Luca Bana has repeated Berni Rivadossi's Super circo abusivo (9a) in Paline. "It was one of the unfinished business I left behind on that perfect wall, after the first ascent of "Abusive Love" in 2018. Then, this month I decided to get back to give it some tries, as the conditions were simply great. Since I already knew the main sections, the process for the send has been easier and quite fast, managing to clip the chains on my 4th session of work. For sure a high-level must-do!"

Domen Škofic, overall Lead WC winner in 2016, has spent the last six weeks mainly climbing in Santa Linya. In the last few days he has done Gypsy Blood (8c+) and JoeDan 8c+ (9a). "I definitely agree to be 9a. Especially without kneepads." (c) Jonathan Siegrist

How come you do not use kneepads? Have you ever tried to adapt to this style?
I like to climb as free as possible and if I feel like I can do a route without a kneepad I prefer to do it that way even if it takes longer to send. I believe that as long as I compete, this climbing style doesn’t help me much.

How was the process taking down the two 8c+' and what happened to your big 9b project?
My power went down the last two weeks and I just wanted to have more fun on the last days before I leave. I actually had to stop trying Stoking the Fire (9b) 3 weeks ago because my knee was getting to painful at the dropknee crux at the bottom. Actually my best attempts were on my first week of coming to the cave and then I felt like I’m doing no progress but I decided to keep on trying. It’s hard for me to project on one thing for more than a week but I want to learn this. I admire people that can stay super focused on one route and make progress. Since my knee started to hurt I switched my focus to and I hoped my knee will get better for Stoking. I feel tired from being in the cave that long but I’m motivated to try hard the last two days and I will be very happy if I can finish Catxasa before I leave.

How do you compare Stoking... 9b with the first 9b you did (Ali Baba sit start extension)?
They are not even close. But I do believe that Stoking is a very hard 9b. Before coming to Spain I was even considering going for either Stoking or Perfecto Mundo because I think this two are not too far apart. Catxasa without kneepad is much harder than Ali Hulk that’s for sure 😅

Isabelle Libbe has done Prince of Thieves (8A) in Joe's Valley (UT). "Mentally demanding more than physically. Probably light in the grade but it suited me well. Regardless, a stellar section of rock."

What is your climbing background?
I grew up in the Midwest climbing indoors. Competed in the youth series but never got great results. At 18 I started sport climbing outside a lot, mostly in the Red River Gorge. This past fall I sent my first 8b+ route, Omaha Beach. I recently moved to Los Angeles and have been checking out all the climbing areas out west. I’ve generally focused on sport climbing but recently have tried to progress in bouldering so decided to spend two weeks in Joe’s Valley.

Could you please say something about how you took down your first 8A?
On the first day of the trip, I sent my first 7C+. The last couple of days of the trip I started trying Prince of Thieves. Perfect sandstone crimps up a tall face to an insecure top out with a bad landing and friction slab to finish. It fit my style well except for the fear factor. I bailed off the top my first day not able to commit. On the third day I tried the moves on top rope and sent first go from the ground. One of the best in Joe’s and my hardest boulder to date!

Dave reports on Insta that he last month did Primitivo 8C in Valle Bavona. "One of the most technical sequences I have ever accomplished 😅" As always, he shares the detailed beta and the full process making you eager to watch the video coming out next week.

The 40-year-old has been one of the very best climbers for 20+ years and he has been featured on 8a probably 150 times. The great story is actually that he has had great progress in the last years. In 2016, after having done countless 8C's, he did his first 8C+, out of two. Two years ago, he did his first 9b route. The wizard is also known for his strong opinions and in 2005 he made the FA of The Story Of 2 Worlds (8C). The name refers to the different grading scales at the time and in practice, this classical FA stopped the grade inflation.

Two months ago, Epic TV made a great 48 hours portrait of one of the most psyched climbers out there.

IFSC reports: "Sport Climbing will be brought to millions of people across Europe after the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) and Discovery Sports announced a new three-year partnership to broadcast all IFSC World Cup and World Championship events on discovery+*, Eurosport App and Eurosport’s linear channels."

In practice, this will mean that you need to pay a monthly fee in order to watch the IFSC events live. In Sweden, this seems to be around 17 Euros. However, "The IFSC will continue its delayed free streaming of events via The Olympic Channel, to be shown 24 hours after the end of each live round within each event."

Lucie Hrozová, who did two 8B's last year, has done Nesplněný sen (8A+) in Modrin. She took it down in 4-5 sessions and there is a video on her Insta.

How come you have not done any hard boulders since May last year?
It is because I have had more trouble with Compartment syndrome in my forearms. I wasn't able to climb at all for a long time. Now I am trying to boulder again but I am not feeling as strong as last year. I am very happy to climb again and I will see how it goes with my forearms? If it will be possible to continue…;)

The 33-year-old has won 14 WC medals in Ice Climbing and she has also done one of the hardest mix routes in the world, Saphira M15-. This career came to a halt due to a serious shoulder injury. Then in 2019 she did an 8c but she had to stop due to Compartment syndrome. Instead, in may 2020 she started bouldering and within six months she did her first 8A+.

Camille Coudert did Soudain Seul 9A in Fontainebleau after 80+ sessions. Now he has started working on a sit start to Imothep, a classic 8A in Font, which he says is probably just as hard. This Frenchman works half time as a route setter and last year he estimates that he spent 100 days bouldering in Font.

Could you please say something about your new project?
The sit can be broken down into two sections. First two moves, which are very intense and worth about 8B, then section of about 5/6 moves before reaching the standing start. This section is worth about 8B+/C. All the movements are very hard compression movements.

How many sessions have you tried it and have you done all moves?
For the moment I have only had three small sessions in the boulder. I managed to link the middle part in two sections and I have succeeded in all the movements. But I am afraid it’s already too hot to do more this season.

Have you done any specific training yet?
I haven’t started training specifically yet, but it will happen soon. My trainer Guillaume Levernier and I will work on my training for this boulder soon.

What are your plans this spring and summer?
As long as the weather is spring-like I plan to try some easier (8C) boulders like “Le pied à coulisse” (which I’m close to do) and “Le pilier du dessert sit”. And when it gets really hot, I plan to train for the next winter.

What type of training are we talking about?
Mainly physical training in the gym and specific to this boulder. I don’t know yet what exercise to do, but it will surely be oriented on the power of the upper body.

Adam Ondra reports on Insta that he has done the FA of Wonderland in Arco saying it is probably a hard 9b or 9b/+ "(if you like slashgrades)". It was originally bolted by Alfredo Webber and then Adam found a new start and added some bolts last autumn. As it stands, Wonderland is probably the hardest route around Arco. (c) Petr Chodura

It should also be mentioned that Adam a few days ago repeated Il Guerriero del futuro (9a) in Covolo. "At first 8c+, something broke, then it was 8c+/9a, something broke and it was not repeated until now. Proper 9a I think at the moment. Tried it many years when it used to be 8c+/9a and got very close."

The 29-year-old has now done 190 routes 9a and harder out of which 25 routes 9b to 9c. The runner-up on that 9b list is Stefano Ghisolfi with ten. Currently, they are both working on establishing a new hardest route in Arco.

It's no secret, we all know by now that climbing is booming and that boom is accompanied by greater climber impact and access challenges. This topic might sound like a broken recored to those of us climbing longer than what we can count on five fingers; but, it's worth remembering that climbers who get introduced to the sport indoors and those traveling through and/or visiting a new-to-them crag, might not be aware of access problems, and might need some guidance when it comes to their first visit(s). Although there is often info in guidebooks, topos, facebook pages and written signs, it's not always enough, and the best way to ensure that access and other etiquette and area specific issues are respected is through in person conversation and polite intervention when needed. Calling out climbers on social media that have used the wrong parking place or behaved badly at the crag, after the fact, will never be as impactful as a face to face human exchange. More info on Human waste from the Access Fund.