Ayala Kerem from Israel won the female semifinal in the Bouldering World Cup in Salt Lake City, doing all four boulders in eight attempts. Last weekend the 20-year-old was #21 and in Meiringen she was #16. Female results

The male division was won by Kokoro Fujii from Japan topping the four boulders in seven tries. He is four overall after three events but he will advance to at least #2 as Tomoa Narasaki did not participate and Mejdi Schalck was #21. Male results - How to watch the finals

Dylan Chuat has done the first repeat of Adam Ondra's Hyper Finale (9a+) in Rawyl from 2016. Previously the 21-year-old has done nine 9a's including Super Finale. Dylan needed five sessions to do Super Finale and then two more to send his first 9a+.

"You climb all the hard parts of Super Finale 9a and then exit to the right through two hard cruxes. First, some crimps which end with a risk-taking dyno into a jug. After that, you have another big boulder crux, on super small holds which some climbers have said is like an 8B boulder! I found a significantly different method but it is still no less than an 8A+ boulder." (c) Rémi Degenne

Afra Hönig from Germany needed only six attempts to top out all five boulders in the Salt Lake City second Boulder World Cup in 2022. In the second group, Miho Nonaka from Japan won doing all five boulders in eleven tries. In total, nine girls topped out all five boulders. Among the male, Keita Dohi from Japan and Dohyun Lee from Korea won their respective group topping out all five boulders as also seven more males did. Five from Japan made it to the semifinal although Tomoa Narasaki did not participate. Female results and Male results

Michaela Kiersch reports on Insta that she has done her first 8B+, New Base Line in Magic Woods, in just four sessions. During the last month she has previously sent one 8c+, graduated as a Doctor in hand therapy, been on Petzl Roc trip for two weeks and sent two 8B's. (c) Nina Williams

How can you explain peaking in your climbing right now?
I’ve always had a lot of support for my climbing. Community, friends, and family have been the foundation of my climbing for years. I climb my best when I am happy, and I feel that I’m at a time in my life where everything has fallen into place. Finishing graduate school is one of my greatest accomplishments to date. I think it gave me confidence and momentum that has carried into my recent projects.

I haven’t changed much of my training routine other than having a little more time than before. I think it can be intimidating to try hard boulders. Maybe the difference is that now I’m up to the challenge and have been putting time into figuring out my limits within bouldering.

During the Speed qualification in Salt Lake City, Kiromal Katibin from Indonesia broke the world record for the second time in three weeks finishing at 5.10 seconds. Later he fell in the quarterfinal and his teammate Leonardo Veddriq won as his final opponent Tobias Plangger fell. The Austrian had made it to the final as his opponent in the semifinal made a false start. Complete results (c) Daniel Gajda/IFSC

Among the female, Aleksandra Miroslaw was totally superior setting yet a new world record at 6.53. No other female did go sub 7 seconds in the competition. In the four final rounds, Miroslaw did sub 7 seconds in every race finishing with 6.54 in the final against Emma Hunt from the USA, who fell. Complete results

Alex Puccio, possibly the best female boulderer during the last 15 years, in spite of several injuries, has during two weeks in Magic Woods sent SteppenWolf 8B, The bizarre Ride 8A+ (2nd try from the start), Left Hand of darkness 8A+, Body Count 8A+ and Bomb is the Explosion 8A (2nd try). (c) Nina Williams

Are you fully recovered from all your injuries including the SC joint injury last year?
Pretty much. It will never be quite the same, as in I have to be careful on certain types of moves with it and if I push it too hard in some weird positions it can be sore in the morning.

I had a right shoulder issue before we left for the UK in mid April so didn’t climb for a few weeks, just did shoulder rehab. I’m not nearly back to my strength yet, but getting better. Building a base again out here. I started climbing V3-V4 a couple of weeks before we left for the UK and then the last week before we left I was able to do a very basic V10 in the gym. This was a MASSIVE improvement since I didn’t think I would be climbing on the trip at all for a while.

So now, even tho it’s been a bit frustrating at times, I’m climbing and trying to stay happy while regaining strength, power and fitness. :) Since I have already done a lot of stuff in Magic Wood I have been trying to find climbs that I can potentially do at my current fitness level. A little hard, but I have done some nice climbs. :)

How was this tick list possible not fully recovered?
I don’t know. I still feel pretty weak for myself. I think it will take a few more months to get back where I want to be. These shoulder issues started last late summer with my SC joint injury where I couldn’t lift my left arm more than 90 degrees for over 2 months. So I didn’t climb or hang board or anything for over 2.5 months. Then I started extremely easy sport climbing and then only sport climbed really till December. Then At beginning of February when to Red Rocks where I climbed quite well despite overcoming my injury and then on the trip I hurt my right shoulder from overcompensating and trying to climb hard. But from all of this, I have learned to listen to my body and the importance of taking care of it!! Lol!

During the qualifications in the Salt Lake City Boulder World Cup last weekend, (at least) three girls injured themself on the same move.

Jenya Kazbekova (#14 in the semi) injured her shoulder and could somewhat continue doing the semi and reported on Insta. " Yesterday, on the 4th boulder, while pressing up, I heard my shoulder pop, so I jumped off. I wasn't able to try that boulder anymore. I do want to mention that on that same move two more girls injured themselves. I really don't like that our sport is turning into Russian roulette, where you injure yourself or not..."

Sienna Kopf (tied #2 after three boulders) injured her elbow and will probably have 3+ months of recovery and reported on Insta,"Super proud of my climbing on the first 3 (flash, flash, and second go) but unfortunately hit a bit of a speed bump on #4 and hyperextended/strained my elbow trying to press up past zone …"

Johanna Färber (tied #2 after three boulders), in the picture on boulder four, will probably have 6+ weeks of recovery and commented on Insta. "Ruptured my ligament in my right ellbow while pushing through the fourth boulder."

Dr Björn Alber MsC Sports Physiology, Md sports medicine, former Swedish National Team Physician & Coach, comments: ”As previously described on 8a- you have to have an understanding of anatomy and normal range of motion to safely set boulder problems. I have earlier published examples of overstretching the elbow joint, overloading the fingers et.c. In the recent Salt Lake boulder competition we saw problem that due to setup- put to much stress on the shoulder and elbow joint stability and strength. The purpose of any boulder is to test the competitors ability not durability and it is not acceptable to provoke injury. My suggestion is that, at least on this high level, there should be a consultation with a physioterapeut before allowing moves that put extreme loads on the body when in vulnerable positions.”

Aris Theodoropoulos, aka Mr Kalymnos, has been with a team putting up some 80 routes in Zobolo saying it offers possibly the best summer climbing in Greece. It is located by the sea, near Neapoli, some 2.5 h drive south of Leonidio. In total there are now 300+ routes and the potential is 1 000 including also MPs up to 200 meters.

"A big camping with some bungalows is planned to open next year. The camping will be located very close to the crags and the beach." The picture shows a new tufa sector which they will start to develop very soon.

How come it is such a great summer destination?
The sectors face each other, so you can climb in the shade or sun all day by selecting the appropriate sector for the weather and time of day. Furthermore, the fact that the cliffs face several different directions may offer some protected areas on days with strong winds, which are not infrequent. Both new sectors are excellent for climbing in the summer, even on very hot days. Because there is shade all day by choosing the right crag. Also the wind and the microclima of these new crag gives lower temperatures.

David Firnenburg, who previously has done 20 routes graded 9a or 9a+, has done Blindgänger (9a) in Unterwald. "Nice route on crimps, slopers and pockets! FA by Dimitri Vogt in 2021. Located on the left side of the crag. First through the small roof and then resistant climbing straight up. Rather felt soft for the grade (8c+/9a?) but time will tell. Good day with Sam Ometz. Unterwald is a good alternative to Gimmelwald in the region of Berner Oberland!"

How many sessions did it take?
It took me three sessions. I was already close to sending it on my 2nd session but I kept falling on a tricky sequence in the upper part of the route. It’s nice to see that there is still a lot of potential for new hard routes here in Switzerland 😊