Allison Vest, with 16 boulders 8B and harder to her name, has completed Mad Circle (8A+) in Price Canyon. ”What an amazing boulder, I have tried this thing off and on since Nov 22 and went from thinking I wouldn't be able to span the normal beta and cooking up my own method to just believing it would go and making it happen. Stoked. What a mega boulder.”

Miles Perry, who last year did the FA of a 9a, has completed Grand Illusion (8C+) in Little Cottonwood.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
This one has always been on my mind but for a long time it felt like it was still out of reach. Then last spring my brother Eli Perry was able to put it down. This got me stoked watching his process on it and the fact that he said I definitely had a shot at doing the climb pushed me to start trying from the ground this season and after about 20 days up there I found myself on top definitely one of the most enjoyable climbs of my life.

In 2021, Irmgard Braun completed her first 7c+, Open Box at age 69. Last year she sent Le string à Fredo (7c) and in 2025 she did Junge (7c). The German author started climbing in the 80'ies and was later part of the German national team. A new profile video of the 73-year-old has just been released, see below.

How is your training organized?
In climbing holidays and in the summer season on rock I only climb and train my flexibility on rest days. But I try (for me) hard routes with difficult moves at my limit, sort of bouldering with a rope, what is a lot of fun.

Real Training I do in winter. For about 10 weeks for about two times per week I do relieved pullups, (I can do only a few without) with 3-4 sets with 8-10 reps. And 2 times per week pushups and some antagonist and core training. I find that quite exhausting. For the fun I go to the climbing hall and do quite easy routes ( rarely more than 6c) about 2 times a week. And for 6-7 weeks before the rock season starts I hang on small crimps and pockets, about 2 times a week. And I forgot: 2 times a week I use a crosstrainer for cardio (40 minutes).

How much do you climb outdoor during a year?
My outdoor-season is from middle of march until middle of november; considering there a times of rain and - what is necessary in my age – a lot of restdays, it might be around 80 days.

What is your status on your 8a project and how many sessions have you put in?
I do not really remember. More than 10 sessions (all toprope), I reckon. I did all the moves except two, which I could only do with a little help with the rope.

What are your strength and weaknesses?
Fingerpower with small crimps. And I am really bad with biceps power and dynamic climbing.

What is your driving force?
Joy in the movement when I am climbing. And the tension and curiosity if I succeed trying hard, especially when I am going for a onsight.

What are your onsight level the last years?
On rock: quite a lot graded 7a+. This and last year I failed very close at 7b. In the climbing gym I onsighted sometimes 7b.

What about start logging your routes?
I will think about it - considering my memory will get worse getting older. And I really like the website!

Chaehyun Seo has onsighted Humildes pa Casa (8b+) and redpointed La Morenita (8c+) in Oliana. In November, the 22-year-old has sent nine routes 8b+ up to 9a+ and she is number three in the VL ranking game.

Can you tell us more about those ascents?
Humildes was hard because I didn’t have a knee pad! I had a good fight for the last section of the route because I’m not really adapted well for tufas.

For the 8c+, it wasn’t super hard for me at the Marroncita section but the final crux was way too hard. Somehow I managed the move but fell there twice before I finally stuck it!

Sam Richard sent Soudain seul (9A) two weeks ago and here is the Vertical-Life interview with the 18-year-old.

Dylan Chuat, who previously has sent eleven routes 9a to 9b in 2025, has made the first ascent of Terre sacrée (9a+) in Rawyl. The 24-year-old is runner up behind Laura Rogora in the VL ranking game.
”Last week, I did what is probably my most beautiful first ascent. Not the hardest route I’ve ever climbed… but definitely one of the most incredible, if not the most incredible. When Jean-Élie told me he had bolted a new hard line in Rawyl, I instantly knew it was meant for me. Rawyl has always been a special cliff for me. Every time I climb there, I feel good, light, disconnected from the world but deeply connected to the rock. That flow state we’re all searching for in climbing… I find it almost every time in Rawyl. And it’s a drug I never want to come down from. That’s also why no route in Rawyl has ever demanded much work from me — I’m completely in my element.

Yet, it started off pretty badly. For some reason, during my very first “warm-up” go, I decided it might become an actual send attempt. And it almost worked: I stuck the upper bloc but fell in the jugs right after from a flash pump + a hand slip. On my second go, I put in the perfect run — pure flow. I didn’t have to fight at any moment, I floated through the upper bloc again, reached the top out with jugs in my hands… and this time my foot slipped. And yeah, I was not happy.

But on my third try, completely unexpectedly, I topped out this king line. I think I loved this route so much that my subconscious wanted to send it three times in one day — which is basically what happened 😂. Lesson learned: don’t neglect the easy top-outs…

Sacred Ground starts from Cabane au Canada up to about three-quarters, then moves through ten easy but super flowy moves to a solid hanging rest. From there, you hit a first mini-bloc with two super stylish moves: a high lolotte to reach far into a perfect crimp, then a shoulder “clock move” to switch onto the left hand… and that’s where the real bloc begins, on the best rock in Rawyl.

The holds are absolutely wild: a tiny magical pinch, a 6 mm crimp, a flat pocket worthy of Céüse, a key flat edge, then a series of beautiful positive crimps. All of this with tiny feet — just enough to make the line perfect, demanding, and unforgettable. A true king line. Huge thanks to Jean-Élie for the vision and the bolting. I’m convinced this route will become a classic — maybe even historic — in our little country. And thank you to Charlotte for all the belays. Soon it’ll be your turn to shine in Rawyl ✨”

Jakob Schubert reports on Instagram that he has made the first repeat of Nicolai Užnik’s Mount Doom (9A) in Schleierwasserfall, after eight days of work. © Moritz Klee/Nodum Sports

”An absolutely amazing line! Long, steep, crimpy and sustained until the top - so very much my style.”

Interestingly, Schubert comments that Janja Garnbret broke a key hold creating a new mini crux which took two extra days to solve. The Austrian has previously sent Alphane (9A) and made the FA of B.I.G (9c). Furthermore, the 34-year-old is a four-time Lead World Champion and a three-time overall World Cup winner. He also secured Olympic bronze in the combined event at both the 2020 and 2024 Games.

Lukas Mokrolusky, who placed 19th at the World Championship six weeks ago, has done The Big Island (8C) in Fontainebleau. With the rope, the 17-year-old sent Action Directe (9a) in April and won silver in Lead at the Youth World Championship in August. (c) Frantisek Danda

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I came to Fontainebleau to try Big Island because it’s very much my style… big moves, heel hooks, and not too long. During my first session, I spent just 30 minutes trying the moves and actually did pretty well.

The next day, the boulder was completely under water, but we dried it out and I managed to get a good try in. The third session was only three attempts, but I did a split, so I stopped climbing because I knew I could do it after a rest day. In the final session, it went down on my first try of the day, so I was really happy to do it so quickly.

How do you summarise your great competition year?
Competition year was super great for me. I did semifinal in WCH and Top-10 in Innsbruck. It gave me a super motivation for next year and great experience

Elias Iagnemma has done the first ascent of Exodia in Val Pellice and proposes 9A+. Originally it was a Christian Core project and the 30-year-old started projecting it in 2021.

”First part is 8B+, 45 seconds bat rest and 8C+. 211 sessions during 4.5 years. What made it possible, the perseverance.”

It took the Italian 160 sessions and four years of effort before he could do all moves. Some 18 months ago he repeated Burden of Dreams (9A) after some 25 sessions and in January he did the FA of The Big Slamm (9A) after some 35 sessions.

Sierra Blair, with five 8A+’ to her name, has sent Birch Problem (8B+) in Flagstaff Hinterlands. It took her 12 sessions over nine trips to finish it and here is her Instagram video. The 31-year-old placed tenth at the Tokyo World Cup in 2018 and stopped competing in IFSC events the following year.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I’m incredibly excited to have finally sent this boulder. Birch Problem tested me the most in terms of tenacity, patience, and power. Cherry Canyon is about 3 hours from where I live and it was many weekends of driving up and trying the climb…only to drive back home without the send. The crux move gave me a lot of issues and it quite literally felt impossible to link the boulder until my send go. Once I did the crux move it was all about keeping it together and not dropping the top. Definitely the boulder I was the most excited to finish and I can’t wait for what’s next!