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John Brock has done his first 8C, The Nest in First Creek after a total of five sessions. "This is my hardest boulder yet. I've been climbing for around 10 years and V15 has always been a big goal for me. I'm so happy to have finally done it, especially on such an amazing line."

Martin Stráník, #2 in the World Championship of 2007, has done his eleventh 8C, namely the FA of Warrior in Labské Údolí. (c) Jakub Fric

"Brutal endurance boulder around 23 moves, no really hard move but also no easy move. Kind of connection of three 8A+/B boulders with little rest between. In total it took me 4 days. Two on the separate parts and two more to connect them. It was about minus 4°C but the windchill was bit lower cause of gentle wind."

How did you warm up and keep your fingers warm?
"I was warming up on some easier boulders just for few minutes and then warming up on the moves of project, repeating moves, sections. I think it is a lot about your head. When motivation is high it is easier to climb outside in winter. Also, the type of holds is important, there were no small crimps which make climbing rough because of blood supply in fingers."

Iker Pou has done the FA of Great Guggenheim 9a+ in Mallorca, which is the island's second 9a+ after his Big Men FA in 2015. (c) Juan A. Balaguer Santiago

"The last year I bolted and I redpoint the first pitch to the half of the cave "Guggenheim" 9a. This year I added the second pitch to the top, which is about 8b+. Not so hard but you arrive destroyed from the first part and it is hard to link everything, especially for the head. The route is very steep and with about 110 moves it is challenging the endurance after the first hard 9a pitch."

Iker has been making headlines since 2000 when he did Action Directe 9a. In total, the 44-year-old has done some 30 routes 9a to 9b (+), and as a matter of a fact his most productive years have been since 2015. Also setting up several big walls around the globe, Iker has been one of the world's very best rock climbers for the last 20 years.

How do you train to continue being in peak performance?
Jejeje, I don't know! I think that it is motivation. I love climbing outdoors. I like to always push me to the fullest. Vert little indoor training. I directly get in shape by climbing as much as I can on rock.

Killian Chabrier, who three weeks ago did his second and third ever 8B+, Kheops assis and Gecko assis, has done The Big Island 8C (B+) in Fontainebleau. Video on his Insta

"It took me about 15 sessions over one year, with big breaks caused by injuries like a small tearing on a biceps and the two lockdowns we had in France! It was very difficult for me to do il because of my small arms! In the beginning of February after 4 months without trying it. I found all the sensations really quick. The moves which looked impossible before felt not so hard and then it took me two more sessions to send it! For the grade, I say soft 8C but some of the last people who sent it think more for hard 8B+ hard. I prefer to try more 8C's to have a better opinion on it!"

Matt Fultz has done his 14th 8C, The Nest in First Creek Canyon. "One of the best! The video of @dawoods89 and @jwebxl on the FA is one of my all time faves. It took about a week from when I first tried it to when I sent it." The 29-year-old did his first 8C less than two years ago and has during that period moved from being #15 to #1 in the 8A ranking game. (c) Max Krimmer

It was put up by Daniel Woods in 2015. "Kenny Barker and Andy Raether prepped this line and got us amped to go check it out. They were not lying when they said this boulder was out of this world. It hosts some of the raddest lines and each one is unique in its own way. This one ascends a 25-foot face with slanting rails to start with, into an iron cross in the middle of the wall followed by the crux at the finish. It was awesome to get buck on this rig with Jimmy." He got the second ascent the day after commenting. "One of the most amazing lines you'll ever see." All five repeaters on 8A have given it five stars.

Andy "Peter" Lamb comments on his second 8C, "I had a lot of sessions where I'd do the crux section first or second try, but fall there every time from the bottom, and the climb started to get in my head. On my send go I had some microbeta changes on the bottom which I think helped me get to the stand a little bit fresher. Definitely one of the most memorable climbs I've ever done!"

From the 8a interview two weeks ago. "I lost 50’percent of the strength in my right arm about 6 months ago and tried P.T. etc but nothing helped because the nerve was impinged by the herniated disc. So they do they had to take 2 discs out in my neck and replace them with fake ones. It happened from so many years of falling from bouldering. This is something that I think we will start to see more of in the future with more people bouldering."

Jorge Diaz-Rullo reports on Insta that he has done La Rambla 9a+ in . "How happy to do this historic route. And also to get it faster than I expected (8 tries) chaining the first real try where I was going to the death but with very good methods and conditions! Thanks people!" (c) Javi Pec, who says he first met Jorge six years ago, "An unknown young climber, 15 years old, travelling by bus to the crags, sleeping under the routes... full of motivation."

At age 21, Jorge has done five 9b's and twelve 9a+ and he is #1 in the 8a ranking game just ahead of Adam Ondra. In bouldering, he is #8 including having done five 8C's. Here is a short 8a interview from last month.