Laura Rogora is the perfect example showing that climbing is unique when it comes to gender equality. Based on her ten routes 8c+/9a and harder 2020, as well as two 8c+' 2nd, go and 8b+ onsight, she is actually a contender of being #2 in the world, together with Adam Ondra and Stefano Ghisolfi, behind Jorge Diaz-Rullo. We asked Laura for some comments of doing Ghisolfi's The Bow 9a+. (c) Pietro Bagnara

"It took me 6 days and 17 tries in total. On my second day on the route, I was able to climb it with one resting but the boulder is very strange and risky so I needed some time to make it from the ground. On the day before the send I got super close but then my hand slipped just before the end of the harder section. I was bleeding a lot from my fingers so I decided to stop and try again the day after and on Sunday on my first go I climbed to the top on my first try. I was sure to fall on the last boulder on the slab because of the blood on my finger but somehow I could get through the last crux and clip the chain."

Dai Koyamada, who previously has done some 20 FAs 8C and harder, reports on Insta that he has done the FA of Ochimizu in Gero. The 44-year-old did not suggest a grade but says it is among his five top FAs. The 165 cm tall, who was #4 in a WC in 1998, found it five years ago but it seemed to difficult. Nevertheless, he found the missing hold and started projecting it this year.

"I’ve reached an age at which declining performance is a daily concern, but I still made it back to this boulder in time. I named this problem “Ochimizu” (Fountain of Youth), in the reflection of my futile wish to remain young, and count it among the top five of my first ascents."

Seb Bouin and Lucien Martinez first repeats of Fred Rouhlings Akira from 1995 are all over the media discussing if the first 9b in the world might be just 9a? Naturally, Fred is very surprised about the downgrade as his other two 9a's from the time have just been repeated and confirmed by Bouin. At that time, Rouhling was together with Alex Huber superior in the world and Seb just thinks it is amazing that such routes could have been set up 25 years ago. At that time, crash pads and roof climbs where you could train, both indoor and outdoor, did almost not exist at the time and Fred was by himself pushing the standards. "Fred was ahead of his time and part of the reason for my Vintage trip was to salute him. The difficulty of those routes is amazing! At the same time, I can just say all three routes felt 9a. " Fred is truly happy for the repeats and hopes more will come.

"Seb said that he had a good time in Charente! That’s more important. Climbing is for fun, so have fun and enjoy our climbing life. Repeats are great but don’t forget "to boldly go where no man has gone before!"

Dani Andrada tried the route around 2002 and after three days of effort, he came close and says he at the time speculated if it was 9a or 9a+. At the same time, he today thinks it with kneepads probably would be even easier which goes in line with what Martinez and Bouin think. In any case, it was important for them to do it in the way as Fred did it without kneepads. In any case, besides they and Andrada possibly found better beta, one can speculate if also a broken hold, better shoes with toe-hocking possibilities have had an impact on the grade.

Akira is rather similar to Andrada's Ali Baba hybrid boulder route and he thinks that the reasons for some of his routes being downgraded are that new beta has been found, the use of kneepads and that ladders and fans have facilitated the process of taking them down. Andrada and Rouhling have through their FAs made it to the history books but as it stands they will not be listed to have done 9b.

Viktoriia Meshkova, 20, who won in Bouldering, topped out the semifinal route with ease. Last year, the Russian did 18 IFSC World Cups and her best result was #16. As she also with 9.68 in Speed were among the best, she is now the big favourite to get the Olympic tickets. Eliska Adamovska did also top the nice route as also Daeia Mezentseva did but she was timed out. Noteworthy is that Chloe Caulier #2 and Alma Bestvater #5 did pull out from the semi probably due to saving the skin for the Combined. Complete results.

Among the male, Sergei Luzhetskii #2 and Aleksei Rubtsov #8 in Bouldering did not participate. Seven male got within one hold close to the top. The final starts at 4 pm Euro time.

Hannes Puman and Sascha Lehmann were the only males topping out both qualification routes. Interesting is that the best result among the one making it to the Boulder final yesterday was Nicolas Collins #16. Jernej Kruder was #28 suggesting that the male Olympic qualification is an open affair.

Among the female, both Viktoria Meshkova and Chloe Caulier who were quite superior in the Boulder final, were among the four girls topping out both routes, together with Eliska Adamovska and Daria Mezentseva. Noteworthy is that Petra Klingler, who won the boulder qualification but then retired due to a shoulder injury, did not participate in Lead. This means that the favourite to win the Combined is out from that competition. Complete results

Julia Chanourdie, who just released the video from her recent 9b, reports on Insta that she has done La ligne claire 8c+ in St Légere on her fourth go. (c) Jan Novak

In total, the Olympian has done six routes 8c+/9a and harder, meaning she is #5 in that list.

Liam A Biscuit, who had 8B as a personal best coming into 2020, has done his first 8C, The Nest at First Creek. Amazingly he took it down in just two sessions. "The first day I did the stand start which is the hardest part by far, and then the second day I warmed up on the moves and managed to send the whole thing on my first real try from the bottom.

I’m not even sure I’m in better shape than ever or if this particular climb just somehow suited me perfectly! That being said, ever since my friend Stick Nugent got taken into a math cult I have wanted to climb in his honour and make his memory proud, so this fall I trained with rage in my heart and life in my soul and love in my brain to become the climber he would want me to be."
How can you explain your great progress in 2020 having done 13 boulders 8B and harder?
Graduating college and getting my own car made a difference, but more importantly starting a vlog with my BFF Kai and wanting to provide it with good content has lit a fire under my ass.

Laura Rogora reports on Insta that she has done the first repeat of Stefano Ghisolfis's The Bow 9a+ in Padaro. "Quite impressive, probably one of the best female achievements ever, I think the route is extremely hard. I think, she used similar beta on the crux with some adjustments for her height. I also gave her some advice and betas."

The 19-year-old did move from Rome to Arco in the beginning of the year in order to have better training and outdoor possibilities. In total, she has done eleven routes 8c+ to 9b previously, meaning she has one of the best track records in the world in 2020 also including the male. In July, she won the Briancon World Cup ahead of Janja Garnbret.

Super drama when Viktoria Meshkova secured her European title, one attempt to zone less than Caulier Chloe. Jernej Kruder had won before he going for the last boulder but instead of saving his skin for the Olympic quest his auto-pilot kicked and he gave his best during ten tries creating the best show he could. Noteworthy is also that both the winners also won the semifinal. (c) Vladek Zumr

1. Jernej Kruder SLO 23 - Viktoria Meshkova 44 (6,5)
2. Sergei Luzhetskii RUS 13 - Caulier Chloe BEL 44 (6,6)
3. Nikolai Iarilovets RUS 13 - Stasa Gejo SRB 24
Complete results

Jonathan Hörst (18) and big brother Cameron (20) have done Southern Smoke 8c+ in Red River Gorge. Jonathan: "What a day! Undoubtedly my best day of climbing ever and a milestone for me. First of the grade and the first 8c+ I’ve worked on. After many beta burns in undesirable conditions and pumpy redpoint goes I acquired the fitness to knock it off. Fell off the top crimp move the go before and sent unexpectedly after (then Sugar Magnolia 8b). These moves will be forever engrained in my brain. Classic!

My endurance is the best it’s ever been and my capacity to climb while pumped is also better than it has been. I was training endurance burns with hard climbing separated by jug rests. This was my first time spending over a week at the red so I managed to get the Red river gorge fitness. So psyched!"

Picture by his father Eric Hörst, who is a famous coach and auther. "Jonathan played America football for 10 years, while only climbing part-time. He climbed his first 8b+ at age 10 (a record at the time), but just now is he climbing more, since he's in college...and only climbing (no more football). So he did both his first 8c climbs this summer, and his first 8c+ last week! He's often in the shadow of his older brother, but Jon is very talented too! 🙂"