Tanguy Merard has done his third 9a, Condé de choc in Entraygues. "This summer I did Deltaplane man direct 8c+. The second part is the same as Condé de choc. For me, it was the first step to be able to do it. I tried the start of it for the first in September but I couldn't do all the moves. After this, I focused on bouldering. When I came back, some days ago, I could do all moves. In the same day, I did the first part for the first time and then I gave everything to not fall in the last part. It worked after a big fight. I succeeded to mobilize all my energy! I am really happy😁."

The 8a ranking game was set up in 2000, based on the Top-10 ascents, in order to make climbers focus more on onsights and doing multiple ascents. Buildig a wide pyramid and focus on long term slow progress have always been something we have recommended. By looking at the Top-100 ascents the last 12 months, interestingly Martina Demmel (19) is #3 also including the male. The 19-year-old has the last year done 109 onsights 7c to 8b as well as 109 redoints 8a+ to 8c. Counting only the Top-100 onsights, she is actually #1 in the world ahead of all male! (c) Christian Seitz

Other names that can be mentioned having an extreme wide grade pyramide are; Solveig Korherr #5, Maho Norrmand (15) #7 and Rafa Fanega (45) #21. Full Ranking with Moritz Welt as #1!

Nolwen Berthier, a former competition climber, is having her best year ever and has done her second 8c+, La flûte en chantier in the Ramirole cave in Verdon. (c) Theo Cartier

"This line catches your attention from the first glance, its diversity of movements is exceptionnal, its climbing is tricky and demanding. In short, the very pure Kingline… Clearly, it’s for this kind of routes that I get up in the morning, train, climb!

During the first few tries, the crux seemed easy to me, but there were still three movements that I wasn’t able to do. I was really not sure that it could work with my size. I had to reinvent the sections, to try out absurd or wacky methods, to finally find sequences that work. Make an insane drop knee while holding an intermediate hold? Dyno into a gaston flake? Getting quartered between two flat tufas? Challenge accepted! All the moves were done, it’s just a matter of time… and relentlessness… and success… Okay, it’s still not a given, but it starts from there! The Summer passed, then the Fall came, bringing better conditions, but with a stressful timing: the rain and the resurgences were about to come… and the rumours of lockdown… In short, I had a little pressure! In rock climbing, the theory of merit rarely works, it’s better to bet on the alignment of stars! Yesterday, all the parameters came together for a good run: shape, conditions, desire, lucidity, determination,… Magic!" an hard and aesthetic 40 meters line in an overhanging prow with tufas, bolted by Antonin Rhodes. It’s her second 8c+

Gio Placci, who recently did Underground 8c+ (9a) on his 30s training day on, has done Biologico 9a in Arco. The 19-year-old says that he trained and prepared his body for five weeks and this time he actually took a rest day. "Yesss , my first 9a is done , 4 days of tries , 5th try of the day." (c) Pietro Vidi

Isabelle Faus has done her third 8B+ since this summer, The Emasculator in the Dick cave. It is a steep 7C+ traverse into Daniel Woods 8B, Circle Jerk. In total, the 27-year-old has now done 32 boulders 8B and 8B+. (c) Greg Mionske

"More importantly, everything is on fire...the park and the national forest is closed, and thousands of people are evacuated.. stressful time on the front range right now." Check her Insta for more info and a video of the fire.

Katherine Choong, who previously has done two 9a's, has done her 13th 8c, Jusqu'au bout du monde in Soyhières. (c) Hugo Vincent

"I didn't really like climbing in the Jura before but because of the Covid19 I was forced to climb more local. With a bit of patience I started to really appreciate the style of the area. But I couldn't imagine climbing routes at my limit because of the bouldery / powerful style of the routes. Jusqu’au bout du monde is ~ 20 meters, starting with a hard section and a dyno for small climbers (the crux for me), and continue with a resistance end. It is a route bolted in 1989 by Philippe Steulet, a well-known Swiss climber from the region. It's "only" 8c but the crux took me a lot of time and cost me a lot of tries. It was finally last Wednesday that I managed to stick the dyno and fought against the pump all the way to the top 😊"

Fanny Gibert reports on Insta, "➖French team just cancelled our participation to European championship taking place in 20 days ❌ ➕But pro athlete can keep training during lockdown."

Solveig Korherr has during ten days done eleven routes 8a+ and harder in Frankenjura including;
Klodike Cat 8c, "Wow! What a freaking good day! Definitely my style! Psyched to have sent it in my third try. First 8c in a day!"
Roof Warrior 8c, " Last day, best day! What a sick roof! It was so much fun finding all the beta and climbing through the horizontal and pumpy part of the route. Jon would have been proud of my kneebars :D"
Triebwerke 8b onsight,"I think more experience on rock over the last few years have made me much better at making decisions and reading the rock on the fly."

"My trip to the Frankenjura was rather spontaneous as I was only supposed to stay for two/ three days but in the end, I stayed for ten days and it couldn’t have been better. At the beginning, I just wanted to climb a lot of routes without any specific goal and pressure. I guess that was the key in the end to have a very successful trip and a lot of fun!" (c) Julian Bückers