Jenya Kazbekova was #4 in the Brixen EC. She started off with three straight flashes and then she needed seven tries to make the first move and top out also the last boulder. Super impressive as her preparation was a 2-weeks trip to Siurana, where the Ukrainian onsighted two 8a+, flashed Sentimental 8b+, on 2nd go did Directa Jabali and redpointed Pati Noso 8c/+.

How was this record tick list possible?
Winter training pays off if you go rock climbing mid comp season👍🏼

How was the feeling starting the last boulder as you know that you could win?
I knew that the last boulder would be the deciding one. Jumps were never my strong side, and I wasn't as confident as on the first three, I think that influenced my performance a lot. The jump itself wasn't too hard, just coordination, unfortunately, it took me too many tries to get the feeling for it.

Which comps do you plan to do in 2022 and what are your ambitions?
Pretty much all the comps until Villars, then World games, maybe can squeeze in some rock climbing afterwards and then EU Championship in Munich. After that only rock climbing😊. Ambitions, show my best for my country and my people💙💛

Simon Lorenzi won over Mathieu Ternant by countback by flashing the last boulder. In practice, they got the exact same results with three flashes and a zone on their second attempt. Yannick Flohé was the only one who did the first three boulders but as he could not do the last, he got the bronze instead. Lorenzi comments in the official press release, "I am so happy, I’m feeling home here, since my dad is Italian. Boulders were not so difficult, but you cannot make any mistake if you want to win. I’ll be here in June for the World Cup… and we’ll see.”

In the female category five girls got all four boulders and Sandra Lettner won by doing them in seven tries. Eliska Adamovska needed eight tries and Agathe Calliet nine tries. Lettner comments, "I did not expect it, since I had some problems during the last weeks. I still cannot believe it. Vertikale is one of the best gyms I’ve ever been to, I won here in 2019 also. Now it’s time for another European Cup stage, I’ll be doing my best”. Complete results

Reino "Nicki" Horak, team manager Norway comments to 8a, "Perfecly executed competition with a fantastic atmosphere. The location is great, it was packed to the last seat and everyone could enjoy a great show. I am looking forward to the World Cup in June."

Natalia Grossman from the USA won each stage in the Boulder World Cup in Seoul, topping out all 13 boulders. Oriane Bertone from France got the silver and Brooke Raboutou from the USA the bronze. Complete female results. (c) Dimitris Tosidis/IFSC

Among the male, Kokoro Fujii did all four boulders in 11 attempts meanwhile Tomoa Narasaki needed one more attempt. The last boulder Narasaki did on his fourth try which also was the first time he made the zone. Yoshiyuki Ogata, who was in the lead before the last boulder which he could not do, got the bronze. Noteworthy is that Japan had five in the Top-6 final and France had two Top-7. Complete male results

Paul Jenft and five from Japan made it to the final in Seoul. Among the female, Natalia Grossman won the semifinal and is accompanied with Moroni, Aoyagi, Raboutou, Bertone and Gejo to the final. Complete results

Japan had nine men competing in the qualification round of the Boulder WC in Seoul and eight qualified for the semi-final. The lowest ranking of the nine placeded 21st, thus missing the semi by just one spot. Tomoa Narasaki was #10 and had five others from Japan in front of him. France had three men qualify in the Top-6 and a handful of stars like Adam Ondra and Jakob Schubert chose to not travel to Seoul and take part. Complete results
(c) Dimitris Tosidis/IFSC

In the absence of Janja Garnbret, Natalia Grossman won the qualification ahead of Stasa Gejo, Camilla Moroni and Oriane Bertone. The big names that did not make it to the Top-20 semifinal were; Fanny Gibert, Chaehyun Seo and Mia Krampl. Complete results

Ana Belen Argudo reports on Insta that she has done El Intento 8c+/9a in Cuenca. In total she needed some 24 tries spread over a dozen days. (c) Javi Pec

The 20-year-old started projecting it one month ago directly after she did her first 9a, commenting. "I will go for routes that inspire and challenge me and I will try to leave nice footage that could inspire the next generation. This is just starting."

In the Speed qualification in Seoul, Kiromal Katibin from Indonesia and Alexsandra Miroslaw from Poland set new Speed World records with 5.17 and 6.64 respectively. Miroslaw continued winning the female division at the same time Katibin made a false start in the final which made, the previous world record holder Veddriq Leonardo, from Indonesia, win the gold. It should be mentioned that first, both made a false start so they had to race again. Also, the race of the bronze was a bit anticlimax when Rahmad Badi, also from Indonesia, won as his opponent Lodovico Fossali was unfortunate to fall. Complete results

Seb Bouin, who previously has done three 9b/+, reports on Insta that he has done the FA of DNA 9c in Verdon. "I'm happy to have completed this project. After having equipped and discovered it in 2019, tried it for 6 months in 2020, and for 6 months in 2021, I finally managed to clip the belay this spring during my second trip. I've spent over 150 days in it (close to 200 I think), and tried the route over 250 times. It's the most challenging project I've ever done. It's the hardest route I've ever tried and climbed in my climbing career. This route marks a milestone in my climbing life." (c) Lena Drapella/Black Diamond

"It is clear that it is a risk to say 9c. There is always the risk that someone will downgrade the route later. Especially with the idea that there is only one more roiute in the world with the same degree. It is difficult to be categorical then. I have never climbed a route that is as difficult as DNA and therefore my degree proposal is 9c, but other climbers must give consensus. That is exactly what makes our sport so wonderful, we do not need judges, we are judges ourselves. It is wonderful but also sensitive in situations like this, at the absolute highest level. That is why I would like other top climbers to come here and test DNA", says Seb.

Alex Megos reports on Insta that he, beside doing his "nemesis" 9a, Victimas Perez, also has done three 9a+ routes. "One of the 9a+'s was the FA of "Carlota's Journey". It's a combination of Carlota (8c) into the top of a new line bolted by @tom_bolger. Crux is a deadpoint into a mono. Margalef at its finest👌🏼." In total, the German has now done some 100 routes 9a and harder which is second most in the world after Adam Ondra. (c) Esteban Lahoz

What were the other two 9a+ routes you did?
The first one was Samfaina and the third one was another combination. It's called Carlota la Colombiana.

Did you try any other harder lines that you plan to return for?
Always. 😂 But I didn't try anything harder very much. I focused on a few 9a and 9a+ (routes).

What is the next comp you plan to do?
The next comp is not decided yet. Innsbruck I'll do for sure though. Bouldering and Lead.