Based on that the qualification to Paris Olympics will take place in 2023, it is likely that several of the top competitors like Adam Ondra, Jakob Schubert and Alex Megos will focus more on rock climbing in 2022. This will probably mean that referring to grades, we will see a record number of hardcore ascents. Specifically, women like Janja Garnbret, Laura Rogora, Brooke Raboutou and Natalia Grossman will probably reduce the gender gap. At the same time, there are many youngsters eager to start competing on the World Cup circuit. Most likely, we will see records in participant numbers, especially for the Youth Cups as the federations will receive more resources as climbing is part of the Olympic family.

Furthermore, also the kids that benefit from better and more gyms and coaches, will set new records and close the grade gap to the adults. Another trend is probably also that the local rock climbing communities will be strengthen developing, especially, more super easy routes and boulders. The reason for this is of course that many will hesitate to plan longer trips due to Covid and also that there will be more consideration of the environment.

Here are some predictions for 2022
Two females send 8C
Three females send 9b
Three males do 9A
Five males send 9b+
Adam Ondra onsights 9a+ (which he later downgrades)
Three kids (below age 13) send 9a
Three kids send 8B+

All these send in spite of a record number of downgrades (especially in Spain).

Alma Bestvater has done Frank's wild years (8A+) as well as Ponk (8A) in Ticino, Insta video.

The 25-year-old German is an active competition climber who had her best year in 2018 when she was #10 overall in the World Cup. Last year she was #9 in the Euro Combined Championship.

Sergei Topishko has, in just three sessions, done La Rustica (8C) in Valle Bavona. "The best ending of 2021, did it in 6pm 31 December." (c) Marine Galunka

Five days ago, the 33-year-old did his first 8C+, Off the Wagon Sit (8C+) and here is the mini-interview.

Karoline Sinnhuber has done Frank's wild years (8A+) and The North Sail (8A+) in Cresciano. The first one she thought was hard and for the latter she comments. "Proud line! What a fight against cold fingers during the almost 3 minute climb 😂 not sure about the grade, if 8A+ then def a soft one. Doesn‘t matter, it‘s a must climb 😁." (c) Fabian Leu

In total, the Austrian has done 23 boulder 8A+ and harder and in the 8a annual ranking game, she is #6, just three points behind the #3.

Shinichiro Nomura has made the FA of Loca (8C) in Shiobara and repeated
Nehanna (8C) in Gero.

In regards to Nehanna he says on Insta that it can be linked with an 8B+ in order to repeat Dai Koyamada's Nayuta 8C+. In the 8a ranking game, the 24-year-old is #4. In total, he has now done 12 8C's, out of which five in 2021.

Luca Bana has done the FA of Extrasistole galoppante (9a) in CORNALBA. The selfie is from the ledge where the route starts.

"Extrasistole galoppante is an impressive 30 meters line bolted in 2010 by Yuri Parimbelli on the heart-shaped rock at Cornalba's crag. Tried quickly by Adam Ondra during the days doing the FA of Goldrake 9a+, the same year. Later it has seen rare attempts by a few other people but remained unclimbed. I tried it out of curiosity for the first time two years ago managing to do all the sections and some promising links in a few sessions, but not enough for the send. Last year I basically had not the possibility to try it due to the pandemic restrictions. This winter I went back to Cornalba full of motivation. The feeling on the moves was good from the beginning but I had to regain some specific endurance and fight a bit against the conditions, until the 26th of December when I finally made it to the top on my 5th session of the year.

Surprisingly, the process for the send has been more intricate and mentally harder if compared to the rapidity with which I climbed 'Goldrake', probably due to a variety of factors and beyond the fact that a FA requires on average more time to complete: for example, the difficulty to find good conditions as a result of the full sun-oriented face (quite bad for the small low friction holds on the crux), the possibility (for me) to do only 2-3 good attempts per day or the uncomfortable and unusual location of the route on the wall. Regarding the grade, I suggest a personal 9a, also if compared to other routes such as Goldrake itself and considering the effort and the time invested for sending. "

Niki Rusev has, after just two sessions, done Jungle speed (8c+) in Siurana. It was originally 9a but most consider it 8c+ now. “ Really hyped I figured out surprisingly fast all the moves and in the second day I managed to send it. Even with the broken crimp at the first jump crux I think hard 8c+ is okay for it:)“

The 15-year-old has previously done two 9a’s more than a year ago. The Bulgarian is also a very successful competition climber who in 2021 won the Youth World Champion in Boulder and in the European Championship, he won in both Boulder and Speed. In Lead, he has gotten one silver and bronze in the European Cup.

There is a video on his Insta, where he comments. "One interesting fact is that the name of the line is an idea from a Bulgarian (Alex Yanev). The incredible Markus Jung bolted it in 2009 and trough the whole climbing trip they played one board game called ,,Jungle speed”."

On December 30, 8a has reached the benchmark of 100.000 members. We are impressed, surprised and happy! Such an overwhelming response would have seemed like a wild dream when 8a went online as a local site in 1999.

And what a colorful bunch we are!
In 2021, the 8a-community logged 524.971 ascents in 95 different countries. The favourite grade climbed was 6c / 6c+. Much has changed in two decades, one thing hasn't:
8a has always been a project „from climbers for climbers” - and it will continue to be so.

We want to thank all of you for making 8a what it is!