Pierre Délas, editor in chief of Fanatic Climbing, has done his first-ever 8c+, Hélix au pays des merveilles in Pic St Loup. (c) Pierre Trolliet

"I wanted to climb this line since the first time I came to this beautiful cave seven years ago. Some good friends like Nina Caprez and Maxime Clerc convinced me to put the route on my to-do and that could be doable. I started the process one year ago, with 15 sessions last July. I could do good links but after 6 weeks of lockdown, my shape was not the best. I did another 15 sessions this spring but the weather was not the best. A lot of rain...but anyhow I fell 5 times at the end of the top resistance section. I started to get close. I returned here in July and could finally finish the line after 8 more falls in the top section and 15 more sessions."

How can you explain doing a grade PB being 40 having climbed for like 30 years?
When I was young I didn't put my self big projects. I tried to redpoint the routes in few sessions to climb the most 8th-grade routes I can (more than 500 now). It's my friend Lucien Martinez who gave me the motivation to try hard lines at my limits. I have a lot of experience now after 30 years climbing and I decided it was a good moment before being too old; -)

Have you train in any different way the last year?
Due to lockdown and restrictions, I couldn't climb indoors. I did a lot of bouldering in Font where I choose some 7B-7C physical lines, to do as training this winter. For 5 years I have struggled with back problems but last December, after making an analysis I started to work with a very good physio. Until June, I did 20 sessions with him and he gave me exercises of yoga, body tension and mobility. Later also some bodybuilding exercises. Now my back is better and I could climb without big problems. Some times some pain but with exercises and the complex pain is reduced.

BJ Tilden has done his sixth 9a FA, Pneuma in The Temple. The 40-year-old has the full video on his Insta where he also said it took him eleven sessions.

"Probably the best power endurance route I’ve ever done. 24 moves from jug to jug with no relaxing whatsoever. It’s hard to clip just enough of the bolts (basically every other) and I chalk my left hand once and my right hand not at all. The movement and rock quality are top notch!"

IFSC has published a press release with comments by Janja Garnbret, Miho Nonaka and Akiyo Noguchi. (c) https://lt11.com/

Garnbret: “I'm so happy that I can't even describe it, it’s like a dream coming true. I wrote on Instagram probably six or more years ago, I wrote, ‘See you in Tokyo!’ so it's a dream come true."

Nonaka: “It’s unbelievable to have the medal in my hands, I believed I could win the silver soon, but I still can’t believe I did. It's wonderful".

Noguchi: “I only felt that I would do my best, but I didn't do as well as I wanted. After the bouldering discipline I was worried whether I would get a medal or not. But with Miho winning silver, I got the bronze. I feel I'm very worthy of the bronze medal."

What a ride! After four days of spectacular climbing and a lot of surprises, the Olympic Games Sport Climbing medals have been awarded! Now that we know the winners, you can check how well you did with your prediction. Head over to the predictions page, check your score and compare your performance to the other 8a members. Winners will be drawn at the beginning of next week! While every participant will receive a 1-month Premium subscription for the Vertical-Life Climbing app, the amazing adidas Five Ten prizes will be awarded to a few you. Only one member managed to score 1000 points, and by doing so, won the grand prize!

Janja Garnbret was the big favourite coming into the Olympics and delivered just like she has been doing the last few years, winning in both Bouldering and Lead. Runner-ups were Miho Nonaka and Akiyo Noguchi from Japan, who did her last competition after a very impressive 17(!!) years international competition career. As the lead qualification winner, Chaehyun Seo, who has beaten Janja in five out of their seven competitions, began her climb, there was a big drama about who was going to get the bronze medal. At one point, Jessica Pilz had the bronze but then Seo surpassed her and Noguchi was back on the podium, unless Seo would beat Garnbret, in which case the Korean would get the bronze.

#4 was the new Speed World record holder Aleksandra Miroslaw (POL) having been beaten by Akiyo in two out of the three disciplines. Noteworthy is also that in practice, Miroslaw lost her bronze due to countback in bouldering.

Like in the men's final, the Lead route was great, while the boulders were too hard. The camera work and direction was again not good with many distracting close-ups. On the other hand, the Eurosport commentator did an excellent job, including explaining all the possible multiplication outcomes live.

1. Janja Garnbret 5 * 1 * 1 = 5 (c) Jon Glassberg/Louder Than 11
2. Miho Nonaka 3 * 3 * 5 = 45
3. Akiyo Noguchi 4 * 4 * 4 = 64
4. Aleksandra Miroslaw 1 * 8 * 8 = 64
5. Brooke Raboutou 7 * 2 * 6 = 84
6. Anouck Jaubert 2 * 6 * 7 = 84
7. Jessica Pilz 6 * 5 * 3 = 90
8. Chaehyoun Seo 8 * 7 * 2 = 112

The screenshot is from Olympics.com. If the ranking in the lead stage is the same as in lead qualifications, then the medals go to Garnbret, Nonaka and Seo, see below. This is also true if the order of the athletes is the same and Garnbret places 2nd or 3rd. If Janja places first and everyone else's order is the same, Miroslaw replaces Seo on the podium. Jessy Pilz can get a medal (silver) if she wins the lead stage. Nonaka will get a medal if she places 6th. Brooke Raboutou probably needs a third place in Lead to take a medal (along with Nonaka and Garnbret).
1 Garnbret Janja (SLO) 5*1 -- 5
2 Miroslaw Aleksandra (POL) 1*8 -- 8
3 Nonaka Miho (JPN) 3 *3 -- 9
4 Jaubert Anouck (FRA) 2*6 -- 12
5 Raboutou Brooke (USA) 7 *2 -- 14
6 Noguchi Akiyo (JPN) 4*4 -- 16
7 Pilz Jessica (AUT) 6 *5 -- 30
8 Seo Chaehyun (KOR) 8*7 -- 56

Janja Garnbret, who flashed all four problems in the qualification, continued doing the first two in a total of 3 attempts in the final. No one did another top, and so Garnbret secured another Bouldering win. On the third and last boulder she got the zone on her first attempt and then she retired after her second try. Brooke Raboutou (USA) was runner up and was actually the only one being close to the Top of the first two boulders. Third was Miho Nonaka (JPN) with two zones. Akiyo Noguchi and Jessica Pilz finished fourth and fifth. French speed specialist Anouck Jaubert was ranked sixth, after getting the first zone on her second try, ahead of Seo and Miroslaw. Complete results

1. Janja Garnbret SLO 2T3z (c) Jon Glassberg/Louder Than 11
2. Brooke Raboutou USA 3z
3. Miho Nonaka JPN 2z
4. Akiyo Noguchi JPN 2z
5. Jessica Pilz AUT 2z
6. Anouck Jaubert FRA 1z
7. Chaehyun Seo KOR 0z
8. Aleksandra Miroslaw POL 0z

Ranking after 2/3 stages
1 Garnbret Janja (SLO) 5*1 -- 5
2 Miroslaw Aleksandra (POL) 1*8 -- 8
3 Nonaka Miho (JPN) 3 *3 -- 9
4 Jaubert Anouck (FRA) 2*6 -- 12
5 Raboutou Brooke (USA) 7 *2 -- 14
6 Noguchi Akiyo (JPN) 4*4 -- 16
7 Pilz Jessica (AUT). 6 *5 -- 30
8 Seo Chaehyun (KOR) 8*7 -- 56
If the ranking in the lead stage is the same as in lead qualifications, then the medals go to Garnbret, Nonaka and Seo. This is also true if the order of the athletes is the same and Garnbret places 2nd or 3rd. If Janja places first and everyone else's order is the same, Miroslaw replaces Seo on the podium. Jessy Pilz can get a medal (silver) if she wins the lead stage. Nonaka will get a medal if she places 6th. (Corrected the article re. Garbrets attempts on the first problem)

Aleksandra Miroslaw delivered a great Speed performance, setting a new World and Olympic Record in the final race against Anouck Jaubert (FRA). It was a tight race in which Jaubert had a small initial advantage, before Miroslaw passed her. As Miroslaw hit the top pad, Jaubert slipped. The Japanese representatives Miho Nonaka and Akiyo Noguchi ranked 3rd and 4th respectively. Janja Garnbret won her last two races and finished in fifth place. Jessica Pilz finished 6th. Brooke Raboutou narrowly lost to Garnbret in the second race, and finished 7th, ahead of Seo Chaehyun. (c) Jon Glassberg/Louder Than 11

Combined Final Results
1 Miroslaw Aleksandra
2 Jaubert Anouck
3 Nonaka Miho
4 Noguchi Akiyo
5 Garnbret Janja
6 Pilz Jessica
7 Raboutou Brooke
8 Seo Chaehyun

Follow the live scoring on Olympics.com as well as stay updated on the calculation of the results throughout the day. IFSC has put together a list Where to watch Sport Climbing at the Olympic Games 2020

In Germany, ARD Sportschau is streaming live.
ZDF is also streaming live.
In Austria, ORF and ORF Sport Plus is streaming live. Katharina Saurwein is commentating.
In Poland player.pl has a Eurosport package with full Games streaming.
In France, France.tv is showing climbing.
In Czech Republic, Ceska Televize is showing climbing.
In Europe, a Eurosport Player subscription also allows you to choose the sport you want to watch (ca. 7€/month) and can be purchased in most countries.
Please post in the comments what the best options in your country are and we will update this news item.