Here is the first 8a grading article published 2001. "Rating is based on individual subject suggestions and confirmed by facts and results by the climbing community."

I agree with everything Adam Ondra says in his video and if you want to understand more in detail, check the picture in regards - Time Comparison Grading.

Jana Vincourkova has done her second 8B, Rustam Direct in Holstejn. In total, the Czech has done eleven boulders 8A and harder since May. More pics on Insta and here is the video.

Noteworthy is that Jana restarted climbing 20 months ago after a two years break. "I started with climbing when I was about 6-7 years old and from the beginning, I trained too much. After a few years, it wasn't even fun for me with all the training, competitions, stress, no fun so I stopped climbing. I also didn’t have any climbing partners or some climbing group and it just didn’t make me happy. I knew I would get back to it, with an open mind and without putting any stress on my shoulders simply by climbing, the things that I like the most. Now I have a boyfriend who climbs really hard so I try to climb on the same level and at the same time, he knows how to keep me psyched for training because I do not like the “boring” routines of dead hangs, pullups, campusing and so on. I would rather just climb,😁."

Marine Thevenet has during the last two weeks in Gottardopass done five boulders 8A to 8B including Dulcifer sit 8A+ in the picture by Clement Lechaptois (who did Hazel Grace 8B+). In total, the #7 in the World Cup in 2014, has now done some 50 boulders 8A and harder out of which half during the last 18 months.

"This boulder is a truly beauty! The sit begins with a little compression and then you have to follow the ramp until a big jug at the top. I did it in the day, last week. I sent the stand and then I crushed the sit start. I am very grateful for all the climbers that opened and keep opening those beautiful boulders ; especially the Cameroni's family. There was a really good atmosphere at the foot of the boulder, with Clément Lechaptois, Guiliano Cameroni and Sophie, Jules Nicouleau and Alice Garnier, conducive to a lot of achievements."

Dylan Chuat has done Cabane au Canada in Rawyl 9a (8c+) commenting on Insta, "Really happy to have clipped the chains of this magnificent and incredible route. This line was initially 9a, but 8c+ seems more correct to me. The route is very pumpy with very beautiful sections and a hard crux right below the relay."

The 19-year-old was prior to Covid-19 mainly a competition climber and he is the Lead and Boulder vice champion in Switzerland. In May he did his first 8A+ and later he has done up to 8C. Last week he did his first 9a and he was #9 in the Austria Climbing Series.

In 2001, Chris Sharma made the FA of Realization which later was re-named to Biographie in accordance with the French tradition that the bolter, should choose the name. Sharma did not grade it but it has always been considered as a 9a+ although Ethan Pringle, doing the third repeat, originally logged it as a hard 9a. The start has been slightly harder due to a break. For some reason, it has by media been called the first 9a+ although since 2008, Open Air by Alex Huber, has been considered 9a+ based on Adam Ondras's first repeat and upgrade. Also Huber have later said that based on the grade inflation, Open Air, with just one repeat, should be given 9a+.

It should also be mentioned that in in 1998, Bernabe Fernandez did Orujo 9a+, which has no repeats. This route has not made it to the official history books, probably due to the Chilam Balam controvercy see below. Furthermore, it has been said that the FA, beside chipping, actually filled some holds which he did not use, so others could not use it either.

When it comes to 9b, the first getting that proposal was Akira in 1995 by Fred Rouhling and Ali Hulk sit extension in 2007 by Dani Andrada but they should be called boulder routes as they include a sit start. Then we have Chilam Balam, which was suggested 9b+ in 2003 by Bernabe Fernandez. But as many repeaters have said 9a+/b and that the FA'ionist never cooperated with the media, it might be that Jumbo Love by Chris Sharma in 2008 should be considered as the first 9b in the world.

The first 9b+ in the world is Change in Flatanger in 2012 and it has never been repeated.
The first and 9c in the world is Silence in Flatanger in 2017 and it has never been repeated. Both those routes were opened by Adam Ondra.

Jorge Diaz-Rullo, #1 in the ranking game, has done the FA of two hard core routes in Rodellar.
Las Meninas 9a/+: "Super line of pure resistence bolted by Gonzalo Larroccha!" (c) Carlos Padilla
La menina sixtina R2 9a: "Super nice! How cool and very logical! Endurance and a very tricky final stretch. 9a easy?"

In total the 20-year-old has done 27 routes 9a to 9b out of which 12 the last 12 months.

Hubble by Ben Moon in 1990 and Action Directe by Wolfgang Güllich in 1991 are generally called the first 8c+ and 9a in the world. Originally, AD was graded XI, which converts to 8c+/9a but since the first repititions some 20 years ago, it was considered 9a.

When it comes to Hubble, some of the best climbers like Ondra have said it might be 9a and both Ben Moon and UKC have actually called it the first 9a in the world. In practice and in order to save some of the history, Hubble could be given 8c+/9a and the first route to be listed with a slash grade in the grade progression list. This means that Liquid Amber 8c by Jerry Moffatt in 1990, with only three repeats, could be the first 8c+ in the world, as it has been upgraded.

Marcello Bombardi, who won one World Cup in 2017, has started his Flatanger trip by two 8c flashes, Muy Verdes and Nordic Plumber as well as redpointing The Illusionist 9a. "Such a good line! I was at my max limit reaching the holds in three moves but somehow managed to hold on. Such a good fight not to fall!" (c) Stefano Ghisolfi

"In Nordic plumber I had a really huge fight! I knew the first part quite well by seing and belaying the other guys the days before and I executed it quite easily. On the second part, after the chain, I was half flash and half onsight. I've got pumped from head to feet but somehow I managed to recover well on the resting points and hold on till the chain. For Muy Verdes it was a bit easier since you can see all the route close from the ground. I watched Stefano Ghisolfi climbing it the day before and then Stefano Carnati and Luca Bana told me the beta."

Emilie Pellerin, who previously has done an 8b trad, reports on Insta that she has done La Zébrée 8b+ trad in Val-David. (c) Witek Slusarczyk

”It took me 5 days this year plus maybe 3 attempts through the years. I was super close to sending it a month ago when I left to Squamish (for a guide's course), but failed by the bottom 1.5 meters (just barely didn't do it from the start). I had it in mind the whole time I was out there, and came back here for the send. This was my first attempt since I came back. I aid up to try to dry it (with not much success), tried none of the moves. Then decided to give it a go it even though it seemed impossible to climb it in these conditions. And I did it! There were sponges and rugs blocking some of my hand holds, I slid off foot holds and hand holds, it was very aquatic. As for the gear, I placed all the gear on the way up. I stepped in the route to place the first piece, which is the one that guys place from the ground.”