Michaela Kiersch has made the first ascent of Mad Lib (9a) in Lone Rock Point and repeated Livin' AstroGlide (8c+) in Waimea. The Doctor in Hand Therapy’s remarkable tick list now includes 20 routes graded 8c+ and above, along with 18 boulders at 8B or harder. Impressively, nearly all of the 30-year-old climber’s most difficult ascents have been achieved in just the past four years. She also holds the distinction of being the first woman to climb both a 9a+ route and an 8C boulder. (c) Kevin McNally

Can you tell us more about those impressive ascents?
The 9a climbs a new start (5 bolts) and links into the very top arete of the wall (8a+ finish which I fell on the last move once). There are existing 5.14s at the wall and this line is an obvious link through some of the hardest sections of the cliff. I was able to establish the first ascent of Mad Lib (9a) last week — making it the hardest female FA in North America! The name comes from the various routes it links through, and rather than connect them all in alphabet soup (Buffalo Sized King Terror Wolf etc), calling it Mad Lib, after the word game, felt appropriate. Plus several route names on the cliff have a hip hop theme, so it doubly fit.

I tried Livin' Astroglide in Rumney for 1 day at the beginning of the trip and after sending Mad Lib I was able to tick it off 4th go.

Marco Müller, with a dozen 9a’s under his belt, has repeated Adam Ondra’s Change P1 (9a+) in Flatanger, after working on it for a dozen days. ”So steep and bouldery, yet so technical with all the body positions. Climbs way better than it looks!” (c) Andrea Henning

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I had three weeks of holidays planned in Flatanger this year. My goals were to try either Little Badder, Illusionist, or Change (starting with P1, with the option to continue into the second part). Since my endurance wasn’t at its best when I arrived, I decided to hop on Change P1, and I immediately enjoyed the style of climbing. It’s steep and bouldery, but also quite technical. So I committed to projecting it. With each attempt, I found out new microbeta, until it came all together at the end of the trip.

What is next?
I don’t have any specific projects in mind, but I‘ll climb around home (Bern) and see what psychs me :) And also Ticino bouldering season is around the corner, so I will definitely be there this winter.

Felipe Camargo, who did his first 9b back in 2019, has done the first ascent of Abaporu (9b) in Serra do Cipó.

Can you tell us more about the first ascent and the process behind?
I bolted this line in 2023 when I did the FA of Auto Retrato (9a+) and Gran Reserva (9a) at the same wall. Just did the moves but did not really focus on it. This year I spent five weeks on it always climbing during the night as it is in the sun all day. After it gets dark it still takes a while for the wall to cool down so I was climbing in between 9 pm to 2 am.

The route is basically 60 moves long with the crux the last five. It is a pretty physical and low percentage 7C+ Boulder problem.

Sam Prior has in five sessions repeated Will Bosi’s Trance (8C) in Peak District, after sending the 8B+ stand in 2023. ”Thinking about trying it for 2 years, finally got around to it!”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Trance adds 8 moves into Bewilderness (8B+). I found the sit a bit harder than many so I had to have the top pretty wired. I thought I was just setting it up for next year but thankfully it came together quicker than I was expecting because a lot of rain has come in so could be the end of the limestone season!

Dimitri Vogt, who in 2021 made the FA of a 9a+, has done the first ascent of Isengard (9a) in Isenfluh. ”The process of discovering, bolting, cleaning and trying this extraordinary line was so intrinsically motivating for me that the send felt just like the final piece of the puzzle. Grateful for this whole experience. Probably low end 9a.” (c) John Thornton

Can you tell us more about your first ascent and the process behind?
Last summer I discovered the line and spent around 5 to 10 days, first getting to the top, then searching the best path for the route, the right placements for the bolts and cleaning the rock. It is a 50m route, so it takes a bit of time ;-P and I wanted to do it carefully. Even though it was sometimes exhausting work (as the rock is not perfectly solid everywhere), I had so much fun and was hyper motivated throughout the whole process. It's the first time, I got the opportunity to bolt a hard route by myself and I think it's quite a cool one in a pretty unique style. Trying to climb the route took me some time as well, as it's tricky beta, what I love ;-P. In the end I sent it quite unexpectedly on a somehow good day with cool condis and a good mindset. Grade wise I go for lower end 9a, but as always quite hard to estimate when you are the FAscentionist.

Jorge diaz-rullo, who has not touched rock for two months, has done the second ascent of Pablo Zamora’s Trío con Charlotte (8C) in La Pedriza. The Boulder is a link up of Dos Hombres y un destino (8A+) and Charlotte (8B+). ”The crux is a move climbing down to connect the two boulders.” (c) Analogicrimps

What was the focus on the summer training?
I train in general for be a better climber and take advantage of the warm summer. Following the plan of my coaches 😅 Ekhi Alsasua and Pedro Bergua

The European Lead Cup in Imst drew nearly 200 athletes, including 58 girls in the U-17 category. The event delivered strong performances across the board, you can see the winners and the full results here. Notably, both U-19 champions carried their momentum from the qualifications all the way to the top of the podium.

19: Luca NÜNDEL GER - Fae MACDOUGALL GBR
17: Christian LEITNER AUT - Julia RASMUSSEN SUI

Amandine Loury is peaking after sending, in just two days, Egosuccion (8c) and Baise moi (8c+) in Saint Auban. The 35-year-old started out as a competition climber but stopped competing after earning a bronze medal at the Youth Worlds in 2009.

Can you tell us more about the ascents?
Baise Moi, bolted by Adrien Boulon, is a long route with 80 movements : 45 physical movements in the first part, a very good rest and 35 movements really not easy for finish, with risk. I did all the move from the first try, even the hard down climbing move. So I began to do try from the ground. I quickly fell close to the end of the first part. I t felt good but I was unable to send the route in 4 sessions before I had to leave Saint Auban.

In august we finally came back to the sector but I didn’t feel good during my two first tries in the route. I fell again at the same move, so I questionned my beta and finally changed 2 feets. The weather was hot. So I decided to try an other route, Egosuccion (8c) another nice route bolted by Adrien Boulon. After the send of Egosuccion, I went back one time in Baise Moi for remember the sensations. And after one rest day, I sent the route.

(c) Fanatic Climbing has made an interview asking the 35-year-old about changes in her approach that can explain her great development lately?
”I think I’ve gained experience, I’m much more efficient in many ways. I’ve also evolved mentally, in terms of the pressure of potentially getting a redpoint. Before, when I felt I was good enough to complete a route, I would put pressure on myself and start the route trembling, and I would climb badly. I was too focused on completing the route and not enough on the climbing itself. That doesn’t happen to me anymore. Now, it’s the quality of my climbing that matters to me in a try, and I’m able to completely ignore whether I succeed or fail on the route. I’m completely focused on climbing, on climbing well, and no matter what happens, when I manage to climb well, I get a lot of satisfaction out of it, which keeps me motivated.”

Stefano Ghisolfi has completed Flow State (8C) in Val Daone. This was the fourth 8C for the route specialist with four 9b+’ to his name. (c) Sara Grippo

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Flow state starts from Grizzly (8A+/B) and finishes on Flow (8B/+). tried it for the first time last year and it felt impossible, specially the last move of Flow. I climbed the first part quite fast but I couldn't climb the last section last year. I tried it a bit more this year and finally climbed Flow on Saturday and it took me just a couple more tries to connect it from the lower start.

What is next?
I'd like to go back on routes at some point 😄