Nolwen Berthier and Eva Hammelmüller have climbed Marcellus Wallace (8c) in Briançon. Nolwen has previously sent one 9a+ and Eva has done 13 routes 8c+ or 9a. (c) Fred DG

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Berthier: For a while, I had this line filed under “out of reach” — literally and figuratively. But this summer, no more long routes on nice crimps. It’s time to become a real woman and switch to Brutal Sector.

Crazy but true, after some creative beta, I managed to send the cruxy section… only to fall on the so-called “easy but reachy” part. Luckily, the good vibes at the crag (and precise footwork — see the picture) did their job, and a few tries later, I clipped the chains. Stoked to tick this one — and maybe even open the female count on it too.

Hammelmüller did the second female ascent one week later. ”5 tries this year, but tried it the year before - cool, dynamic moves with an amazing crux move including a difficult heel hook!”

Maël Musson, who two years ago, at age 17, did his first 9a, has sent Valhalla (9a) in Flatanger, in just six sessions. (c) Christelle Lafont

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Valhalla is a 70-metre route through the Flatanger cave. It consists of two parts. An approach of around 35m: Odin's eye a classic 8c+ in the cave. Then comes a second part worth around 8c or 8c+ according to previous climbers to have done the route (more like 8c in my opinion). My aim was to do two routes on this trip: Valhalla and Thor's Hammer, another 9a After checking both, I knew that Valhalla suited me perfectly and that I could hope to do it quickly. So I concentrated mainly on Valhalla to start.

I tried the second part first, as I'd done a few try on the first last year and knew it wouldn't give me too much trouble. During my first two sessions I found some great betas that enabled me to do the cruxes of the second part without forcing myself too much. Now I had to wedge the first part so I could try it from the ground. In 4 attempts, I managed to pass the 8c+ approach. All I had to do was fight my way to the end. And two sessions later I put in this incredible try where everything went perfectly. I did the route still feeling good, still feeling in control. It was a really incredible feeling! I didn't think I could do this route in just 6 days, so I'm really happy. The good thing is that now I still have plenty of time to hope to make Thor's Hammer!

Laura Rogora has set a new female standard by onsighting Ultimate Sacrifice (8c+) in Gorges du Loup. And as a side note, the Italian also did her fourth 9a during the last three days, Trip tik tonik (9a), on her third go.

Including three previous 8c onsights, the 24-year-old is a contender having the third best onsight track record after Adam Ondra and Alex Megos.

Pietro Vidi, with a dozen 8C and beyond to his name, has repeated Charles Alber’s L’ombre du voyageur (8B+) in Salève. Charles climbed barefoot and suggested 9A meanwhile Pietro used climbing rubber on his shoes, knees and hands, calling it 8B+.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and some thoughts about the grading?
So I went check out the boulder in june to escape the heat and psyched to see how much crack techniques and knee bars were involved, looked like really good crack training! It took me two sessions to found the beta, it’s completely different than both Charles (obviously) and Pete's, but once I found it I just needed a couple of tries to send the boulder.

I basically never tried Charles beta and went with the knees right away, what he climbed definitely looked next level, definitely a 9A performance! Of course with all my gear it was easier, the gloves didn’t really make it easier, they were there just to reduce pain, and I stacked two knee bars on each leg on the last day just because I was bleeding from my knees from all the pressure, it wasn’t really to gain some centimetres.

So about the grade, I think everyone can climb in the style they like and in Charles style this is definitely a 9A performance, but since knee bars and gloves have become the accepted standard in climbing and grading should be about the easiest way to climb a problem, then the grade for me should be 8B+, nothing to take away from the first ascensionist but double grades don’t really work for me. This said Charles is climbing in such a unique style grades maybe don’t event matter for what he’s doing, it’s mind blowing what he can climb no matter the grade.

Radek Votocek, who has done four 9a’s since March, has sent Vakuumgeist (9a) in Drachenwand.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I’m really happy that I managed to finish Vakuumgeist. It’s a route from 1999 by Klem Loskot and it’s harder than the neighbouring route Hantillio which I climbed in May. Both routes share the main boulder, but I had a problem with the high temperatures in June and July — the smooth holds didn’t have good friction. It was stressful for me to keep falling at the end of the route. Next time, I’ll probably choose a route with the crux at the beginning 😀

Laura Rogora, who was runner-up in the last WC, has had three amazing days in Gorges du Loup sending KinematiX (9a), Punt'X (9a) and Just two fix (9a) as well as flashing Hot Chili-X (8c). At just 14, she climbed her first 9a, and in the years since, the 24-year-old has sent more than 40 routes graded 8c+/9a or harder. (c) Alberto della Guida

Can you tell us more about the start of your trip?
I'm currently in Gorges du Loup for a week, taking advantage of the long break before the next competitions. I came here without a specific route in mind, but on the first day, I tried PuntX and Kinematix. I immediately felt good on PuntX, so the next day I decided to focus on it. On my first try of the day, I unexpectedly fell quite high up, mostly due to a few mistakes. On my second try (fifth overall), I managed to send it.

After that, I went back to Kinematix. I felt slightly better on it than the day before, but I was still struggling with a move on the 8b+ exit. After a rest day, I returned and managed to get through the crux of Total Eclatch quite smoothly. I was almost sure I would fall on the exit, but everything went perfectly and I topped it out.

Later, I also flashed Hot Chili X, which my friends were trying and it went quite smoothly. At the end of the day, I tried Just Two Fix. The first pitch has a long move at the end, so I had to figure out an alternative beta, which turned out to be quite hard. The following day, I fell three times at the end of the first pitch, but I managed to optimize the second pitch. On my fourth go of the day (sixth in total), I finally climbed the first pitch and went all the way to the top.

Pepa Šindel, who two weeks ago sent Action Directe (9a), has done Nice freshly baked (9a) in Frankenjura. ”2 days in bad conditions. Very far tricky low percentage move to a good pocket.”

Sera Gearhart, #1 in the female ranking game, has done Fool me Twice (8A+) in Uinta Mountains. ”Work week kicked my ass so we stayed more local than usual, sick one from Matt!”

How has your summer been and how was the ascent?
My summer has been very busy the past month with work. I was hoping to go back to the Colorado alpine to try The Automator (8B) but haven’t made it back. This weekend we tried a boulder our friend Matt put up that’s more local. Cool overhang with obvious holds. It was nice!

Tereza Širůčková, who was 14th and 16th in the two first World Cups in 2025, has done Follow the River (8c) in Krkavka.

Can you tell us more about your climbing summer and the ascent?
After my last comps, I felt completely drained — both mentally and physically. I didn’t feel like myself while climbing. Everything was a fight, and climbing didn’t feel so much fun anymore. I packed up and headed to the rocks. No expectations, just the hope to reconnect with why I love climbing in the first place.

We started off trying to flash some routes at my home crag, but nothing really clicked. The conditions weren’t great, the flow was off, and it just felt… meh. But at least I climbed a few easier routes — twice 8a+, an 8b — and felt nothing but pure joy just being there with that magical piece of rock and climbing. Because of the conditions we spontaneously drove to a different crag next day.

There, I got back on a route I had tried earlier this year: Follow the River. Back then, it felt impossible. The route begins with a short boulder problem around 7C/+, which leads straight into an 8b+ route I already knew. But I couldn’t even do the boulder the first time — the holds are small, require a locked-off position I struggle with, and the key move is a dynamic catch into a micro edge. With my height, it just feel so hard.

The route used to be graded around 8b+/c, but a rest jug before second boulder broke off some time ago, which changed the character a bit. Still, the real difficulty for me was that boulder at the start — it felt totally out of reach.

Conditions weren’t ideal — humid, bad friction. I was on my second climbing day in a row, but in my warm-up I send 8a+. I remember thinking, “Huh, I actually feel decent today…” Still, I didn’t expect what came next.

So when I pulled on this time, with no pressure, no expectations, and kinda tired from the day before, I had zero plans to send. But somehow, I stuck the move that had shut me down — on my very first try. I didn’t quite get the shoulder position for the next move and fell, but after a rest, I sent the entire boulder. I couldn’t believe it. The move that once felt impossible was suddenly mine. I was nervous, especially after the boulder — I knew I could’t fall now. But somehow, I kept it together and clipped the chains. My first 8c. 🥹 [She has done two 8c+’] ⸻ Sometimes the best sends come when you’re not chasing them — just showing up, doing what you love, and letting it surprise you.

What is coming up next?
Now it’s time to rest a bit, recharge, and then jump back into serious training for the World Championships. Maybe even sneak a look at some 9a projects.

In the Lead World Cup, Alberto Ginés López holds a 140-point lead over Satone Yoshida and a 535-point lead over Sorato Anraku heading into the final event in Slovenia this September. If Anraku takes the win, Ginés López must finish at least seventh to clinch the overall title.