Leo Bøe repeated Adam Ondra’s Change (9b+) last week, after a solid 45-minute fight. The Norwegian Lead Champion six times in the last seven years has made rapid progress since sending his first 9a in 2023 and last September, he completed Change P1 (9a+) as his first 9a+. ”My heart goes out to Johanna Jupin for the countless belays and hours of believing in me when I doubted myself. None of this would have happened without you 🤍🫀. (c) Doug McConnell

How was your first experience with Change and how many sessions have you put in, in total? Any special training indoors?
The moves suited me so well in the first pitch and it seemed I dicovered a new beta that nobody else has been doing. It involves grabbing the arete to your right and it gives you a strong compression to release the kneebar in the crux. Back then the season was ending and I wasn’t really expecting to climb any more routes.

I have lost count of the amount of session, but in total I spent around 2,5 months on the route alone. I didn’t do any specific training for the route, I just went straight to trying it over and over.

What was it in the end that made the trick?
The trick to sending was a combination of many things, but having the right mindset was crucial. I got to a point where I was tired mentally after so many days on the route. It was even hard to walk up to the cave, but a change of mindset helped alot. I started focusing on the battle and not the result. I decided to be happy with my performance as long as I tried my hardest. I was able to just focus on the moves and trying hard and it got me all the way to the top.

How much differ the beta compared to Ondra’s original beta?
The beta I used, and perhaps everyone else have used since Adams ascent is very different. He didn’t use kneepads and almost didn’t place any kneebars at all. The first boulderproblem has a right kneebar that takes alot of load of your upper body, but the hard part comes when you have to release the kneebar. He graded the boulder 8B+ and nowadays it’s more around 8A+. I believe the 2nd pitch had some improvements with kneepads, but not as major as the start.

How do you mentally prepare for an attempt and what goes through your mind up there in up-side-down land?
It’s a tough route mentally cause you have many good rests where you get the time to think alot. You start thinking about how you’re feeling compared to previous tries, and how the conditions are feeling, etc. I just tried my best to shut negative thoughts out and boost my confidence by giving myself positive affirmations. It was also very boosting metnally to have someone I trusted, consistently belay and cheer for me throughout. I can’t thank my girlfriend Johanna enough for the support and it was an incredible feeling to reach the top as a team. I am proud of my climbing and also very relieved to have done Change before the season ended!

Austin Purdy, with three 8C+’ to his name, has repeated Drew Ruana’s Distortion (8C+) in Mt Blue Sky. ”I'm glad to finally be done with this cave. I thought this would go quickly after I did Insomniac, but it ended up taking 2 more years, more session than I spent trying everything else in the cave combined, and several falls at the end before I got it done. Even though Spatial Awareness isn't much different in difficulty than We Can Build You, the physical and resistant nature of the climbing on the end of this climb ended up being much harder for me to execute tired after climbing through the intro boulder than the technical 2nd half of Insomniac.”

How many sessions in total an what made the trick in the end?
I think it was around 4 sessions 2 years ago after I did Insomniac (8C+) and then another 8 or so this year. I think the biggest difference in the end was trying it in good conditions. Most of the days I spent on the boulder were in the heat of summer.

Carlo Traversi put up Empath (9a+) in 2020. The grade was first confirmed a couple of times before Ethan Pringle called it 9a using "jammis". Connor Herson is the only one who has done it on trad gear. Earlier this summer Tommy Caldwell, 46, repeated it and thought it was 8c. Now a video has been released where Caldwell shows his jamming techniques with rubber gloves.

Stefano Carnati, with seven routes 9a+ or 9b under his belt, has completed Musa (9a) in Covolo. ”Easy start into a short, bouldery sequence on sharp edges and tensiony moves. Keeping the weekend sends coming!”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Covolo is an old italian crag with many routes, and the climbing style there is very bouldery, mostly fingery and overhanging lines. In recent years, Silvio Reffo has added several new routes up to 9a/+. I used to visit Covolo mostly during summer, when conditions were far from ideal. Last year, I finally returned a couple of times in April, with better conditions, and took a look at “Super Pit” and had a few tries on “Musa”. Last weekend, I decided to focus first on “Musa” before dedicating more time to “Super Pit”. “Musa” is a short, powerful route that starts with an easier five-bolt intro leading into a very fingery crux, followed by an easier but still sustained finish. On Saturday, everything clicked, and I managed to send it. Super Pit still remains unrepeated, and I knew it would require more time and effort to piece together. It’s definitely a project I’d like to return to soon.

What are your autumn and winter plans?
I’m about to submit my PhD thesis for revision, so before the final dissertation I’ll have a bit more time to spend outdoors. My plan is to finish off a few routes at Covolo. I’ve climbed one out of the five 9as there so far, so I’d like to complete some of the others. As soon as the temperatures drop, I still have a few projects left in Ticino that I’d like to get back on. Then, during the Christmas holidays, I’m planning a trip to Spain, possibly to Margalef.

Hugo Parmentier, currently ten months in a full year roadtrip with his girlfriend, has done Stratagème power (9a) and Trois pattes dans la chouffe (9a) in Gorges du Tarn. The latter he logged as an 8c+ as he sent it on his third go and comments, ”I have sent easier 9a’s and harder 8c’s.”

Can you tell us more about Stratagème power and how your road trip is going?
I’m on a 10-day trip in Gorges du Tarn. It feels surreal to be here, as this is the place where I truly discovered rock climbing many years ago. Ben Bouissou, my all-time coach and mentor, used to organize end-of-year climbing camps here with my club. This is where I climbed my first 7a, 7a+, and 7b. I feel really good here, nostalgic, but in a very positive and pleasant way. I even got to try routes that were still projects back then!
 Like Dessèchement Planétaire, Dieu Merci, Mehw Power, etc.

I climbed Mehw power (8c+) and the variation on the right that Seb Bouin freed last year.
They’re absolute king lines on what I think is the most beautiful wall in the Gorges. It’s exactly my style, short resistance climbs on pockets and small crimps. As for the grades, I’m pretty sure neither of them are extreme. But honestly, I just don’t understand grading anymore. My personal impressions rarely match the established consensus. Depending on the benchmark route I choose to calibrate the difficulty, the grades of the routes I try vary wildly. And if I also take into account my fluctuating shape and preferred styles, it makes even less sense. So basically I’m super psyched to try these routes and I hope to have a chance in the other ones.

Where are you going next?
I’m trying few other routes around this difficulty in the Gorges. But we only have a few days left ! I’m also preparing for a bike, sailing and bolting/climbing adventure end of this month also together with Symon Welfringer and Arthur Delicque! Biking 300 km to the sea, sailing to Corsica, biking again to Bavella climb/bolt and then all the way back in the same way.

Eva Hammelmüller, who the last 12 months has sent a dozen routes graded 8c+ or 9a, has done two 8c's. The 25-year-old has completed a total of 38 routes graded 8c and currently holds the number one spot in the VL female ranking game. (c) Felix Mast

Goldrausch (8c) in Ötztal. ” I've hardly ever climbed such a good line. Perfect crimps, amazing moves, beautiful place. Thanks to Markus for establishing this gem!! It was raining so heavily that I didn't think it possible to climb, but somehow the holds were dry (even though I myself did get wet while climbing:D) Didn't check out every move properly during my first go, so sending this route on my second go was a real surprise, including some back and forth climbing, spontaneous decisions, and a crazy hand slip. Thanks Felix for staying stubborn to check out this crag.”

Götterquergang lang (8c) in Götterwandl. ”Felt hard when I checked it out, but was surprisingly solid during the send today! the crux is really fun to climb, thanks for the psyche and the cool day out Ines!”

Can you tell us more about these ascents?
Despite the bad weather in Austria, we decided to check out a new climbing area close to Innsbruck last Tuesday. During the approach, I didn’t think it possible to climb, as it was still raining quite a bit. And while you did get a free shower while belaying (and also while climbing) the wall was just steep enough so that the holds were dry! I checked out an amazing line called ‘Goldrausch’ 8c, which was bolted and first ascended by Markus Haid. I wanted to be fast in my first go, so I didn’t try every move, but I got the feeling that the route suited me well and that I could maybe climb it fast. However, sending it on my second go with a handslip and some improvisation included definitely exceeded my expectations!!

A few days later, I went to Götterwandl to try my project (on which I failed in the last hard boulder…). Yet, I surprisingly managed to climb another cool 8c!

What are your autumn and winter plans?
For autumn, I plan to do a training cycle combined with rock climbing on the week ends to improve my shape before my next climbing trip comes up in the Christmas holidays.

Leo Bøe, with 18 routes 9a or 9a+ under his belt, only since 2023, has completed Change (9b+) in Flatanger. Adam Ondra did the FA back in 2012 without using kneepads. Then, in 2020, Stefano Ghisolfi made the first repeat, followed by Seb Bouin, Alex Megos and Jorge Díaz-Rullo. In total, there are now a dozen climbers who have reached 9b+. More info to come. (c) Doug McConnell

Iris Matamoros Quero has repeated Dani Andrada’s Ali hulk extension (9a+), logging it as a 9a. The 45-year-old had his best year ever in 2024 when he sent one 9a and three 8c+’. ”Nowadays people climb it using kneepads, and that changes the difficulty a bit. I’m not saying it’s easy now — because it definitely isn’t! — but maybe it’s no longer quite 9a+. I think there’s a general consensus that it’s currently considered 9a.” (c) Juan Puig Vals

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
In September 2022, I sent P con fin mas hulk extension (9a) in the Alibaba Cave. At that moment, I thought about trying Ali Hulk Extension, since I already knew the upper part and only had to solve the lower section, Alibaba — a tough 8c. I spent the three remaining days I had trying it; I really liked it, but I couldn’t finish it.

I always wanted to go back, but it’s not easy when you live seven hours away and have two small kids. This July we went to Rodellar, and I started working on it again. It was very hot, but my goal was clear: to train on the route, figure out every detail, and come back in October under better conditions.

In August, we climbed in Flatanger, which turned out to be perfect training — long, physical routes with lots of kneebars. Right after coming back from Norway, at the end of August, I decided to make a quick trip to Rodellar. I wanted to see exactly what I was missing so I could plan one last month of focused training.

I spent September training hard, trying to make everything as specific as possible for that route. In early October, I went back to Rodellar. I had to ask for time off work, and my wife stayed home with our two kids. I’m really grateful to her for that. It was kind of my 45th birthday present.

I felt strong in the first few days, but the route is very long and full of details, and I fell several times. It’s so physically demanding that I could only give one or two serious tries a day, so every attempt came with a lot of pressure. The days went by without success...

On my second-to-last day, I managed to get past the Hulk section — which I think on its own could already be around 9a. My goal was to continue all the way to the extension, but I clipped that anchor to secure that milestone, then I climbed down and continued climbing. I fell just before the final anchor of the extension. I was sad and happy at the same time.

The next day — my last day — I tried again, and this time I made it all the way to the anchor of Alí Hulk Extension. A dream come true. Though honestly, I’m still dreaming of coming back to do it properly, from the ground — Alí Hulk Extension sit start 9a+.

Starting from the sit start definitely adds that “plus,” in my opinion. I’d love to go back in the future to try it — it would be amazing to climb the full route and reach that level of difficulty at my age!

How did you prepare for the send?
On my last trip, I took photos of every single move. I tried to simulate all the conditions of the route — the time on the wall, the intensity of the effort, the rests. Training the legs and core is really important, since strong calves let you stay longer in the kneebars. It’s a very physical route that leaves your whole body destroyed, so it’s essential to prepare for that full-body effort — not just the forearms.

How long did one attempt take and how much rest in between?
Each attempt took me between 20 and 25 minutes on a horizontal roof. I would climb one day and rest the next.

Noah Wheeler, who did two 9A’s in the beginning of the year, has done Pegasus (8C) in Joe's Valley (UT). ”Tried like 3 years ago and it lowkey gave me months-long synovitis [inflammation of tissue around the tendons]. Thankfully, due to much training and experimentation, that wasn’t an issue this time around. Went second try after getting through the initial sequence.”

Pepa Šindel, who the last five months has sent six 9a’s, has flashed Morpheus (8c) in Götterwandl. ”Thank you Venca for the beta! You’re the GOAT☝️🐐”

Who is Venca?
Venca is my [little] brother and he was projecting Morpheus for the last 2 days of our trip after he sent Nophrodete (8b+) right next to it. He gave me a perfect beta for the flash and I got quite lucky as well in the endurance part after the crux.