Naoki Shimatani signs up to 8a with three 8C's including Babel in Shiobara, which he did last week. It is a 30 move link-up which Dai Koyama set up in 2007 and combines, Catharsis (8B+), to Hydra (8B) via Uma (8B+). The 24-year-old won a Youth World Championship in 2013 and later he has been #7 in both a Lead as well as a Boulder World Cup.

Pablo Hammack, who did his first 8B (+) at age 15, has stayed under the radar ever since lately posting sends on Hotfirerigs Insta. In February, he did Sleepwalker 8C+ and earlier in December he sent The Nest 8C. This video, recorded by Ethan Pringle puts him in the spotlight sending the first 8C in Yosemite.

Dinara Fakhritdinova, European Champion in 2013, has done her first 9a, Max Factor in Bahchisaraj which was set up by Vladislav Shevchenko in 2019. Previously, this 151 cm tall climber has done some 8c's but she has never tried any harder routes. The Russian tried the route for the first time last fall and did all moves within three days. Then in May, she needed 4 more days on the route to send it, at her 7th attempt. Interestingly, Dinara took a one year break from climbing which finished less than 12 months ago. (c) Anton Malkolv

Why did you stop climbing and for how long did you not train?
I didn’t train for about a year, I didn’t stay in the gym, I didn’t watch the news about climbing, I didn’t communicate with climbers, I had psychological problems I was burned out and could not cope with the daily activities. I hated climbing and I left.

What made you start climbing again?
Climbing is my soul, I love it. I got confused and needed a rest. The difference is that I have a different attitude to everything. There is no secret, this is a big inner work on myself. It is not possible to describe what exactly has changed, I have changed.
Also Dmitry Fakiryanov, #3 in the last Euro Championship, has done this route, as reported on his Insta. The Russian needed only two days of projecting but says he confirms the 9a grade.

Hernan Garcia, who has done two 8c+'s in Sant Llorenç del Munt this spring, has made the first repeat of Ramon Julian Puigblanque's Necros, giving it a personal 9a grade compared to 8c by the FA in 2008. Ramonet, one of the best competition climbers in history, is equally known for his hard grading, and numerous of his FAs from back then have already been upgraded one or two grades.

"About the route I think it never was an 8c as Ramón said. I did the others three hard routes in the Siberia sector; Peti, Inüit, and Snuff Movies, each one Ramón said 8c, but in my opinion, Snuff Movies seems to me an 8c the other two 8c+. Then I start to try Necros, the last hard one for me and was really hard to do the crux because it is reachy for me. But last year, I finally did the crux. Then again, close down here in Catalonia, and I had to wait until this season and finally, I sent the entire route. I think 9a could be better for this route but that is only my opinion, waiting for what other climbers will say."

In the picture, the Mexican, who has been living in Spain for several years, is working on El Bon Combat 9b. After five days, he has done all moves and some good links. "For me is a very hard project I only have one day per week to try cause of my job and my family situation. But I'm super psyched and that's important."

Rock climbing is booming and I see more and more outdoor beginners trying their luck. Many of them, however, make the same mistake. Instead of warming up on some very easy routes they start almost at their max grade. This approach is possible in the gym as the setters have made the routes progressively harder, there is never a distinct crux, and that most of the time you are top roping. Furthermore, indoor grades are often softer.

Outdoors, it just might be that the crux is at the start. I often see outdoor beginners getting stuck there feeling miserable.

On the contrary, start with very easy routes that you can top rope a couple of times getting that good feeling of being prepared both mentally and physically. If you later anyhow get stuck on some hard moves, understand that it is often just about muscle recruitment, meaning that you are getting stronger for each try as you get all muscle coordinated for the crux. If you cannot do some hard moves within a couple of tries, just move along upwards to the top. Once being lowered, if you are not pumped, stop at the crux and try again and make your muscle learn the coordination and get stronger. Then rest for like 15 minutes and try again. If you cannot do the moves it is time to try your luck on some other routes instead.

In general, what you want to achieve being out climbing is first of all the good feeling, and secondly to climb as many meters and moves as possible. Outdoors, you will be challenged with many new different, strange and even awkward moves that you have never tried indoors. On the other hand, the route setters indoors mission is to set nice and pleasant moves that will make you come back and buy another entrance.

Alessandro Larcher, who did his first and only 9a in 2019 at age 19, gives us the interesting story of how he last autumn did Bombo Balla 8b+ in Bus de vela first on bolts and later on trad gear. After having done sport routes on trad gear, chopping bolts has previously been quite common and always created conflict, so we asked Larcher if the bolts will remain. "Yes of course. It is one of the main routes of Bus de Vela and it was born as a sport route." (c) Martin Giovanazzi

"In October due to the pandemic all the climbing gyms in Italy were closed and therefore I decided to train at the Bus de Vela crag near Trento. I tried an old project of mine called Bombo Balla (8b+) and after few tries, I was able to send it. After the ascent, I thought that maybe it was also climbable on gear since there are many holes and some small cracks on the route. I had never placed any cam or nuts before trying Bombo Balla so in the next few days I asked my dad to help me and to explain to me how to be safe using cams and nuts. After checking the route with him we placed all the protections and I tried to fall on them to gain some trust in the gear and some confidence in myself. At the end of the day, I was able to send the route pink point. Two days later I came back and after the warmup, all went smooth and I sent the route placing all the gear while climbing! It was a big adventure and through this process, I discovered a new dimension for me in climbing! Trad climbing is amazing and the mind is so important! This route has opened my eyes towards the big potentials of repeating hard sport routes on gear and I already have some ideas😉👌🏻"

Courtney Arnold, who has previously done six 8A's, has done her first 8A+, Euro Trash in Little Cottonwood Canyon. "I kind of went out there only intending to try the stand but that went down pretty quick so I decided to try it from a little lower. I fell on pretty much the last move in my first session, had a terrible second session, and then did it my third session."

What is your climbing background?
I started climbing around August 2016 and climbed on a team at AZ on the Rocks for a couple of years before moving to Flagstaff in 2019 where I have been trying to get outside as much as possible!

What has been most important for your fast progress in grades?
I would say just getting outside and trying hard with a bunch of psyched and motivated people. I’m also kind of competitive so I think it’s been really helpful to climb with people that are stronger than me because it helps me push a little harder.

How much and how do you train/climb?
I try and get outside at least 3 times a week and do some supplemental stuff in the gym like weighted pull-ups and volume training. I also really like training on the tension board. Usually I shoot for 2 days on 1 day off. Although I have to admit I sometimes get too excited and don’t rest enough which I’m working on.

Jessica Pilz, who did not participate in Speed or Bouldering during the second weekend in Salt Lake City. The reason for this, as reported on her Insta, was that she fully ruptured her A4 pulley on her left ring finger during the finals last weekend.

"During the 2nd boulder I heard a quite crunch from my left ring finger, I stopped for a moment but pain didn’t kick in, so I finished the boulder and went back... I couldn’t hold a crimp anymore but still continued because Boulder 3 consisted only of slopers."

Under normal circumstances, this could require surgery and then it would take at least six months to be back on track. As the Olympics is coming up in two months, it just might be that she will tape her fingers and as much as possible avoid crimping with her left hand in Tokyo. In SLC, Jessica was ranked #4 on Boulder three getting the zone in her second attempt. With some luck, meaning no mandatory crimps with her left hand in Tokyo, she can still get a decent result.

Antoine Kauffmann has done the second repeat of Aloha 9a (+) in Kronthal which Yann Corby, who took the picture, bolted in 2006. The FA was done one year later by Julius Westphal and Adam Ondra did the first repeat in 2009. Kauffmann, who did The Big Island giving it a personal 8B+ grade this February, says he needed 12 sessions to take Aloha down and comments on the grade on his Insta. "Considering the route feels harder than the others 9a I have done before, that it suit my style perfectly and knowing the route was unrepeated for 12 years, I think the grade might be slightly harder than 9a."

So could this be 9a+ comparing how long time projecting the other 9a and 9a+ you did before?
That’s definitely not 9a+ but it feels hard for 9a. But I may be wrong because that’s the shortest hard route I have ever done. Actually, I don’t like grade drama and I am not enough experienced to be sure about the grade. Regarding my previous ascents, I don't remember well but it was something like the same amount of days (10-15) but I was way weaker.

Interesting is that the Westphal did not use a knee pad and that his other 9a FA, Gegen den Strom from 2014, is still unrepeated. His third 9a is Action Directe. Neither Ondra used a knee pad, when he did it being 16-years-old and probably 180 cm tall, and commented that it might be 9a+ for shorter guys.

Tom O'Halloran, the Oceania Olympic representative, who previously has done three 9a's, out of which two FA's, has done the FA of Cheesecake 9a in Nowra. It is 10 meters and 19 moves in total which took him 5-6 sessions to do. Interestingly, there are two extensions to be done making it an, at least, 40 meters long 9b+. "There was a move I couldn’t do last year and it was difficult to link more than a few moves together. I was able to quickly do the undone move this season and get some very good links on day one. In the end, it felt easy."

Please say something about the possible extensions?
There is a 15 meter 9a section that you can climb right after clipping the anchor of Cheesecake. A friend bolted it about 10 years ago and I spent 2 days cleaning it up last year as it had not been tried since. I then bolted a further extension to the top of the cave. Another 10-15m which, in itself will be perhaps 36+. So all in all the project will be bouldery 9a into sustained 9a into very bouldery and sustained 9a++. All separated by good rests. It could be Australia’s first 9b+ when it goes. I’m very excited to invest time into it when the Olympics is over.

Will you do any international comps before Tokyo?
No international comps in the lead up to the Olympics. Australia has very strict 2-week hotel quarantine rules when you arrive back from overseas. Being stuck in a hotel room for 2 weeks away from training is not worth it for a comp. I’m ok with it though. We have a state lead and speed comp coming up and there will be a local boulder comp right 10 days before I fly out.

How is your Olympic training preparation going on?
Olympic prep is coming along well. I just keep training hard and doing the best with what I have. We will do some comp simulations and I’ll do the two domestic competitions we have before I leave. I feel confident in the plan my coach has put together and my partner is a sport dietitian so I have my nutrition sorted too. I can’t wait to put on my uniform and compete with everyone else. It’s going to be great.

How much and how do you train and what about Speed training and PB
The last training periods were every day basically, 2-3 sessions a day. The intensity varied though. Not every day was max efforts. The next 2 months will be more about climbing and climbing well. Speed is 7.07 and I train it 2 sessions a week on the wall
How much financial support are you getting from your Olympic committee?
Nothing really. We are in a fringe sport globally and in Australia, it’s even more fringe. I’m doing my best to bring more public awareness to the sport. If the public gets psyched, the people with money start to notice, from there, things become easier. No excuses though 😀 I’m psyched with where I’m at and totally humbled to be the person stepping into new territory here in Aust. I hope to see more Australians on podiums soon!

So are you working or how do you get food on the table for your family?
I am working bits and pieces. I have also been fortunate to have people donate to a crowdfunding page to help me with preparations. I have had some sponsors help out with a small amount of financial support as well. It all adds up to get us through.