Kymy de la Pena has done his sixth 9a, Circo Total in Cuenca. "It is a line that has always motivated me and this year I felt very fit and decided to go for it. It must be being a father that made me feel good 😂." (c) MD Varo

Allison Vest has done her third 8B, Blackout in Joes Valley, after just three sessions. The last week she has also sent Black #1 8A+ as well as two 8A's.

"I had a great time trying Blackout. It suits me and my love of teeny crimps and big moves really well. Each session I went there, someone I was with sent it so I was really motivated and inspired to put it together myself. I had to get creative and really convince myself I wanted to grab the tiny holds, but, stoked I made it work. I was there with (c) Alex Johnson that day who is also super close… her send is up next!"

How did you get into and out off that amazing position in the picture?
You end up with your right hand on the edge just before and rose move under to that big side pull. Then, match it to unwind!

How can you explain being in your best shape ever?
I’ve had a few overlapping leg injuries for the past several months so I’ve been doing a lot of work on lock-offs (my weakness) and hangboarding (my strength). As a result, my fingers feel the strongest they ever have and I can use them more efficiently because of the lock off training. Also, it has been a long time since I’ve felt like I’ve been able to climb and try as hard as I can because of minor tweaks and injuries so I’m super motivated right now. And, just grateful to be outside. That mental space has allowed me to clean up past boulders that I’ve left undone as well as some surprise sends on new ones.

Anastasia (Annie) Sanders, who got three golds at the last Youth World Championship, reports on Insta that she has flashed Omaha Beach 8b+ in Red River Gorge (KY). During her one week trip she also did another seven 8a and harder out of which most flash or onsight. (c) Logan Zhang

Based on 1 500+ unique votes to, Have you made a tie in mistake?, we can see that only 43 % have never made a mistake. One good piece of advice is to never disturb the climber tieing in. You should absolutely not ask for beta or if he/she could get the chalk bag or quick draws etc. The belayer should always check the knot or ask the climber to check by saying - On belay!, before starting to climb.

Magnus Midtbo, #4 in the Lead World Championship in Arco in 2011, started his Youtube channel in March 2017. In April, 8a made two posts sharing his videos. However, already in 2016, we made news about his Facebook training video that had gotten 570' views in five days. In April 2018, he had some 38 000 subscribers and in June 2019, he had the biggest rock climbing Youtube channel with 351 000 subscribers. Now he has more than 1 million, which is almost three times as many as the runner up, EpicTV and just over three times as many as Adam Ondra. The 33-year-old Norwegian did his first 9a in 2007 and in total, he has logged 17 up to 9b in his 8a scorecard.

Toby Roberts, who two weeks ago did the 35m long Batman 9a/+, reports on Insta that he has done Ben Moon's classic Hubble from 1990 at Raven Tor. The Ben Moon route was originally given 8c+ and it is a short 6 move 8B+ boulder problem into a steady 7c route. In 2012, UKC wrote an article speculating it to be 9a, although non of the first repeaters suggested this. Later all repeaters have given it 9a although a kneebar bar has been found and Mathew Wright actually has said, "Basically, if you’re short and can get the left kneebar in, it is probably 8c+ but I can’t say for certain."

Amazing shift from endurance to power. How was that possible so quickly and what about that kneebar possibility?
I had been keeping my power topped up whilst doing the longer routes previously with some power sessions so it’s nice to see it worked. I knew the kneebar was a possibility but I wanted to do it the way it was first done by Ben Moon. It was just a personal choice not to use it. I think the grade is definitely 9a, I’ve not done it with a knee pad but people have said that it’s not much easier with one. I would need to go and try it with one to give an opinion though. A few people have done it with the kneebar, but using the right knee. I think Matthew was saying if you can fit your left knee in it would be easier than using the right kneebar but there’s not much space for the left one to go in.

The 100 m world record is 9.58 and there might be 10 guys running sub 10 seconds every year. How could we relate climbing grades into a fixed measurement understanding how good we are in comparison to 100-meter sprinters? First, we have to consider that climbing is a very new sport with a limited number of persons actually trying it in comparison to sprint running. In 50 years, you could still win the world champion doing 9.58 at the same time there will be multiple guys and possibly also girls having done 9c. Here is my current best speculation trying to evaluate how impressive in relative terms climbing grades are in comparison with 100 meters times.

10a = 9.50
9c = 9.90
9b = 10.30
9a = 10.70
8c = 11.10
8b = 11.50
8a = 11.90

It should be noted that the female world record is 10.49 at the same time as 9b/+ (10.10 seconds) is the highest achieved female grade. Climbing is probably one of the most genders equalise physical sport in the world. Furthermore, climbing is unique when it comes to age as there have been climbers 12 to 50-years old that have done 9a, i.e. done 10.70 if compared to 100 meters dash. The world record for both 12 and 45-year-olds is 11.72 in 100 meters dash.

Adam Ondra has done his 43rd 9a+, Molekuly in Moravský kras. "Wow, this thing actually goes! Very short boulderproblem on nonexistent holds, epitome of local climbing. Then 8b+ topout."

Full video on his Insta and remember to turn off the sound if you are at work as there are plenty of normal Ondra screaming :) "I think I tried this thing 4 times during the last 12 years 🤔, only to find out I had no idea how to climb this thing and doubted if it could ever be climbed."

Katherine Choong, who previously in 2021 has done two 8c+, has done the 300m long, Une Jolie Fleur dans une Peau de Vache 8b in Paroi du Duc, Gorges du Verdon. (c) Tara Kerzhner

Katherine has been an active competitive climber since 2006, having done 87 IFSC events until 2021. In 2009, she won the Youth World Champion and as a senior, she has reached the final once. Including two 9a's and some other hard multi-pitches, the Swizz must be considered as one of the best female multi-discipline climbers in the world, the last five years.

"Located in the impressive Paroi du Duc in the Gorges du Verdon, each pitch is absolutely incredible (6b, 8b, 7b, 8a, 5c, 8a, 6b)! Lots of tufas on a (very) overhanging wall where you can twist drop knees, kneebars, it’s not a surprise that it suits my style! Until now Jim (her partner) has always patiently accompanied me in my projects. His presence has been crucial in their success but I rarely had the opportunity to support him in a multi-pitch route. This time, we really wanted to find a common project, to try to climb each pitch together in the same day and to share the pressure and the success (the plan was that I would lead each pitch and that I would come back down to belay Jim in the three key pitches in the 8th grade).

We climbed two days to the top to find out our beta in the top pitches. The rain had then made the wall wet, especially in the 2nd pitch (8b), we spent two other days just working this pitch without going higher, the conditions not being so good to attempt a send. Finally, on the 5th day, in a battle of resistance in each pitch, but motivated by each other's successive send, we managed to climb each pitch to the top without a single fall! Once again I am incredibly grateful to have been able to live this beautiful adventure and to have shared it with my partner in life."