Sorato Anraku, who had already won the first two Boulder World Cups of the season along with one in Lead, claimed another victory in Salt Lake City. ”I’m so happy to win in Salt Lake City. To get three gold medals this year is amazing. I want to win a fourth medal, but I don’t want to think about it. I just want to think about one competition at a time and try to win in Prague.”

Five Japanese climbers made it into the Top 8 final. Tomoa Narasaki being their lowest-ranked placed tenth. In the first two World Cups of 2025, Japan had three athletes finish in the Top 4 and four in the Top 5, respectively. It’s also notable that in 2024, before the new 2025 regulations took effect, Japan was allowed to enter nine male competitors in Salt Lake City.

Pepa Šindel, who sent his first 9a+ in 2022, has completed Modified (9a+) in Frankenjura. ”7th go after Classified. I found my own beta for the last crux with a big move to a crimp right under the anchor. It would be a big shame to not push for this one after sending Classified.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Modified is the harder right-hand variant of Classified (9a) which I sent two weeks ago. It shares the same starting boulder as Hänsel ohne Gretel (8b), then traverses left to join Classified at the third quickdraw. Originally, I thought the grade would be pretty similar, since you're just adding a bit of an endurance intro. But after a few failed attempts, I realized the final section felt much spicier due to the added pump, and I had definitely underestimated the difficulty. It took me one more trip and seven more attempts to get it done. Super happy with this one!

Jernej Kruder has done the first repeat of Pete Whittaker’s 100 meters step trad route Crown Royale (9a) in Jøssingfjord. The 34-year-old Slovenian is among the world’s top all-around climbers, having won the Boulder World Cup in 2018 and the European Championship in 2020. On rock, he has climbed routes up to 9a+, boulders up to 8C, tackled deep water soloing up to 9a+ and completed several challenging multi-pitch routes. Interestingly, his preparation for competitions typically involved climbing outdoors rather than training indoors. (c) Bernardo Gimenez

”When everything goes perfect! Last day before the rain and my flight back home. It was my 3rd day without rest, so the expectations were low. Barley crawled over the first crux, then somehow found a perfect flow. My body was getting extremely tired in 60 meters of overhang, but the wind was cooling me down. I used 16 pieces in 100 meters and it still felt super safe- just a bit of run outs at the top. Hats off to Pete for the vision and effort to make it possible to free!! Great place, hope to return again for more.”

Mao Nakamura, who debuted on the World Cup circuit in 2016, claimed her first-ever podium with a victory at the Boulder World Cup in Salt Lake City. Despite this being her first win, she currently leads the overall standings, having placed fourth in the first two events of the 2025 season. Last year, the 25-year-old finished third overall. ”I can’t believe it. I’ve had many fourth places, and I can’t believe I have a medal. So many people were cheering for me, so I just tried to podium for them. I was just so excited. Thank you everyone.”

Notably, the three athletes behind her all ended with identical scores, with Zelia Avezou taking silver due to winning the semifinals.

Domen Škofic, who the last ten years has completed six 9a+’, has sent Move (9b) in Flatanger. The Slovenian athlete won the overall World Cup in 2016 and retired from IFSC competitions after the 2022 season.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
It’s still hard to put this in to words because the send try I had yesterday felt unreal. Perfect conditions, perfect flow, just everything feel in the right place.

After all the “easier” classics last September I finally decided to try and stick to something harder in the cave. Thanks to sharing energy and beta with Jorge [Diaz-Rullo] I progressed faster than expected and in not more than two weeks after I actually had a decent chance of doing it but my time ran out and I had to go… In a route like this with such a hard boulder on the end you never really know how close you actually are… but that’s why I decided to return and see what happens.

I came by car this time all the way from Slovenia with my girlfriend and I took it easy at the start. It took me few sessions to refresh my memory and get back the proper flow but quite soon after that I started doing good tries and almost every try was a bit better.

What is next?
I can stay until 31st of May, I will take it a bit more chill now but I’m psyched to find myself an even harder project here and return again. … but not just for the projects, I like the life here a lot!

Sungsu Lee, who climbed eight 8C’s and harder boulders last year after retiring from competitions, has sent Burden of Dreams (9A) in Lappnor, twice. He repeated the climb because during his first send, his long T-shirt touched the pad after he had left the ground but before making the first move. He posted a video on Instagram, commenting, ”I know this is technically a dab*…what do you guys think? (c) Henrik Asklöf

”I had a feeling it might be an issue, so I went back two days later and did it again without the shirt. Judging from the comments on my post, some people are already calling it a dab, so I’m glad I redid it. I wanted a clean send for myself too.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I decided to go for Burden and did about 10 sessions on the replica beforehand, which helped me get a pretty good feel for the moves. I actually sent the real Burden on my 9th session, but when I reviewed the footage back at the accommodation, I thought it might cause some controversy. So I went back on my 10th session and sent it again without a T-shirt. I wanted a perfect, clean send.

* A dab typically happens when a boulderer cuts loose and their feet unintentionally touch the pad or a spotter. Even if the touch is minimal and the climber is securely holding a jug, such ascents are considered invalid.

David Fitzgerald, with one 8C+ under his belt, reports on Instagram that he has made the first ascent of Last Line of Defence (8C+) in Yosemite (CA), which adds a low start to The Shield (8A). The 30-year-old started climbing at age 18, and within six months, he had done his first 7C; three years later, in 2016, he did his first 8B+, which was also the year he checked the low start project for the first time. (c) Zoe Canin

"This Winter, after all these years, I finally dug in. Instant obsession. I quickly found myself locking antlers with the crux feature, a pair of narrow, tendonitis-inducing pinches. The two hardest moves are centered around this feature: an intense toe hook release and a spectre-esque move out left. Pull too hard and I’d often end up in a heap on the ground, knuckles gushing. Over the season, I learned to work with the feature and not against it, to move around it and not through it. A timeless Valley lesson.

Back in March, I managed to break through into the stand, only to tragically wet-fire off the topout crimps after a badly-timed downpour. Limped away with a bruised heel/ego, but thankfully nothing worse. It then held its ground for another 6 sessions until I eventually wore it down; the extra fight making it feel all the more memorable. Feels like the most complex section of rock I’ve ever linked and best thing I’ve ever climbed!"

Timo Užnik, who has won five Euro Youth Cups, has flashed Stairway to heaven Level 2 (8B) in Kamniska Bistrica. He got the beta from his big brother, Nicolai Užnik, who flashed it one month ago. Nicolai, who was #5 in the World Championship and did the FA of Mount Doom (9A) in March, has now added a lower start, Stairway to hell (8C).

”(One move intro) first move is the crux and one of the hardest single moves I’ve done! Something between 8C and 8C+, not sure if it‘s enough for the + though. 8C/+ maybe ? Hard to grade since I don‘t have much experience on limestone and it’s always tricky estimating the grade of single moves… time will tell! awesome line. Thanks to Urh and co. for preparing everything!!”

In the video, they make the FA of Airbag (8B+) and Nicolai comments, "Five star line!! Took a while brushing the pretty high topout and figuring out the moves - around 8B+! Fun day + brotherly send train with Timo ;)"

How come you are not doing the World Cups this year?
After last season, I decided that this year I‘m gonna skip a few comps to have time again for outdoor projects and finally be mentally fully ready for the competitions. I will be competing again soon, though, with the World Cup in Prague, Bern and Innsbruck coming up next month!

Michaela Kiersch, who three weeks ago did a pumpy 8c+ route, has sent The Knowing (8B) in Magic Wood.

” It’s not often that I get to stand on top of a DREAM boulder! This boulder is one of the most beautiful, impressive, and striking lines in Magic Wood (and anywhere).

The crux consists of a highly technical heel hook sequence culminating in a big jump leftwards. From here, you have to hold it together on a committing and tall top out with big moves between good crimps.

I spent one session working the moves on a rope, and on the next sesh I warmed up by doing the top a few times (also on a rope) and was able to execute the full line on my first try from the ground! Truly perfect in every way (and ideal because I was not really planning to fall after the crux haha).”

William Bosi, with four 9A’s under his belt, has made the first ascent of the long-standing project Realm of Tor’ment (9A) at Raven Tor. (c) Band of Birds

”I’m incredibly happy and psyched to finally put this project down! This has probably been my longest boulder project to date, taking double-digit sessions and work over a couple of years. The send went perfectly for me. I climbed the bottom section well and just stuck the crux move. I was about as close as I could have been to failing on the last move, too.

The line starts on a perfect left-hand tufa pinch and a right-hand split crimp. From here, you have four steady but very engaged moves that lead to two pockets. This is where the crux sequence starts: a hard bump into a sharp right-hand undercut, then a high-tension foot walk. From here, you do the hardest move, which is a big dynamic left-hand slap to a bad small flat edge. I think this move alone is around a one-move 8B+/V14. Finally, you commit to another big slap up with the right hand to a good flake to finish.

Arriving at a proposed grade has been haunting me on this project ever since I started working on the boulder. Finding an accurate grade on short, punchy boulders is so difficult as the eventual grade is so dependent upon perfect beta and suiting the style and preference of the climber. However, drawing upon my own experience, I can say that it is a step above 8C+ boulders of a similar style and sits as a low-end 9A boulder. However, I welcome the thoughts of other climbers who get on this excellent problem.”