Germany had their best World Cup, possibly ever, with Yannick Flohé winning and Hannah Meul getting the silver. Before the women's final, 8a talked to the German Head coach, Ingo Filzwieser, and congratulated him for the great results and also for having four guys in the male semi. Asking him about the reason for the impressive progress the German team has made, he hesitated and gave it a long thought.

"I think most important is the mindset. Everyone is stronger mentally and somehow myself and they (the athletes) all think they can make finals. We have a great team and train together (and) at the same time, Hannah for example is doing most of her training with her personal coach in Cologne. You know, everyone is (an) individual and different approaches are necessary but at the same time we often meet and train together. I am not surprised that Hannah made it to the final and she can send all problems in the final."

We asked Ingo the reason for getting mentally stronger and he pointed out towards their new coach, Sagi Damti from Israel, in the picture. We had a short chat with Sagi and I was blown away by his story and passion for climbers. "I am just one of the coaches. All athletes are equally important for me. Please do not focus just on Yannick and Hannah, it is about the team... Megos for example is the best teammate you could think about."

In short, Sagi's story goes something like this: He started climbing in the Dolomites. He was going for a base jump and in the end, he had to make a 4-pitch 6a but in the end, they had to drag him up as he was terrified. Going back home he jumped off the train station and with his suitcase in his hand he went across the street to a climbing gym and signed up for a course. A few months later the manager asked him if I could run some training groups for kids. His background was working with kids with special needs and the manager said that was enough. Some months later, he started putting up routes and some years later he started to work as a coach for the Israeli team.

They met the Germans in competitions and sometimes they trained together. Last year, he was asked if he could apply to be their boulder coach and he did, even though he knew that one of the other applications came from a trainer he had looked up to for several years, almost like an idol. At 7 o'clock he gets the phone call (and an offer) and he does not know what to say. He asked Alex Khazanov for advice and approval and was convinced. "It is time for you to focus a bit on yourself and in the long run you can come back to us and then you can help Israel even more."

Asking Sagi if he can explain something about how he works he gives examples like. "When I am next to an athlete, I make them understand that my job is 100 % about assisting them. It can be setting some specific boulders for them, reflecting on their thoughts or simply just bringing them a coffee. It is about breaking their comfort zone. Everyone is different and there are no magic words. I express myself as a trainer through route setting I guess. I am obsessed with it and even on my free days, I cannot help myself ending up in the gym thinking about how I can challenge the athletes. Nevertheless, Ingo is the smartest trainer I know, he is doing all the hard training planning. I am just having fun." and that big smile comes again.

Just over 3 months ago, the IFSC suspended the Boulder World Cup and the local organizers in Brixen were asked if they were interested in hosting a replacement event. Three weeks later the dates were fixed and Alexandra Ladurner, Youth World Champion in 2010, started her full-time work preparing for this World Cup. "I have not been able to climb as much as I am used to but it has been a fun process." The 30-year-old is the type of manager that always seems to have everything under control without ever seeming stressed out. She's on top of every detail, we even caught her picking up garbage that some athletes had left. "I can not help myself. It (the venue) needs to look nice and clean," she says with a smile. (c) IFSC

Talking to several athletes and coaches, they all agree that it has been a well organized event and that the venue is perfect for hosting World Cups. Kilian Fischhuber, 5-time winner of the Boulder WC and now a coach for the Austrians, pointed out the great benefit of a curtain in front of the wall covering the route setters' work. Others mentioned that the wall is wider and steeper than most other walls on the circuit. The warm-up wall was great, and the after party and band were also well received.

When it comes to the route setting, the only major complaint heard was the perhaps too hard men's final. However, many coaches and athletes thought it is better too hard than too easy. One coach mentioned that there were again some moves that were not good for the shoulders and Natalia Grossman seemed to have some pain after the final.

Overall though, the route setting was nothing less than spectacular. The number of different solutions that were done on almost each boulder problem was impressive and highly entertaining. On one of the female final boulder problems, all six girls used six unique approaches to do one single move.

We also noticed more interaction among athletes and coaches from different nations, compared to some years ago. The athletes seemed to be more at ease and relaxed at this event and there were long queues of kids and their parents waiting for an autograph.

Brixen went a long way in highlighting the spectacle and legitimacy of climbing and climbing competitions, but constructively speaking there's still room for competitions to improve. The result service is much better than it used to be, but it is still hard for the viewer to understand who is in the lead after each boulder and what is needed for each competitor to make it to the final or to get onto the podium etc. Having a short presentation/clip of each of the 6 finalists both directly after the semi and just before the final would also be a welcomed addition.

The time it takes for each round to be completed is also something that has to be looked at with a little more scrutiny. Perhaps the IFSC could explore limiting the number of athletes, starting with climbers on all five boulders in the semi, trialling a 3+ minute climb time and in the finals, maybe even consider eliminating the lowest placed climbers after the first two boulders.

Adam Ondra has during one day in Harmanec Krpcovo onsighted four 8b+, including Tanec s vlkmi which most ascentionists think is 8c. In total, the 29-year-old, who recently became a dad, has onsighted 191 routes 8b+ and harder, using his notorious, personal solid-for-the-grade scale. No other climber has onsighted more than 40 such graded climbs.

James Pearson reports on Insta that he has made the fifth ascent of Neil Gresham's Lexicon E11 (8b+ R) at Pavey Ark. Full report on UKC

Connor Herson, who did an 8c+ 2nd go at age 14 and one year later The Nose 8b+ in Yosemite, reports on Insta that has done Empath 9a (+) in Tahoe on trad gear. The stunning slightly overhung 20 m line on granite tufas and slopers was put up by Carlo Traversi, one of the most accomplished trad climbers in the world, and has been repeated and confirmed several times as a 9a+ bolted route. (c) Christian Adams

Later Ethan Pringle repeated it using jammies, aka sticky rubber gloves, and said that for him, and also due to his height, he thought it was more of a solid 9a. In this case, the grade is rather important as previously in the trad game, 8c+ is the previously hardest climbed beside Jacopo Larchers's Tribe which he did not grade but made comments indicating it should be at least 9a.

Connor sent Empath using the bolts last year on his fifth session. Later he has sent three more 9a's and in his three Youth World Championships, he has always been Top-16.

David Graham reports on Insta that he has done the FA of Euclase 8C+ in Ticino. "With 19 hand movements, 21 foot moves, and 4 kneebars, its a game of connecting body positions. It’s one of the most technical climbs I have ever encountered and challenged my ability to toe-hook, heel-hook, knee-bar, and footwork like, unlike any other boulder that I’ve tried in my life. The top-out adds a crimpy and dangerous no-fall-zone to the equation, completing the line with a real mental factor."

The 40-year-old has previously the last six months done five 8C's and actually he is peaking right now although being one of the leading rock climbers since 1999. Two months ago, we asked him, How can you still progress after 20+ years as a pro climber?
I feel stronger honestly! 😅😅😅, 🤔🤔🤔. Not sure why?? Maybe smarter??? Healthier lifestyle. Ah just eating better, no partying, lots of good rest!! Better attitude about climbing, more patient and also less concerned with conditions. Always finding new solutions, not getting angry. In the past, I would get much more frustrated when I would fail or not do well. These days I think I'm so used to failing that I'm surprised when I succeed. I do boulders that are really my antistyle too. So I assume they should be hard but I think it really helped my mental game, to push longer and harder. Never get pissed, it is not wise!!! I am feeling strong!! But four months of trying hard has been tough, I took the last two weeks kind of easy as the weather was finally bad 😅🤣

Brooke Raboutou, #5 in the Tokyo Olympics, has done Evil Backwards (8B) in . ”Came here 5 years ago and watched Puccio send, thought it was too big for me but really just wasn’t strong enough lol! First go from the bottom :) fun crew, wonderful evening!”

In total, the 21-year-old has now done 15 boulders 8B or harder. In the 2022 World Cup she is currently #3 although having skipped the last event in Brixen. Coming up 22/6 is the Combined World Cup in Innsbruck followed by Lead in Vilars and Chamonix and possibly also Briancon 22/7.

Philipp Gaßner has done Fonax (8c+) and in Nassereith. ”I am happy to have climbed Hades which is a great endurance test piece. It starts with moderate climbing and then leads to the crux section. The crux is about powerful moves on relatively good crimps and ends with a daring cross move. After that, you reach a saving rest and you can enjoy the easier exit on some lovely grey rock. So it’s very fun to climb!”