Matteo Gambaro, who last month sent his seventh 9a, has completed Paranoid Android (8c+) in Val Tanaro. After the 9a he said, ”I can still improve, but I need to rest more and do shorter, more focused power sessions.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I climbed the easier version called Paranoid (8c) last year after a bad back injury. I also tried this more difficult variation, but I was a long way off and still recovering. This summer, I preferred to prepare and try a more ambitious project Prima Classe (9a) which required a lot of effort, but being more intense, allowed me to build a good strength base.

After managing to send it, and being at the end of the season, I tried this line again out of curiosity. Compared to last year, I felt better, and was immediately able to redo the first part of the route and the final section, which, after a rest, consisted of 10 difficult moves. So, after a few days where I fell on the final moves, I finally managed to complete this line.

It was a good test because the final section is shared with another beautiful 9a/+ line that starts further to the right and which I plan to try next season.

Sam Richard, who last month was #15 in the World Championship as well as sent Es Pontas (9a+), has repeated Simon Lorenzi’s Soudain seul (9A) in Fontainebleau. The 169 cm tall 18-year-old placed a book under his kneepad just like the equally tall Lorenzi. (c) Timothée Nitschke

Can you tell us more about the process behind the ascent?
After I sent The Big Island (8C) in seven sessions in April 2023, I started projecting the low start in November of the same year. At that time, I was almost never falling on Big Island, I was doing some good links, but the knee section with the kneepads and the book felt really, really hard, as I only managed to do the crux once during that trip.

I went back to it in autumn 2024, but I had lost the sensations in the upper part. I was only going 1 or 2 days every month, which wasn’t enough to remember all the micro details. Then I realized what I really needed to send was time — time to make it my main focus.

It was kind of by chance that I came back this year, because I had planned to stay in Mallorca until the 23rd of October. But since I sent [Es Pontas] way faster than expected, and still had 3 weeks of holidays left, I thought it was a good idea to try hard on this one. I really felt in shape, and I almost found all the sensations again after just 2 sessions. From session 3, I decided to start going for send tries.

On session 4, I had never felt that strong before — and then I fell at the very last move of the boulder, miserably slipping off the heel. Kind of a glitch in the matrix. The real battle started from that session onward. The pressure was on, as I knew I could send. Session after session, I was getting closer, falling a little higher each time, until yesterday, when everything finally came together. The key moment was when I went back to try one move at the end, just to find a micro-sensation I needed.

I was tired during the send, but I’ve never executed a try that well — surely my proudest achievement so far. In total, it took me 27 sessions (7 for the upper part, 20 for the beginning). I used a kneepad, a book under my kneepad, and I asked a guy to customize my Instincts with a Drago toe hook and Drago heel (like Lorenzi). Absolutely essential.

What are your winter plans?
For now the main focus will be training for the season, and if I have time I gotta finish the job in La force tranquille (8C) and The Understanding (8C) in Magic Wood.

Melina Costanza, who last month got the bronze in the World Championship, has sent The Mantra (8B+) in Little Cottonwood Canyon (UT), in just three sessions. (c) Alex Johnson

Can you tell us more about the quick ascent?
I spent all summer training hard for last month’s world championship, so I felt strong and wanted to get back on the rock. I’ve wanted to try this boulder for a year and only recently got my fingers healthy enough to try something so crimpy. My first day on it was last week, but it was over 70 degrees Fahrenheit. It dropped 20 degrees this week and I was able to put it down quickly!

I think the temperature mattered so much because you do multiple hand moves and multiple foot moves off the same small crimp. You need to stick to the rock perfectly to be able to stay engaged on it for so long.

Tamas Zupan, who sent his first 8C+ this summer, has done Bügeleisen (8C) in Schleierwasserfall. ”One of the best climbing experiences I've ever had. I climbed the standing start six years ago. At the time, I wrote that "the sitting start would be coming soon". Well...this did not happen soon :) Now the last hold and the top were completely wet. I took two fans, a leaf blower, and lot of towels. That way, I managed to dry it out almost completely. Thanks to Attila Radics and the guys for the information and support. And respect to everyone who climbed it, for me it was a very difficult 8C.”

Camilla Moroni, number eight in the Boulder World Cup this year, and Pietro Vidi, with three 8C+ boulders to his name, have completed the 35 pitches Pre-Muir Wall (8b/+) on El Capitan in Yosemite (CA). Before their main push, Moroni and Vidi spent three days on the wall working out the crux sections. They began their final ascent on October 20th, topping out six days later on October 26th. Throughout the climb, they free-climbed every pitch, alternating leads on the easier sections and each taking turns on the three hardest from 8a+ to 8b/+.

Moroni comments: “I have been dreaming of a free ascent on El Cap for a few years. It was a side-goal alongside competitions, and this year felt like the perfect time to try, since I was focussing more on my rock climbing and a little less on the world cup circuit, to take a break following the Olympics. I had several routes in mind, as possibilities, but we decided to start with this one because the other ones were still pretty crowded. I knew it wouldn’t be easy one to attempt as my first big wall route. It’s one of the longest routes on El Cap (35 pitches), sustained climbing, with twelve pitches in the 5.12 range and six in the 5.13 range. On the other hand, there were no offwidths, which is something I usually struggle with. I left the ground knowing it could end up as either a huge failure or a great achievement. I was mentally prepared for the struggle!

Actually, everything went better than I expected, definitely thanks to Pietro, who helped me a lot with his previous experience and did most of the hauling. It took us six days to top out, and all the hard pitches went down pretty quickly (2 or 3 tries each), except for the 13a traverse (pitch 26) after the iconic stemming corner, one of the most unique pitches I’ve ever climbed. You rely only on your palms and feet getting my calves very pumped! It’s the same section from the famous photo of Babsi, which was one of the reasons that inspired me to try this route in the first place. I couldn’t even enjoy the send before splitting my fingers on the sharp crimps of the next pitch. That one was the hardest for me, reachy moves, warm rock, and humidity. Even when we finally reached the summit, our enthusiasm was immediately crushed by the brutal descent, my legs are still sore 😂. From this big wall experience, I realized that you can’t really enjoy the send until you’re sitting in the meadow with some snacks, admiring what you’ve done! I have to admit, I thought the climbing would feel physically harder after six days, but our bodies actually held up better than expected!”

Vidi added: “It was our first big-wall together and we could work really well as a team, both leading the cruxes and swinging lead on the rest of the pitches, for sure Cami had a lot to learn but she managed things really well! (except the hauling where her 50kg weight was just not enough to move those heavy pigs 🤣 ) We climbed all the cruxes pretty fast and we definitely felt we can turn things up a notch as a team, still a month left in the valley and lots more stuff to do!”

Michael Piccolruaz, who recently announced his retirement from international competition climbing, has sent Es Pontas (9a+) in Mallorca. The Italian placed 15th at the Tokyo Olympics, has also earned a silver medal in a Boulder World Cup. Outdoors, he has done several 9a’s and one 8C this summer.

How many sessions and falls into the sea did it take?
Maybe like eight in 2021 and same the same amount this year 🤔 didn't count them. And maybe like 40-50 falls into the sea... I had two bad falls on the jump which is at around six meters. But nothing serious, only a little bruised back. From higher up I thankfully never had a bad fall.

” Throughout my career, I've climbed many all-time climbs, and I have often asked myself if it can get any better. So far, I have always found a better climb, or at least one leveling with the previous ones.

But 'Es Pontas' is entirely in its own tier. I honestly believe that this is THE best line we have in climbing. THE KING LINE! Getting on top of this insane piece of rock has been a lifelong dream of mine, and my story with the line goes back a long time — from getting inspired by @chrissharma doing the FA in the King Lines movie, to putting my hands on it for the first time in 2021. Sieging the crazy jump with @jakobschubert, finally sticking it, only to not be able to repeat it again from the original start.

Putting 'Es Pontas' aside for some years to focus on becoming better at this game of Deep Water Soloing. Sending Alasha (9a), getting the confidence that I can climb hard high above the water. Exploring the untouched potential of the limestone cliffs on Mallorca more and adding some first ascents. Then finally coming back this year with one sole focus, one single purpose: close the cycle and climb 'Es Pontas'.

Intimidated by the jump, my strategy was to work the upper crux boulder a lot on the rope, make sure to be solid on it, then move on to try 'Around the Arch' (downclimbing from the left to the jump top holds, and from there continue and do the traverse and end of 'Es Pontas'). I knew that doing this link would give me the confidence that I could do the whole thing once I stuck the jump, as the pump level would be similar to coming from the bottom.

But eventually, I had to start trying the jump again too — this one move that had caused me so much headache back in 2021 and, as it turned out, would cause it again this year. Surprisingly, I did it one time in my third session back on the route, and as I felt solid on it, I was confident that I could do it again every session. Turns out that was an illusion. The next session I was back to square zero, I wasn’t close at all, and frustration started to build.

After each fall into the water, I tried to tell myself that I would hopefully only need that one lucky punch when I stuck it again — and then I wouldn’t fall after that. Turns out that was also an illusion. When I finally stuck the jump again, I found myself on the arete boulder being way too pumped to have a chance of sending. But this time I had unlocked the jump for real, and I started doing it more consistently. This gave me a lot of confidence, and I knew that I just had to climb better through all the other sections, save as much energy as possible, and also the upper crux would go.

And then that one special try came. I had just fallen on the jump again after doing it three times in a row; the try before, I fumbled on the traverse. If I was nervous at the beginning of the session, prior to this try I wasn’t anymore, really, as my focus had switched from “ok, I have to send now” to “ok, I need to do the jump again first now.” So I was climbing more relaxed again, got to the jump, stuck it, was happy that I did it again, but then locked in and focused on climbing perfectly through the next part. I flowed more than on previous tries, breathed better, and already when I entered the crux moves, I knew that I could do it now. I just had to keep my composure and not get taken by excitement. And then I was hanging on the saving jug, instantly screaming out my relief and happiness.

The last 7–8 easy meters up to the top of the arch were pure enjoyment. I wasn’t even trying to hold back any emotions, and when I mantled up into the sunlight, I couldn’t really believe that I had just completed this lifelong dream of mine. I just did 'Es Pontas'!!! The world’s best line!! Insane!!”

Sungsu Lee has repeated Ryuichi Murai’s Floatin (8C+) in Mizugaki, after projecting it for 21 sessions. ” So hard for me, I felt solid V16 [8C+]. One of my dream boulders ever.” (c) Takemi Suzuki

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I first started trying Floatin at the end of April 2024, when I met Shawn Raboutou for the first time in Japan. This is my third season on it, and it’s been the longest project I’ve ever worked on!

Any special training or just projected the Boulder?
I think I just got used to it after trying so many times. I didn’t do any special training, I just climbed a lot.

Lucija Tarkuš, who placed 8 to 28 in all her seven Boulder and Lead World Cups this season, has the last two weeks sent one 8A Boulder and three 8c’s, out of which two in one day. Now the goal for the 22-year-old Slovenian is to send Martin Krpan (9a).

Can you tell us more about your roctober sends?
So after comp season, I was really looking forward to rock season, but at the start it was hard to get out there, so I only had two climbing days. On one, I quickly did Strelovod (8c) and on the other I had a boulder session where I finally got to try some local boulders. I was happy that I could quickly do my second-ever 8A boulder.

This week I can finally spend more days at the crag. First, I finished one of my old projects, Kaj ti je deklica 8b+, which went pretty easily. Then I started working on Konec mira (8c), which definitely felt the hardest and needed the most tries, around 10, but I’m glad I sent it. Now maybe I can do the connection into it, and if all goes well, it could be my first 9a (Martin Krpan). After sending Konec Mira, I was really surprised with how quickly I did Corrida (8c), it was the first time I’ve ever sent two 8c’s in one day. Hopefully the weather stays good 🤞

Janja Garnbret reports on Instagram that she has sent L'oppio dei climbers (8B+) and Il trono (8B) in Val Daone. The latter she, ”gave it a good flash go, didn’t work out but sent it second go.”

At 26, the Slovenian climber is widely regarded as the greatest female competition climber in history. Now, she has also proven her dominance on rock—across routes, boulders, and even onsight ascents—despite spending the past decade almost entirely focused on competitions. The question that remains is when, not if, she will measure herself against the best men in the sport.

Jorge Diaz-Rullo, with over 80 routes 9a to 9b+ under his belt, has done La real tierra de nadie (9a) in Juncosa. ”One session but after climb the right outside last year. With wet holds :/.

The following day he climbed Tierra Negra (9a) in Margalef. ” One of the best lines in Margalef. Close to send in a day, finally took me two days. 9a/+ but could be 9a+.” (c) Tim Emmett