Giorgio Tomatis has done Lapsus 9a+ (b) in Andonno, which is a link-up of three routes he has done before. Stefano Ghisolfi made the FA in 2015 as the first 9b in Italy but later he and the three repeaters (Ondra, Bombardi using one knee pad, and Sigriest) have edited their opinion calling it a hard 9a+. Tomatis, who previously has done five 9a's, thinks it merits 9b. He started working on it seriously at the end of October. "I wanted to do it without kneepads because Stefano's FA was done without kneepads and without, it's 9b."

Can you give us the lowdown on Lapsus?
It is a truly magical route. The connection of all the hardest routes of the most famous wall of Andonno. The process was really incredible and very stimulating. It was a very fun route to try for me because every time I improved something or I could make one extra move.

The 19-year-old is also a successful competition climber having made the podium in Euro Youth Cups eight times, including winning one event in 2021. Already at age 14, he did Noia (8c+) which shares the start of Lapsus. (c) Carlo Penna

Gianluca Vighetti, who did his first 9a at age 12, has done Noia (8c+) in Andonno. In total, the 14-year-old has now done five routes 8c+ and harder. (c) Diego Borello

Can you tell us more about your ascent?
I tried Noi (8b+) for the first time in October, the line was amazing and I was super motivated. After two weekends I made it and I started thinking about Noia. I knew it was a bit my style and the route was incredible. I also found a bad knee bar before the crux that helped me a bit. I fell on the traverse between Noi and Cobra three times and on Noi. Last Saturday, everything was perfect and I made it.

Darius Rapa, who last year did his first 9a and won one Euro Youth Cup, has done Estado critico (9a) in Siurana. "Sooo damn happy to clip the chain on this 35 meters masterpiece and to tick my second 9a. It was such a big fight all the way to the top😮‍💨 The route was done in 6 tries, 3 days"

Can you tell us more about your trip and the ascent?
I went to Siurana for 9 days and my plan was just to check the area and eventually find a project. On my first go on Estado Critico I couldn’t make it past the first crux (the dynamic move to the small crimp). On my second go, I passed the crux but still didn’t make it to the top but made some links (I struggled a lot on the upper part). I made it to the top on my third go and found my final beta so that meant it was just a matter of time until I would clip the chains (which I did surprisingly fast and unexpectedly on my 6th try). I am so happy with this one and I will try to push myself to the limits in the future.

What else have you been doing in the autumn and what is the winter plan?
This autumn I was mostly training in the gym after the Youth World Championships in Dallas and I’ve also done the FA of L'integral du decadance (8B) in Romania. Now I will train hard with my coach, Robert Cohn, for the upcoming competitional season.

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!