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!

Lynn Van der Meer, who finished the competition season by getting the silver in a Euro Cup two weeks ago, has sent Goofy (8c+) in Leonidio & Kyparissi.

”Yessss! What a beautiful line 😍 powerful moves at the beginning and an endurance finish. Enjoyed trying and climbing this line so much. It supposed to be an 8c but since the tufas broke off and the kneebars are gone it’s upgraded to 8c+. It’s the first of this grade for me and for sure felt harder than the 8c’s I have done. Needed one day (3tries) working the moves and 1 time linking parts of the route and then the day after the restday unexpectedly directly send :)”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
After a long competition season, I planned a much-needed vacation to Greece. I was looking forward to some rock climbing, chilling, and sunshine :) At first, I didn’t plan to try anything hard — I just wanted the chill vacation vibe. But I changed my mind when I saw the line of Goofy. It looked great, and I was curious to try the moves.

It turned out the route suited me well, with powerful moves at the start and an endurance finish. On the first day, I went into the route three times to check the moves and find the best beta for me. The day after, I only went through the route once because of my bad skin. Then, after a rest day, I came back and planned to climb the route in two parts. But the first part went well, and I kept going and climbed the route on my first go of the day. It felt like a perfect go, without expectations or any pressure to send.

Tim Emmett has posted a very emotional Instagram video where he says, “I just did it!” and then starts crying. The 51-year-old refers to his eight-year-and-130-day project, Era Vella (9a), in Margalef.

” I can’t believe it ! Last day, last go, + 1

. I’ve never been emotional with a climb, but this one has had me in tears for the last few hours ! So happy, I can’t believe it’s actually real. ❤️🙏🥲😃”

What he means with the ”+ 1”, is that he fell in his last attempt but then got one extra try as Rob Wilson offered to drive him the 2.5 hours to the airport.

Few climbers can match the range of terrain Emmett has mastered. From sport and trad to mixed, ice, big wall, alpine, mountaineering, and deep-water soloing, he’s spent his career exploring nearly every corner of the climbing world.

Two decades ago, Emmett helped shape the modern era of deep-water soloing by establishing new lines in Spain and across the globe. He and his partners went on to rewrite the standards of waterfall ice climbing, achieving the world’s first sends at WI10, WI11, WI12, and WI13—all at the wild amphitheater of Helmcken Falls in British Columbia. His ambition carried him even farther afield, joining the team that completed the first ascent of the east face of Kedar Dome in the Himalayas.