Pierre Shankland, who did his first two 9a’s last year, has done Sever The Wicked Hand (9a) in Frankenjura. (c) Pierre Minaret

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
I first came to try Sever the Wicked Hand last November, but the conditions were absolutely horrible. It rained for ten days straight and was freezing cold. I still managed to try the route a few times, falling on the chain of Battle Cat (8c) (which shares the same ending) because the final crack was completely wet.

I came back last month for a short trip and got on it again with Sven Lempereur. We both put in some good tries, falling a few times in the long endurance section at the very end. Yesterday was my first session of my third trip, and I sent it first go ! I felt way stronger on the middle crux (a fingery 7c+/8a boulder problem) and fought all the way to the anchor.

Super happy with this send! The route is probably in the low 9a range, or hard 8c+. The trip isn’t over yet, I’m planning to try the right exit Style boys (9a) as well as Action Directe (9a) with Ludo Delmotte.

Matthew Mendes, who two weeks ago flashed Dandelion Mind (8B/+), has repeated Will Bosi’s Trance (8C) in Peak District.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
The process on Trance was much shorter than I was expecting only taking 3 sessions after sending Bewilderness (8B+) . Though, in these sessions I had very little attempts due to issues with skin and some holds being wet. In the end I only had a total of about 5 send attempts on the boulder before I ended up sending. I also got very unlucky on an earlier attempt falling on the last move due to tape sliding off my finger tip.

Victor Guillermin, who last year won the gold in the European Youth Championship, has sent Era Vella (9a) in Margalef on his second attempt, giving it a personal 8c+ grade. Until 2018 it was the most repeated 9a in the world but then it lost it’s popularity possibly due to being downgraded. Later a foothold broke which made it a popular 9a again.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
It was my first time in the Catedral sector, and I went there with a friend with the goal of flashing Era Vella. Unfortunately, I hadn’t prepared enough. I had only watched a few videos (which weren’t complete), so it was quite hard to understand the holds and the moves, especially since there are many different betas on this route. My friend tried to explain the moves to me, but we climb very differently, so I couldn’t really use her beta, especially with my fat fingers.

I gave it a flash attempt, but climbed the beginning quite poorly, making unnecessary moves and hesitating. I definitely should have prepared better. Still, I kept going, knowing that if I reached the jug after the crux, I could get a good rest and then go all in for the upper part. I made it to the crux but fell on the dynamic move to catch the “potato,” already pretty pumped. I should have kept pushing mentally, even in that state!

After that, I checked the rest of the route. An hour later, I felt ready for another go. I knew I could do it on my second try, but I struggled to remember the beta from the ground, every move felt similar, and I had no clear idea where to place my feet. Still, I went all in, and it didn’t feel that hard. I was climbing well and had some margin. There were just a couple of dynamic moves after the crux where I really had to dig deep to stay focused, all the way to the top!

I’m incredibly happy to have climbed such a legendary line by Chris Sharma on my second go. Without a doubt, one of the best routes of the grade! It also shows me that with better preparation, a 9a flash could be possible. Now, focus on the upcoming World Cup season, and then the big goal this fall: Stoking the Fire in Santa Linya, which I was super close to sending!

What are your thoughts behind your 8c+ suggestion?
I think the route suits me well physically because it’s a mix of rest and crux sections. If you’re powerful enough, you can skip quite a few holds. However, having bigger fingers can make it a bit harder. That’s why 8c+ feels accurate, or even 8c+/9a for bigger climbers.

Camilla Bonnell, who did her first 8b at age nine, has sent God's Own Stone (8b+) in Red River Gorge (KY). The 11-year-old had attempted the route on various trips in the past. Just two weeks prior to sending, she had fallen on the first move coming out of the notable crux. "I was so excited to get on God's Own today. We warmed up on the route "Supafly". Then went over to the Gold Coast and got on "God's Own". I tried it for my second attempt, and was able to get through the crux and send it!" (c) Nate Firestorm Foster

Can you tell us more about her climbing background?
[Her father Dan answered our follow up questions]. Camilla originally came from a non-climbing family. So, when she was 4-years-old and asked to go rock climbing, we had to find a local gym (as we do not have access to outdoor climbing near our home). Camilla became more interested in climbing after top-roping for the first time at age 7. Within a couple of months, she was learning to lead and soon after that we decided it would be fun to climb outdoors. That’s when we started making the 7.5 hour weekend drives (one-way) to the Red River Gorge in Kentucky. By age 8 she was climbing 5.12/7b. She had a notable ascent of Ultraperm (5.13d/8b) at age 9. Soon after, we began learning route development under the mentorship of Jared Hancock.

Over the last 2 years Camilla has focused on ticking numerous 5.13s in the Red River Gorge, as well as other sport climbing and bouldering trips. She has dedicated time to route development and making first ascents as well over this time.

When not climbing outdoors, Camilla enjoys competing. She’s had success competing in the USA Climbing Youth Series where she has won a number of championship events, as well as occasional open comps. Outside of climbing, Camilla stays active playing futsal and competing in cross country. She finds rest enjoying a good book!

How does a normal climbing week look like?
A typical week of training, when not traveling, consists of about 4 gym sessions as well as “off-the-wall” training most days. Depending on the time of year, gym sessions might focus on training endurance by running laps on a lead wall, or power on a training board or spray wall. Sessions focused on comp movement are always part of the weekly routine.

Elisa Lauretano, who sent her first 8B in July, has completed Fortunadrago (8B) in Varazze. ”First “hard” block after the injury… It feels like a dream to be back climbing like before! Definitely not the perfect season to do it with over 20 degrees, but in the end it worked. Super happy 😊”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
Last July, due to a silly accident, I almost completely tore my right arm’s biceps. Three months of forced rest were followed by a long rehab, with physiotherapists predicting it would take at least a year to return to my previous level.

Since January, when I finally came back to the rock, the feelings have been surprisingly positive. As the weeks went by, my confidence grew along with the difficulty of the lines I was tackling. That’s how the idea of trying one of the most iconic boulders in Varazze was born: Fortunadrago (8B), a historic line fred by Christian Core. Despite the rising temperatures, I felt good on the moves right from the start. After a couple of sessions working the sequences and figuring out the right beta, I incredibly found myself on top of the boulder. Sending this line felt like a personal vindication and the perfect culmination of my recovery journey.

Was the accident climbing related?
I was swimming behind the SUP, my boyfriend dove from it and its fin hit my arm 🥲

Mattéo Soulé has repeated Wolfgang Gullich’s Action Directe (9a) in Frankenjura. It was put up in 1991 as the first 9a in the world and has been repeated at least 33 times. The 19-year-old has previously done six routes 9a and beyond.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
This route had always made me dream because it is a part of the history of rockclimbing, and i really like the one and two finger pocket. I decided to try it this year with my friend Justin and we came for 2 weeks with this project. Unfortunately he got hurt and couldn’t continue trying with me. At my first climb i did all the movement expect the first that i didn’t try and on the next one i flashed this one. After that i directly put try where i fell halfway the route.

After all the other attempts I was just falling for this random movement. Then I made a hole in my skin at the first movement and I stopped trying it a little and focused on the end. Until sending from the second movement. The next day I put on a cold test because I felt good and I fell again at the same movement. I then put back a test but and I managed to pass the movement that caused me a problem and after that I forced more than I needed but it allowed me to fight and get to the top. It wasn’t my best attempt because I lost my feet several times but I felt super good and relaxed. I was so happy when I got to the top and even now I have trouble realizing.

Luca Bacer, with two 9a’s under his belt, has completed Halupca 1979 (9a) in Osp/Misja Pec. Uncut video on Youtube.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I was feeling in good shape, so a few weeks ago I decided to give this route a more serious go after some sporadic attempts over the past years. Good conditions allowed me to put in some solid tries and send it before summer. It felt easier than the other 9a’s I’ve climbed, but still harder than the 8c+ routes I’ve tried.

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Jana Svecova has sent Drift (8C) in Moravský kras, which is a variation of Tokyo Drift (8C) she made the FA of last month. (c) Lukáš Černý


Can you tell us more about the ascent and the process behind?
So basically, Drift is a boulder established by Adam Ondra in 2017. At the beginning, I thought this boulder wasn’t for me because I couldn’t reach the footholds that everybody uses. Also, there was the project Tokyo Drift that I was really psyched about, so I went straight for that.

Once I finished Tokyo Drift, I wanted to hop on Terranova and slowly get back into projecting it, and that’s exactly what I did. But after that first session on Terranova, when I felt too tired to continue doing some links, I tried the original line, Drift, just out of curiosity. I started to figure out a beta that might work for me, since I couldn’t reach the big foothold that everybody uses, and I found a solution.

At first, it felt very hard, but suddenly it became possible. It was just a matter of getting it into my muscle memory. Once I passed the first crux, I got into a position I knew from Tokyo, and the rest of the boulder was the same.

So it took me a couple more sessions to finish it. ��This one is special for me because it’s an already established boulder, and the grade is approved by other climbers like Will bosi or Jakub Konečný, who is a local climber and did quite a few other 8C’s there.

What is next?
Well ... once I return from Melloblocco, I will get back on Terranova until the conditions are good - see what needs to be improved and once the conditions are too hot I will train for a fall season and hopefully get some good highpoints or send? 👀

Oriane Bertone, the superior World Cup winner last year, has published a video of her sending Gecko (assis) (8B+), with amazing hip flexibility, and Kheops (8B) in Fontainebleau.

”What an incredible morning !! I managed to climb Gecko assis (V14/8B+) on my first attempt of the morning and Khéops right after... just enough time to move to Cuvier Rempart. Two of Font's best lines in one morning. I never would have thought it possible, even though I'd already made good progress on those two boulders.”

Can you tell us more behind the process doing Gecko assis?
The stand already felt incredibly hard when I tried it a few years ago, and I honestly think I wasn’t physically strong enough at the time to really make the movements click.

A few weeks ago, I randomly gave it a try when I came to spot a friend on Les Beaux Quartiers (8A) on the same boulder, and ended up sending the stand in just a few attempts, which was a pretty big surprise. After that, I thought the sit would be a good training goal as well, since it’s quite long, demanding, and physically taxing.

I put two more sessions on it, and sent it yesterday morning on the very first try of the session :))