Alexander Rohr reports from the last most doing four 8c+' and two 9a's, out of which two FAs. In total the 24-year-old Swizz has now done 22 routes 8c+ and 9a with his last one knocking on the 9a+ door. More pics on Insta

"After having completed Adam Ondras's Transcription, 9a in Charmey, I quickly did El Molinero 8c+ in Gimmelwald, Les temps difficiles 8c+ in Soyhières as well as Le roi lézard 8c (+) in Jansegg. Then I switched focus to an old project in Gimmelwald. It starts with Surfers Paradise and then opts for the left exit. I thought it is harder than Wipeout. That is why it is called Knockout 8c+. The crux is right in front of the chains.

After that I moved to the old idea linking Jungfraumarathon, 9a into Gimmelexpress 8c+. It’s got one more bolt in-between to get to the last but hard ten meters of Gimmelexpress. You basically do the whole hard part of Jungfraumarathon without the last part which is around 7c+. Instead, you climb to the right and do the last part of Gimmelexpress. This part is the redpoint crux for Gimmelexpress too and would probably check in at 8b+. Short and very intense climbing. Two days before the successful attempt, I could repeat Jungfraumarathon three times in a day but I was still falling in the last hard move of the new link-up. I then took a restday. After that, I finally did it on the first go of the day."

The biggest sensation in the Briancon qualification was that Rishat Khaibullin was #6. The Kazakstanian will compete in Tokyo mainly due to his Speed result. Laura Rogora, Janja Garnbret and Adam Ondra topped both routes.

Solveig Korherr has done her third 8c+, La Cabane au Paradis in Rawyl. The 22-year-old German is the new #1 in the 8a ranking game. (c) Jon Shen

"The route took me three days of work. On the first day, I wanted to check out the harder 9a „La Cabane au Canada“ but I also dogged the 8c+ Paradis exit. I managed all the moves to Canada but „La Cabane au Paradis“ seemed much more doable in the short time that we wanted to stay in this area. I had it down to a two-hang on my second day and managed to optimize some beta. On my third day, it was much cooler and I managed to tick this very cool line. Afterward, I checked out the lower boulder problem of the „Paradis Naturel“ 8b+ and also managed to pull a send together at the end of the day!"

What is your autumn plan?
We will continue our trip through Austria and I would like to do some harder multi pitch in the Verdon gorge and also check out La Ramirole.

Nine months since the last IFSC World Cup, most of the best athletes, beside the Asians, are gathered in Briancon for a Lead World Cup. Here you can follow the qualification results digitally. The live-streaming starts on Friday 19.30 with semis. The final takes place on Saturday 19.30 for the female and 20.45 for the male. No ranking points will be awarded. "...a series of guidelines concerning hygiene, social distancing and the use of personal protective equipment..." have been implemented.

In practice, volunteers and belayers should were a mask and "During observation time all athletes and officials shall wear their mask."

Kintana Iltis, who did her first 8A+ at age 14, has done two 8B's in Reunion island; Psychopad rallongé in Ravine des colimaçons and Le spartiate direct assis in Ravine de trou. The video shows extreame hip flexibility and a spider style almost like Oriane Bertone also from the Reunion island.

"In March, I returned to Reunion with my parents for the lockdown. During the whole period, I trained almost every day on my campus board in my garden. At the end of the lockdown, I had a mad desire to get back on the rock and it was an opportunity to try hard boulders. Shortly after, I released my first 8B boulder in June, Psychopad, a magnificent boulder. Just watching it gave me chills and I dreamt of doing it. Plates, heels, compress, inverted, change of hands, flexibility...all day long I imagined doing it. As the sessions progressed, I thought more and more that I was going to do it. After falling more than three times on the last movement of the boulder, I end up going back there with friends my father, and ten crash pads. Followed by the encouragement I made it and got an incredible smile spread over my face.

In the meantime I did four 8A's and one day, I discovered that it exists an 8B variant of one of the 8a that I had released, Spartiate assis direct, a ramp of slopers with heels and a big rise in the reverse flat with the right hand. When taking this reverse in my trying I said to myself, - Kintana, you are going to do it! I was so sure of myself that I did have the impression of having strength I went up with ease on this reverse and put the hand at the top out right hand and got amazed! Stars in my eyes, I go to bed at night with another 8B in boulder in my pocket Now I have returned to France for the selections for international competitions and for my return to school too. Climbing in the rock was really good for me :)

I have known Oriane, Max and Margot (Bertone) since I started climbing after school Stefano came to pick us up and we went indoor climbing together. The openings of the boulders were quite morpho for Oriane max and me. With Oriane, we climbed with the adults of the room on the same boulders. Being both small we had to find different beta from the others. We started to climb heels above the head, to stretch in the boulders to try to gain height to catch the holds, to climb higher feet etc ... I think now I have flexibility comes from there. Since then I have continued to climb like that. Two of my strengths are heels and body flexibility."

Lukasz Dudek, who previously has done 20 routes 9a and one 8C boulder, has roped solo Alex Huber's Pan Aroma in the Dolomites with nine pitches up to 8c. (c) Piotrek Deska comments, "It was both inspiring and thrilling at the same time. But I was only there with Łukasz during his preparation trips when he was still figuring out everything. While he was making the actual ascent he was there alone, so it was the real solo ascent as it should be."

Hom come you choose this amazing challenge?
I have great respect for the achievements of Alex Huber. Pan aroma is a very important step in the history of the Dolomites. This line is amazing, spectacular and terribly exposed. I wanted to climb this route in the best style I could. For me it was rope solo. I use the most popular climbing device - gri gri 1 with loops connected to the harness with carabiners.

It was totally crazy project. This ascent is a summary of what I have learned in these 20 years of my climbing activity. It is a combination of hard sports and mountain climbing, complicated equipment logistics and newly discovered solo climbing. It was my biggest challenge in my life. I feel that I am completely fulfilled as a climber. I lead all the pitches on the first attempt. After 17 hours of climbing, at 2 am I was on the top of Cima Ovest. The hardest pitch is a 60m traverse which should be graded at 8c. Next pitch is a very spectacular but very easy 8b+. The other pitches are not harder than 7a - 7b. Earlier this year, I decided to climb Pan Aroma alone. As part of the preparations, I started making several dozen of solo rope ascent in Polish Jura up to 8c grade. Last year I lead Tortour 8c (270m) rope solo which is located on the southwest face of Schartenspitze, Austria.

Here is the Huber's description of the route from 2007. It should be mentioned that ascents of Pan Aroma have made headlines several times as it is one of the hardest in the world, so this rope solo should be something for the climbing history books.

Mia Krampl, #2 in the Lead World Championship last year and who later qualified to Tokyo, has done Jack's broken heart as well as three 8A's in Magic Wood. (c) Vladek Zumr

"Honestly the trip was amazing! I wish I could go on rock trips more often 🤩 I just love the simplisity of waking up, drinking coffee climbing, spending nights with great company of climbers and not thinking of all the worries happening around the world. I still have many projects in Magic and I am definitely comming back in September!

Without any competitions this year I was really able to focus on next year's goals. So yes, I started to train speed, which was completely new to me and focused on bouldering, more exact on all my weaknesses."

So have you done below 10 seconds yet? Haha, no I just came from 🐌 to 🐢.

Iziar Martinez, who did her first 8c three weeks ago, has done her second, Hulk extension in Rodellar after five days of projecting. Last week, she also did Geminis 8b+ in just two days. Until one month ago, the personal best for the 15-year-old was one 8b.

"I did Hulk 8b+, because I wanted to do something that was not my style. I did it fast so I decided to try the extension 8c. But first I did Géminis 8b+ that motivated me a lot. Know I want to find other rout that motivates me."

She has spent six weeks in Rodellar together with her parents who both have been active climbers and her father runs a boulder gym. Last year, she was Spanish youth champion in Boulder and #2 in Lead. "I love comps, they motivated me a lot. I compete in nationals and this year the plan was to do international comps.".