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.

Chaehyun Seo, who last week sent a 9a+, has onsighted Gorilas en la niebla (8b+) in Oliana. At age 16, she won four World Cups and two years later she became the World Champion. This year she was runner up in the overall World Cup.
Can you tell us more about the onsight?
I tried it after just one warm-up! I planned to try harder routes for the project, but this morning was too foggy and humid, so I just tried an easier route for fun. I didn’t expect an onsight because the weather was too bad, and the last part was a bit wet. The holds were super slippery because of the humidity.

Sam Weir, with three 8C+’ to his name, has sent The Lion's Share (8C) in Brione. ”Nice diverse climbing touching a bit of all styles. Crimps lead to foot tension culminate to La BAF.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and what is ”La BAF”?
I tried it for the first time early October with low expectations with my friends Clem and Nina. After a thorough warm up I flashed into the easier 8A at the end. Falling from a bit of excitement and confusion. Honestly, a bit sad because had I done things a bit more seriously I think I really would have had a good chance to flash it. Or not. It’s a game I have never really played as it always seems dangerous for my fingers. I came back last week after a tantalizing close attempt the day before on my project and managed to get it done. “La BAF” is just the big slap at the end 😅 as the French would say hehe.

Leo Cea, with four 9a’s under his belt, has done Victimas Perez (9a) Margalef. His uncle Javier Cea has helped out getting some comments from the 12-year-old.

Can you tell us more about the trip and the 9a ascent?
We took advantage of my fall school break to travel to Margalef with my dad and two of my brothers. I was super excited to try Víctimas Pérez again and to climb in the different sectors of Margalef. During the week, I spent a few days climbing at Racó de la Finestra to work on Víctimas Pérez, but I wasn’t sure if I was going to send it on this trip.

On our last day in Margalef, it started to rain, so we decided to go back to Racó de la Finestra to retrieve our gear and give Víctimas Pérez a couple more tries — just to remember the moves and record a video so I could study them later.

On that last try, I was really surprised because I started feeling great and everything was just flowing. Suddenly, I realized I had made it through the crux without falling, so I kept focusing, kept enjoying the route… and then, all of a sudden, I reached the top! I couldn’t believe it — I had sent it! That last attempt, the one we were recording just to have a video of the moves, is the one you can see on YouTube."

Lucija Tarkuš, who last week sent Kingslayer (8c), has done Martin Krpan (9a) in Mišja Peč. In September the 22-year-old Slovenian was number eight in a World Cup and the last four weeks she has done five routes 8c and harder. (c) Mateusz Haladaj, who comments.

”As a witness of her attempts on Martin Krpan (that I also climbed in 2010) I must admit she climbs with incredible control and precision, worth mentioning without kneepads.”

Can you tell us more about you joining the 9a club?
After I did Konec mira (8c), I knew Martin Krpan was possible, because I had already done all the moves. But coming to Konec Mira feeling more tired, I wasn’t sure how it would go, since it already felt hard. Then I gave it a couple of tries over two days in bad conditions, and even though I always fell in the middle of the crux, I knew I had it in me.

So I came back last weekend, and the weather was great. I felt super happy to send it on my fourth go of the day. Climbing 9a has been my childhood dream, so I’m flattered and stoked to finally be part of the 9a club.

Han Seuran, who last autumn successfully climbed Puro Dreaming (8c+), has now, after only six sessions, completed Catharsis (8B+) at Shiobara. Back in 2011, Tomoko Ogawa sent it and made history as the first woman to reach 8B+. The Dai Koyamada line is a 10-meter roof featuring around 25 moves, and Seuran has shared an Instagram video of her ascent.

The Korean climber is a former competition athlete who reached the finals of the Lead World Cup three times in 2011.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
It was my husband [9b climber Hyunbin Min] who suggested this route, saying Japan would be a good project since it’s close to Korea. When I first saw the video, I realized the moves were exactly the kind I enjoy and do well with. So I decided that even if it took me several years, I would take on the challenge — and this time, I chose Shiobara.

At first, it was so difficult that I had to break down each move one by one. I wasn’t even sure if I could link them together. My initial goal was just to connect the moves, but day by day, the holds started to feel better. Gradually, the moves began to feel easier too.

Two days before returning to Korea, I achieved my best attempt yet. That made me feel a bit impatient — I really wanted to send it this time.

The day before I left, around 2 p.m., I fell just before the top. After a two-hour rest, the sun had set and the humidity rose, making me anxious and less confident. But I kept telling myself, “I can do this. I will do this.” And on my final attempt, I finally sent it.

Laura Rogora had an amazing day in Lourmarin last week, onsighting two 8c’s, one 8b and one 8a.

Can you tell us more about this special day?
It was a really unusual day. I wasn't planning to climb hard at all - I just wanted to spend a relaxed day with friends and have some fun on easy routes.

But when I got to the crag and saw the lines, I couldn't resist. I warmed up on Playboy (8a). When I tried Pâques Express (8c), I felt completely relaxed and had no expectations, which somehow made everything click. I just enjoyed climbing in the moment, and somehow I managed to onsight two 8c routes in one day. The first one went down quite easily while the second, Free fight intégral (8c), was harder and it was a big fight especially on the first pitch. At the end of the day I onsighted Vous êtes des animaux (8b).

It was such a special day - starting casually with friends, then unexpectedly reaching something I didn't even plan for. Honestly, it still feels a bit surreal!

What about fear of long falls and failure during onsight? What goes through your mind?
I'm not afraid of falling - even when onsighting, I sometimes skip quickdraws if can't clip them. But I do feel anxious about making a mistake, especially if I've already done a hard section and don't want to ruin everything.

For onsighting, I think it's about finding the right balance: being decisive, but also taking a moment to think about the best way to move, instead of just following instinct all the time.

How was the mental game on Free fight intégral (8c)?
On the first 8b+ pitch, there was a move I had hard time figuring out, so I spent some time feeling the holds and finding out the best solution. Then I went back to rest and approached it with full commitment. After that, I knew I could give it my all, but I had already spent a lot of energy on that section and was a bit tired, so I knew I couldn't hesitate on the next part. That section was really close to my limit.

When I reached the chain of the 8b+, a bit of anxiety started creeping in. On the last part, the holds were very humid, which added both difficulty and a bit of fear of making a mistake.

What is your next, more outdoors?
No. I came back to Italy and on Monday I started training for the next season. Maybe I'll do a week at Christmas but I still don't know if and where.

Adam Ondra has flashed Dave Graham’s classical Foundations Edge (8C) in Fionnay. ”Amazing moment, everything was perfect. Thanks Dylan and Marci for the beta. For the grade, definitely not the hardest 8C, but low-end 8C seems to be consensus probably. Hard to tell when you flash with perfect execution.” (c) Crimp Films

It is the same boulder Yannick Flohé flashed in July and later Jules Marchaland became the second climber to flash an 8C, with Power of Now direct.

Two days later, the 32-year-old quickly sent Big nose (8C). ”Absolute masterpiece! Very very good flash go, last second decision of changing the beta cost me the flash. For the grade, probably similar to Foundation Edge?”

Previously, Adam has flashed 22 boulders 8B or 8B+ and he is the All Time High number one also in the flash ranking game.