Michaela Kirsch, who did her first 9a last autumn, reports on Insta that she has done two 8A+; Power slave and Hungry Hungry Hippos, as well as her hardest yet, Hailstorm 8B (+) in Ogden. Previously, the doctorate in hand therapy has done at least a handful of 8A+ and harder as well as some eight 8c+ routes over the years. (c) Alex Puccio

"I had previously done the stand start a couple years ago and decided to try Hailstorm, which is the lower start. I was there when Drew Ruana completed the FA and was inspired to return. I spent nearly 15+ sessions trying the stand and low start moves. It’s exciting to see progress in my bouldering and it’s not often that I’m able to break through into another grade so I’m feeling proud!"

How much have you been able to climb/train lately?
I’m finishing the last portion of my doctorate and have a little more flexibility with my climbing, although I’ve been focusing on sport climbing more! About 3-5 times every week. I’ve also been going on a few shorter trips, Red Rock included.

When will you graduate and what is your plan after that?
It’s finished in April and then I’m going to Europe! Only focusing on climbing for the near future.

IFSC has made an official statement that goes in line with the IOC recommendations.

- To suspend all IFSC competitions scheduled to be held in Russia and Belarus until further notice, including the IFSC Boulder and Speed World Cup in Moscow (RUS), the IFSC Youth European Cup in Kaliningrad (RUS) – in accordance with IFSC Europe – and the 2023 IFSC Youth World Championships;
- To suspend all Russian and Belarusian athletes and team officials from IFSC competitions; and
- To nominate replacements for all the Russian and Belarusian IFSC Officials appointed to competitions in 2022.

IFSC also states that they will discuss further additional series of measures during the General Assembly on March 18-19/3, also including how they can assist the Ukraine climbing community.

Adam Ondra has made the FA of Bomba (9b) in Arco. He bolted it ten years ago and it is located just to the right of Trofeo dell'Adriatico 9a+ which Stefano Ghisolfi and Adam Ondra just did. "One of the most epic moments of my climbing! Very unexpected. I thought it would be 9b+, but unfortunately after only few days of work it cannot be 9b+. Very bouldery, very reachy and very crimpy. Love it! Definitely upper end of 9b in my opinion."

Video and more comments on his Insta. In total, the 29-year-old has now done 25 routes 9b to 9c, which is essentially 60 % of those that exist. The runner up on the 9b list is Stefano Ghisolfi with 10.

Domen Škofic has done La novena enmienda (9a+) in Santa Linya. The Slovenian is one of the best male Lead competition climbers in history. In 2016 he won overall and, in total, he has made the podium 15 times. Outdoors, the 27-year-old has done 20 routes 9a to 9b.

Tell us about the process?
I basically needed 4 tries. As soon as I sent La Novena Puerta I did the extension as well. I decided to get on this route because I wanted to do something new. I needed a break from Stoking the Fire and Catxasa to heal my skin on specific parts of my fingers… and it’s nice to create some sending momentum :)

How long are you staying and what is next?
I’m staying for the whole of March if the weather is nice. I enjoy climbing in the cave and I will try to do as many routes as possible besides my main projects.

Nico Pelorson, Insta, and Rob Denayer, Insta have done Le Pied à Coulisse which was put up by Guillaume Mondet in 2016 as the first 8C+ in Fontainebleau but it has later been downgraded. Pelorson is famous for having repeated and suggested personal downgradings of two original 9A's; Soudain Seul and No Kpote Only.

Denayer, on the other hand, has been more under the radar since 2017, when he was #2 in a Euro Youth Cup but stopped competing. Previously, the Belgian has done a handful of 8C's including The Big Island as well as a dozen 8B+.

What is your climbing background?
I've been climbing since 2008. My first trip to Font was in 2010 and I have been coming back every year as much as I can :) I tried competitions between 2010 and 2017 but always loved outdoor bouldering more so I decided to quit and only go outdoors.

Do you also confirm the downgrade of Le Pied... to 8C?
I think so...it suits me pretty well because it's a bit longer with a technical crux at the end...for sure not 8C+, I have no idea yet what that level feels like. Felt similar for me in difficulty as The Big Island.

Enrique Beltrán Blasco, who did his first 8b just 2.5 years ago, has done Supernowa (9a) in Vadiello.

"The truth is that it has been a psychologically hard process since the beginning of the route shares the start with an 8c that I already did and then you enter a bouldery route that has three dynamic moves. The finish is a 7b slab in which I have fallen many times. This time I was able to climb calmly and chain it."

Bayes Wilder reports with an Insta video that he has done Lethal Design 8A+ in Red Rocks. In total, the 10-year-old needed to carry out some 35 moves over more than two minutes to take it done, out of the first very intense 28 moves were done without chalking up. Last autumn, he did his first 8c+ and during the winter break, he did his first two 8A+ boulders. His father Matt, a 9a climber back in the days, was kind enough to answer a couple of questions.

What was the process like?
He did the problem probably with about an hour or slightly more of work. He worked out the moves on several different sections quickly but the first third of the problem gave him some difficulty. He tried several different ideas and eventually found a good sequence. He did one link from relatively low through to the easier section. Then he started trying from the bottom. On his first couple of attempts, he had things go wrong but learned subtle beta changes. Then he got through the lower crux and climbed the rest of the problem to the top.

Is he still just training 3*2 hours a week with the ABC Team?Yeah, same training schedule.

How many other boulders did he do during the long weekend trip?
We actually came mostly for fun sport climbing and to play in Vegas so that problem was the only serious objective. He’s done a couple 5.12 sport climbs and we went go-cart racing and checked out an amazing pinball museum and also went to a super cool artsy place called Area 15.

Juliet Hammer has repeated Nicholas Milburn's The Last Samurai 8A (+) in Chattanooga, Insta video. "2nd ascent… wow!!! Very psyched to find a slice of Colorado crimping in the South. Felt like the perfect boulder - tension crimps to a committing (for me) top out. As far as grade goes… I talked with Nicholas and he says he’s a sandbagger :p so we will go with the upgrade. It’ll work itself out with more ascents."