Stefano Carnati, with 37 routes 9a to 9b under his belt, has repeated Ultimo tango a Zagarolo (9a+) in Grotti. The Italian only needed two days for the ascent and commented it is either a hard 9a or 9a/+. (c) Filippide Calindro

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Ultimo Tango a Zagarolo is short and specific route: it starts with a powerful ten-move boulder, featuring a long move off distant feet and then a series of two-finger pockets that are extremely hard on the tendons. The final crux is a jump from a deep, sharp two-finger pocket. I managed to stick this move in isolation already on my first try, but I quickly realised that coming into that pocket from below makes it almost impossible to get it as deep and solid as you’d want.

On my redpoint I must have pulled way too hard on that pocket, because my finger went numb for the entire upper section. That part climbs around 8a, on a vertical wall with smaller, sharper pockets… definitely not as easy as I expected after only checking it twice. Another lesson learned. In the following days my tendons were incredibly sore, and I could barely climb anything.

Matilda Söderlund reports on Instagram that she has done the first female ascent of Spomin (8c) in Paklenica. The 350-meter route is split into ten pitches, with the crux sections graded 8c and 8b+. The Swede boasts one of the greatest résumés in women’s climbing. She finished sixth at the 2012 World Championship and has since climbed 9a’s, onsighted 8b,’s and sent boulders up to 8B. Her achievements also include a couple multi-pitch ascents graded 8b+ and 8c.

”It took us 14 hours car to car, so we weren’t fast 😅 But climbing the last couple of pitches in the dark with no wind was a really cool mix of calmness and epic. Standing on the summit of Anica Kuk, completely exhausted, together is a memory I will cherish forever - and ’Spomin’ actually means memory ✨”

Eva Hammelmüller, who previously in 2025 has done a dozen routes 8c+ and beyond, has sent Omen Nomen (9a) in Arco. The Austrian tried it four years ago but could just barely do every move in isolation. This year, the 25-year-old sent it in just four sessions and she moves to second position, after Laura Rogora, in the ranking game.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
A dream of mine that first took shape back in 2021 became reality last weekend. At that time, my big objective was to climb 9a, and I thought ‘Omen Nomen ’could potentially fit my style perfectly; the route is not too steep and really technical, and can be split into three sections with rests in between. However, to be honest, I think I just didn’t have the level yet. The cruxes require a huge amount of body tension, biceps, and finger strength - which I definitely lacked at that time.

Several years passed and finally, I returned this season with all my homework done. While I struggled to do the moves in isolation in 2021, I quickly linked both crux sequences this year. Four amazing days in Padaro with good friends later, and the anchor was clipped. Knowing how far I’d come since those first sessions, was an unreal and incredibly rewarding feeling. Huge thanks to the crew for hyping me up and sharing the psych!!

How can you best explain your great outdoor progress in 2025?
Over the last few years, my motivation for outdoor climbing outgrew my thrive for competitions. I enjoyed being out in nature with good friends so much more than competing, especially because I always experienced competition venues as really stressful and nerve-wrecking. While I felt energetic and psyched after a long rock climbing day, competitions left me feeling drained and tired. Therefore, I reckon that my decision to focus on rock climbing plays an important part in my performance improvement. If I feel relaxed and nothing but motivated, I simply perform way better. In addition, not having to focus on comp schedules and training cycles enables me to listen 100% to my body - if I am psyched for climbing, I climb, if I am tired or have many other things to do, I rest; that makes my training more effective and productive. Plus, I think my mentality is more the one of a team player - and outside, climbing is exactly about that: working together to find the best solution to succeed in a route, with the only 'opponent‘ being the route. After all, I guess it comes down to not take everything too seriously and make the most of every climbing session you get to spend outside with friends.

Jacopo Larcher has repeated James Pearson’s Bon Voyage (9a) in Annot. Pearson graded it E12 on the British trad scale, which also includes how dangerous and how hard it is to onsight. Later Adam Ondra did the second ascent, saying it is a solid 9a comparing to bolted routes.

The Italian climber boasts one of the most impressive trad tick lists, including his first ascent of Tribe, a potential 9a. He began projecting Bon Voyage two years ago on a solo trip, and after another solo trip and two more trips with a belayer, he successfully sent it.

"I remember when James first told me about Bon Voyage. He was still working on it at the time and showed me some pictures of those perfect pockets branching off from the classic Voyage, which required some creative beta. He spoke of bomber gear but also big falls: the perfect combination for some hard trad climbing!

After he sent it, I was even more motivated to check it out myself, so in November ’23 I drove down to Annot with my dog Olli. Once I started working the route, on a static line, I immediately told myself: “What a crazy line!” It’s incredibly rare to find something like this—proper hard climbing, yet still safe to protect on gear. I felt good on the route right away and was able to make big links, but the infamous mono move really made me struggle. My pinky was too weak, and I tore it as soon as I tried pulling on it. I had to find another method, which was super tough on the skin and low percentage. My fingers were simply too weak. I realized it didn’t make sense to try on lead when I couldn’t even consistently stick that move, so I shifted my focus to other projects (like Couilles de Mammouth). The next spring I made another quick solo trip, but again without real progress on that move.

This year, after winter training, I drove down again with a good friend, Nemuel Feuerle, for a week. We split our time between Bon Voyage and other routes, and finally that move started to feel doable—even with the pinky! Psyche was high and I was already planning another trip a few weeks later, but unfortunately on the second-to-last day in Annot I injured my neck while working the route. That meant a forced month of rest and losing power in my left arm for about two weeks. Pretty scary. Between the injury, frustration and other plans, I ended up putting the project aside. After the route-setting season, the plan for fall was to spend quite a bit of time in Yosemite as usual, but then unfortunately Babsi got injured, and I decided to cancel the trip as well. Bon Voyage started creeping back into my mind, especially since another friend was motivated for it too. I began training my pinky a bit, trying to find the balance between strengthening it and not getting injured again, and around mid- November I drove back to Annot. I don’t know what changed this time—maybe the training, maybe the shared motivation—but to my great surprise I could immediately stick the pinky mono move, and after a few days I finally tied in to give it proper lead attempts.

The first try on lead felt weird. I had spent so much time working the route, mostly alone on a static line, and I didn’t know what to expect. Part of me was hoping for an improbable “first go, best go”, while another part was just stressed about how the route would feel on lead. I was afraid it would feel horrible. I climbed poorly and was very tense, but when I fell I was relieved to finally be giving it real attempts. That try really unblocked something, and my internal motivation grew again. Everything felt different this time, and it was so cool to share the process and the attempts with friends who were also working the route. It felt like a normal day at the crag, sharing burns, rather than headpointing a hard trad line. 2025 was a challenging year for me. I had lots of amazing moments, but climbing-wise I struggled a lot and nothing seemed to click, which brought frustration and higher expectations/pressure, especially after the missed flash of Freerider. I couldn’t find the fire that usually burns inside me for climbing, and the more I searched for it, the further away it seemed. But somehow, in the weeks before the trip, I realized that the fire was coming back. I was climbing without pressure, simply for the joy of climbing and sharing good moments with friends. Some spontaneous trips reignited that spark, and the same happened in Annot.

I was getting closer and closer on every try, but instead of getting frustrated or feeling pressure—like I had for most of the year—I just wanted to try more, to climb more. Honestly, that’s what I had been missing these last months. It felt so good to try hard, share moments with friends, and be in a good headspace. The funny thing was that when I first started trying the route, I thought that once I somehow stuck the mono move, I would definitely send, since the last section didn’t feel too bad in isolation… but reality was different, and I fell at least five times after the mono. What an unexpected turn—from not being able to do the move at all, to sticking it almost every time and then falling after it. Mathieu Miquel gave us the perfect belay beta (redirecting the rope to a cam at chest height at the base of the wall), which made the fall off the arête safe. That allowed us to focus completely on climbing without fear. On Nov 29th, on the send go, everything aligned and I slipped into one of those rare flow states where everything feels almost effortless. Finishing a project with a big fight is great, but it’s also nice to finish such a long and challenging process in this way. In the end it’s just a piece of rock, but I’m grateful for what this route taught me throughout the process. It showed me that it’s always worth sticking with a goal, no matter how much you struggle. It reminded me of the importance of sharing the process with others, reconnected me with a country where I’ve spent a lot of good times and—especially on this last trip—reconnected me with my climbing. What a Bon Voyage, in the end. A big thanks to everyone who shared this journey with me, both there and from home.”

Sasha Digulian, Overall World Champion in 2011, has done the first female ascent of the 40 pitches The Direct Line / Platinum Wall (8a+) in Yosemite (CA). The FA was done by Rob Miller in 2017 after projecting it for several years. Sasha, with some 50 routes 8b+ to 9a under her belt, spent 23 days on the 900 meters route, out of which nine of them spent stuck on her portaledge as back-to-back storms drenched the upper wall. (c) Christian Pondella

DiGiulian prepared over three seasons, rehearsing the glacier-polished lower two-thirds until she deciphered its complex sequences, then rappelling in to work the crux pitches of the upper wall. She launched her continuous ground-up attempt on November 2, weathered storms that halted progress for days at a time, and finally topped out on November 26 under clear skies and softening summit snow.

”That storm was one of the scariest experiences of my life. The wind hammered the portaledge all night, the poles were bending, and I couldn’t stop thinking it might break. I felt isolated, exhausted, and terrified — but I also knew I’d regret it forever if I didn’t give this climb every possible chance. So I chose to stay. Day by day, breath by breath, believing the storm would eventually pass.”

👉 Day 21 - the hardest pitch, mentally and physically “The roof pitch was soaked and I was exhausted — my hands, shoes, everything was wet. I fell, pulled the rope, and went again. By the downclimb my whole body was shaking with nerves and adrenaline, just trying to breathe and hold on. When I clipped the anchor, I screamed and burst into tears. It wasn’t the top, but it was the end of the hardest pitches — the moment I realized the summit was actually possible.”

“This climb started as a wild, audacious dream — something that honestly terrified me. I battled so many moments of feeling unprepared or not good enough. But pitch by pitch I proved to myself that when you show up, commit, and keep believing, you can do things you once thought were impossible. This ascent is the proudest achievement of my career.”

Laura Pineau has done the first female ascent of Wet Lycra Nightmare (8b) in Yosemite (CA). The 25-year-old started climbing at age 17 after previously having focused first on tennis and later on boxing. In 2019, she did her first 7a and her personal best 18 months ago was 8a. (c) Logan Calder

”In 2023, after two months in Squamish prepping for Free Rider, everything changed when I saw Samuel Crossley’s film about Wet Lycra Nightmare at the Arc’teryx festival. The vision of that ridiculous chicken-wing move 600 meters above the Valley instantly hooked me. It wasn’t just the exposure — the slabs, cracks, powerful boulder problems, and the final wild chimney felt like the perfect mix to test myself on granite.

The lead-up wasn’t ideal. A heavy bike crash in July left me with a bad shoulder and two months of inconsistent training. When I arrived in Yosemite feeling weaker than usual, part of me doubted the whole project. But after ten cautious days on the wall, my shoulder suddenly stopped hurting. From that moment, I committed: six weeks on the route, seventeen days total. Once I finally sent the 8b on lead, I knew the full ascent was possible, even if two hard 7c+ pitches still stood between me and the top. The three-day push was intense.

The first day went well until five exhausting attempts on the crux forced me to sleep on Ahwahnee Ledge — where my Coros calmly informed me I’d burned 4700 calories. Day two turned into a mental war: ten tries on the 8b, including a devastating slip on the seventh that nearly broke me. Some upbeat music helped me reset, and on try number ten, everything clicked. I even sent the next pitch in the last minutes of shade. At that point, I felt the top was finally within reach. Day three is now one of the best climbing days of my life. I fought through the last 7c+ completely pumped, then nearly got stuck in the chimney — a full minute frozen between tension, fear, and determination. Once I unlocked the move, everything flowed. I enjoyed every step to the anchor.

Clipping that last anchor brought huge relief and pride. Wet Lycra Nightmare became my first big wall sent entirely on my own — the perfect ending to what I now call my “Yosemite year.” After seven months in the Valley, I’m heading back to Europe with unforgettable memories and the feeling that I’ve left a small trace in one of climbing’s most iconic places.”

Ga-eun Kwon, who sent her first 8c+ at age 10, has repeated Chris Sharma’s iconic Era Vella (9a) during a three-week trip to Margalef.

”The first time I went climbing overseas was with just my dad when I was eight years old. Because that trip was so enjoyable and remains a great memory, the annual climbing trips are always something I look forward to and get excited about. ​Since it had been two years since I last sent an 8c+, my thirst for 9a had been growing. That’s why I was thrilled to come on this trip and finally climb the legendary Era Vella, which I had only seen in videos. ​The only really challenging part here was the cold, as the area doesn't get sun all day and is very windy.

​While adjusting to the time difference, I gradually worked out the moves, doing one or two attempts per day. After a few days, I solved all the moves, and Dad and I celebrated had a party. I was happy because I have always managed to send a route once I’ve solved the movement. ​In the end, I achieved the send after a total of six attempts over three days. ​The most memorable moment was during the fifth attempt: I passed every hard section, but just before clipping the final chain, the inside of a hold was wet. I struggled there for over 10 minutes before finally falling off. It was such an easy section, and I was frustrated and sad that I fell because the hold was wet.

My original schedule was to climb the next day, but Dad suggested we take a rest day. So, on our rest day, we had a great time walking by the sea and doing some local shopping. ​The following day, after warming up, I sent Era Vella on my very first try of the day, finally claiming my first 9a. ​The final moment was amazing; I'm so happy and still can't quite believe it.”

Her 54-year-old father, Younghye, who last year won the Ice World Cup in Korea, gives us the full background story.

”It is not easy for us, coming from an Asian country, to travel frequently to Europe. Because of this, the strength of the  "Selection and Concentration" has always been necessary for us. To ensure that she could complete her target route on each rare trip, we had to combine various pieces of information, preparing and training her for several months in advance.

As this is her last year of elementary school, I often reflect on my daughter's climbing life so far.  Since her mother and I run a climbing gym, the gym naturally became her playground from an early age.  By the time she was six, we began guiding her through more systematic training.

Ordinarily, she focuses her training on climbing competitions, only traveling for outdoor rock climbing once a year. Our goal is to let her experience the joy of climbing in nature and to use these rock climbs as opportunities to push her limits one step further. Because "Era Vella" is world-famous and has many videos available, we were able to analyze its climbing style and characteristics beforehand. I determined that the sustained endurance required for the 50-meter-long route and the angle of the steep overhang were well-suited to her climbing style. I set this route as her goal, and thankfully, she was able to solve the sequences without too much trouble.

However, due to her smaller stature, she often had to find her own unique moves—different from those used by adults—to solve various sections. Through this process, she constantly changed and refined her movements, learning ways to conserve energy even when using the tiniest holds.

Just when she had nearly solved all the movements, the weather became the critical variable. Even though it didn't rain, I suspect that the severe temperature difference caused moisture to appear on several holds. After struggling for several days with these wet holds, the wind finally picked up significantly on December 5th, returning the holds to normal condition. Not missing this crucial opportunity, she climbed calmly and steadily, clipping the rope into the chains to complete her first 9a route. And finally, we want to express our thanks to Chris Sharma for establishing this incredible line.”

Andrea Chelleris, who last month won the Euro Youth Cup in Toulouse, has done Victimes del futur (9a) in Margalef. ”3 days,6 tries. Incredible 3rd 9a of the trip!”

The 16-year-old has also during the last month onsighted six routes 8a to 8b and in the monthly ranking game, he is #4 worldwide.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I tried it for the first time probably two weeks ago, just after I wrecked my skin on Victimas Perez. It took me quite a long time to figure out the best way to do the crux, and I tried to pay a lot of attention to it because I knew I could do the first part easily and everything depended on the crux. The route has a mid/easy intro to a good rest and then the hard crux.

I gave it a try after sending Victima Perez and I fell at the crux. I came back today, and on the first try I got to the crux but I was pumped. The second try was very close, I fell going to the sloper before the jug. Then I really didn’t know if I should give it another go or rest for the next day, but I decided to go because I was feeling good. Everything worked out and I passed the crux! I was very scared to fall on the last slab, so I had a little fight before clipping the chains 😁

Arlo Rio Dutt Chandramowli has repeated Bernd Zangerl’s Premium gravity (8A) in Rakchham. His father, Dhillan, shares their climbing lifestyle including establishing close to 400 boulders in Sethan.

”Arlo has been climbing with me since he was...very young. For the past 9-10 years, I've been developing the bouldering in Sethan, India. He's been around the process since the beginning. Gradually, he got more involved in the sport. As a family, we travel together for about 6 months in a year - 3 months in Sethan, 3 months off/training season in Bangalore and then, the same cycle for Autumn.

He absolutely LOVES exploration, cleaning new lines and just...looking for rock. So, in terms of a background, I'd say it's something he shared a deep and emotionally solid relationship with.

For the first 9 years, we had completely homeschooled Arlo, so that gave us a lot of liberty with his schedule. Since 2024, he's been part of an amazing project-based learning school called Stay Qrious. His classes are online, and his school is super supportive of his climbing.

In fact, whenever he takes the day off to hit a project, his teachers call in to wish him luck and always ask how his session went. Very atypical to the normal situation, where you build a life around a traditional schooling schedule. In fact, one of the first people he called after sending his project was his school teacher/coach. That's how involved they are!

I'm in the process of writing a guidebook for Sethan. Been working on it, for the past few years. It should be out either next year or the year after.

The area is at an altitude of 2800 meters (and above); it sits in full view of the Dhauladhar Himalayas. The village of Sethan itself is a quaint settlement of nomadic horse herders, who have now turned to agriculture. There are lots of variations within the rock here, but it is, in essence, a very compact gneissic granite (similar to Maltatal, Squamish, Chironico, Val Bavona, Magic Woods, Brione, etc.) To reach Sethan, you have to take a flight to either New Delhi or Chandigarh and then an overnight bus to the mountain town of Manali. From Manali, Sethan is only 40-45 mins away by taxi. Manali is a very well stocked town, where you can get everything from beer to phones to outdoor gear to excellent coffee. Sethan has two main climbing seasons, summer and autumn. The summer season is from mid-April to late June. Autumn is from early October to mid/late December. As is the case everywhere, days are longer during the summer but the temperatures are amazing during autumn.”