Adam Ondra is well known for climbing faster than all other top climbers. By moving faster, he saves energy and can reach higher. On the other hand, climbing faster means a higher risk for not finding the best beta.

Meanwhile Ondra has adapted to fast climbing also on his hardest routes after like 15 years of training, it is preferable to start practicing on very easy routes as you warm up. This will mean you set a new natural pace which can be used throughout the whole session.

Furthermore, speed will increase the challenge and also easier routes will be more fun to climb. In the end, what we all need is some very fast moves when you are pushing through the last moves of the crux or near the anchor when the tank is running empty.

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Tommy Caldwell put up Kryptonite in the Fortress as the first 9a in USA in 1999. Now Margo Hayes and Paige Claassen have made the first and second female ascent of the 40+ meter endurance route, projecting it down after six and seven days respectively. Margo has previously made the only female ascent of three classical 9a+'; Biographie, La Rambla and Papichulo. For Paige, Kryptonite was her third 9a. Interestingly, Paige says it has become harder due to a hold broken off at the same time Margo says she is unsure if it is 8c+ or 9a, even post-break. Source; R & I

Illya Bakhmet-Smolenskyi, who did the FA of Shades of Grey 8c+ in Geyik bayiri last month, shown in the video, has done Devers Royal 8c+ or 9a. "Originally, the line was an 8c, after a couple of years a huge jug was torn out from the first crux and it turned to be 8c+, and then some crimps throughout the whole route were also broken. I would say it's a 9a, but since the huge rest cave from Ikarus is open, it's more likely an 8c+. For sure the hardest route in Geyik. Waited two months for the "cold" conditions in summer."

IFSC have presented a scheduel for an adapted World Cup 2020 without scoring overall points.

Briançon (FRA) from August 21 to 22: Lead
Salt Lake City (USA) from September 11 to 13: Boulder and Speed
Seoul (KOR) from October 7 to 11: Boulder, Lead and Speed DATES TO BE CONFIRMED
Chongqing (CHN) from October 23 to 25: Boulder and Speed
Wujiang (CHN) from October 30 to November 1: Boulder and Speed
Xiamen (CHN) from December 4 to 6: Lead and Speed

Alex Garriga, who previoulsy has done ten 9a's and one 9a+, seems to be back in great shape after the lockdown having done Circo Ibérico 9a/+ in Cuenca. (c) Mario Martinez Munoz

The 22-year-old reports also on his Insta that he has done two 8c+/9a FA's in Cuenca; Copadrina and Marillion where the latter goes through a 20 meter roof forcing him to do many one-arm pull-ups, as shown in the video.
How can you explain being in so good shape after the lockdown?

I trained a lot during the quarantine. I was not allowed to leave my home. I built a small climbing wall and a crimp board at home and TRX. I trained like seven hours a day and rested only after four days. It was like two months of hard training at home and one month of outdoor bouldering before getting back on the rope.

Michaela Kiersch reports on Insta that she has done Green in the Face 8B in Castle Rocks and in went down during the first session. The 152 cm, who was #18 in her last Boulder WC in 2018, has been one of the leading rock climbers in the world in the last few years in spite of finishing her University studies and now doing doctoral students.

How can you explain being in such peak performance with your hectic life?
Since the gyms have been closed I’ve been climbing outside in the evenings after school and over the weekends. I follow a really detailed schedule with school, climbing, and mental breaks to keep balance in my life. I think that challenging myself academically makes me work harder in the other areas of my life too.