National rock climbing team. We asked him if he could tell us how this team is set up and how you qualify?

"The team consists of a dozen youngsters between 14 and 18 years old. As an auxiliary national team coach I'm responsible (together with Lukasz Debowski) for the implementation of the rock climbing program for eight years already. The program we introduced within the National Federation (Polski Zwiazek Alpinizmu) includes climbing trips for the best youth representatives. Our main task besides helping to develop better technique and new climbing skills is sharing motivation and passion for climbing. Simply put thanks to our groupings the youngster's team up and improve their skills in a good atmosphere. This year we realized three climbing trips abroad and we can say that the effects are very satisfying.

I think this kind of program exists in other national teams within competition programs but in Poland, it is a separate thing. We've been mainly traveling to the Frankenjura, Arco, Osp and for the first time, we went bouldering in the Czech republic a month ago.

Unfortunately, the youth climbing scene in Poland is tiny. When I started climbing 22 years ago it was different. The thing we're trying to do is to raise the level and put foundations for a good start! We have some sort of ranking that tells who is currently the best and it has nothing to do with competitions (although we have the champions in the team as well, as they're usually good in both). For example, Maja Oleksy who just sent her first 8b+ climbs averages 3 to 4 weeks on the rock in total. Her goal is exclusively WorldCup. Rock climbing is only a side activity for some of the members. Well, technically these youngsters also compete, but they get to the program by their rock achievements."

Adam Ondra has had a great day in Moravský kras where he first flashed Vnitřní Svět Vítězů (8B), giving it a personal 8A+ grade. Later he did the FA of Pohár Nesmrtelnosti (prodloužení) 8C (+) (Cup of Immortality extension). "8C/8C+, maybe 8C+, last moves are very specific and hard to grade."

The extension is 8A or 8A+ which is added to the original 8B+. Full description, comments, and a video of the very steep problem on his Insta. In total, the 29-year-old has now logged 17 8C's and 4 8C+ to his scorecard, which overall includes 2 248 ascents.

“Bike to Eight” is the name of the project created by Grenoble climbers Romain Noulette and Tanguy Topin joined by videographer Thibault Cattelain. Their project? Climb at the crags around Grenoble to tick off mythical routes in 8a grade by reaching the sectors by bike. As the first episode of their series comes out today, we went to meet them." Full interview at Fanatic Climbing

Pietro Vidi, who was #7 in a Euro Cup this summer, has done Dreamtime 8B+/C in Cresciano. During the last month, he has previously done three 8B's and three 8B+.

How have you been able to raise the bar so much the last month?
I feel really good on rocks lately. For sure all the training for the comps has made me stronger than last year. For me it has been really important to gain finger strength, tension and re-learn some tricks by climbing a lot on rocks. My first goal of the season was Squalo Bianco (8B+) which went down in early October (it still feels like my hardest bloc😅). Then after two more 8B+ ascents, I wanted to test myself on Dreamtime.

It suits me really well as it is pretty technical on heel hooks. The stand went down in a bunch of tries (I briefly tried it last year with no chances), so I decided to check the moves on the sit and managed to fall on the stand sensationally fast. Then I needed three more sessions to link all the moves to the top!

Chaehyun Seo has done the second female ascent, after Margo Hayes, of La Rambla (9a+) in Siurana. (c) Bernardo Gimenez

How many sessions did it take and what was hardest for you?
I did it in 5 days and the hardest was the last cruxy part.

How long will you stay and what is next?
I’ll stay here by 11/28 and I want to try (Biographie) in Céüse!

Seo made her first 8a headline at age 11, when she onsighted her first 8a. Three years later she did Bad Girls Club 8c+/9a. 15-years-old, she won the overall World Cup after having won four straight WCs. In 2021, she won the World championship and this year she was second in the World Cup.

Chaehyun Seo shares the good news that also her teammates from South Korea have sent hard in Siruana: Minyoung Lee, who was #12 in the Boulder World Championship in 2021, has done Furia de Jabali 9a+. Sol Sa, #2 in the Combined World Championship in 2018, did and Jihyun Lim (16) did Kale borroka (8b+).

Vojta Trojan, who previously has done six 9a's, has sent Wild Publico (9a) in Margalef. "Sick route! Love the style.. definitely softer for me, but it depends on the style you prefer, could be hard for some people I guess. Never fell in the boulder, but managed to drop the upper section after the rest 2 times tho :Dd" (c) Maja Maatz

Can you tell us more about your trip and the send?
I came back to Margalef just for a week to check out some projects before the usual month winter trip. Surprisingly I could send the Wild Publico pretty fast, so one project down! :) I tried a bit for 2 days in the sun (horrible conditions) then the clouds came and I managed to fall two times after the upper rest. On the fifth day, I sent it straight away. The route consists of a bouldery start crux (around 8A/A+ boulder) leading into 8c (Pal Publico). The start fits me well so it was just a matter of time to finish the upper part! Happy to send it and looking forward to the next round in December! Shout out to Tom Bolger for bolting the start - one of the best sequences I climbed on the rocks!

Gorka Karapeto reports on Insta that he has done Zelenputza (9a+) in . It was the Pou brothers who bolted it and then Jonathan Flor did the FA in 2021.

In practice, it is a link-up of Celedon txiki (8c+) and Harroputza (9a). Gorka did his first 9a in 2008 and his tenth and last, Harroputza, in 2019. (c) Borja Iban

Adam Ondra has done the FA of Zvěřinec (9b+) (Menagerie) in Holstejn. He says that he did it on his first go on Sunday after having warmed up at home, as it was zero degrees and overcast. In total, Adam has now done four 9b+ and one 9c FAs. (c) Petr Chodura

”Second hardest route of my life, quite a bit harder than other 9b+ I have done or tried. Harder start into Perlorodka (my FA from 2011 that I graded 9a+ but it is probably more 9b - I just did not want to skip a grade in my homecrag). It is a linkup, but toally worth it in my opinion. There is a 9a called Kostej Nesmrtelny finishing in the last rest before the 8B+ crux of Perlorodka. Kostej + Perlorodka would be amazing direct line, but there is a very good rest halfway up of Kostej, so that is why I make a detour to the right through crux of Kudlanka (oldschool 8b+). That makes it harder and more resistant. 9a+ plus rest plus 8B+ boulder.”

Alex Johnson and Allison Vest have done in . Both women are having their best year ever having sent some ten boulders 8A+ and harder the last 12 months.

Alex: "Psyched about this one! When Vest and I first started trying this together we each literally couldn’t do any moves haha. It was one of those climbs that just came together a little more each session, in true projecting fashion. We put a few days of work in together but ultimately each sent solo on back-to-back days which was pretty cool. Very stoked to keep checking more off the list, and keep the send train chugging along together. It’s so motivating to have a best friend you can project with at your limit."

Allison: "Such an experience to project this one with AJ. The first time we tried this boulder together we legit could barely do a single move between the two of us. This boulder gets graded all over the place but even with all the varieties of betas we still both thought it felt very hard and it took us both about half a dozen sessions. We projected it together a lot but in the end, we sent on back-to-back days up there alone because our schedules didn’t quite line up. Love projecting with Alex, it makes me a better climber."