Eliot Stephens, with four 8C’s under his belt, has done the First Ascent of Zircon (8C) in Oxwich Bay. ”The crystal project. Several days over a few years, and 4 sessions this year. Some of the smallest crimps I've held, up a slightly overhanging wall. A level up. Onwards to the next local ones.”

Can you tell us more about the FA and the process behind?Found this one tough, even though I’m not sure it’s exactly my style. It’s really basic crimp climbing, small boxes and small moves. But the holds are so bad you only have to get one wrong to mess you up. And a handful of goes holding the crux crimp is enough to end a session. I tried it in 2022 and 2023 but just didn’t make much progress so sacked it off.

It was actually a really nice process, feeling a bit closer each session but just having to stop because of skin. I tried climbing in tape but the holds were just too small. The only negative was after one session I’d have to climb in tape for a week.

Sierra Blair, who previously has sent four 8A+’, has completed The Averager (8A+) in Oak Flats. The 31-year-old retired from the World Cup Circuit in 2019, having finished in the Top 30 in all but seven of 29 events.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
The Averager first came onto my radar in February of 2024 when my friend Zach Levy found the line. We worked it for two sessions and I didn’t have much luck getting anywhere on the boulder, so I decided to keep it in mind for next season. We gave the boulder the working name of “The Revenger”.

I started to properly try it when Oak Flat season began again in November 2024. The first move eluded me but I was making progress on the boulder (I could do all of the remaining moves). Matt Fultz made the trip in January 2025 and grabbed the FA, calling it The Averager. Matt’s FA opened the door for me because now I had proof that the boulder was possible. I finally stuck the first move on my eight working session of the season and snagged the send on my ninth session on the boulder. I could not be more excited to send such a long project and I cannot wait for whatever boulder is next for me.

Mikel Linacisoro has had two amazing days in Santa Linya where he first onsighted Rock fucks (8b+), then flashed La Fabelita (8c) followed by a redpoint of Seleccion natural left exit (9a).

Can you tell us more about those three amazing ticks?
Well, two or three months ago I climbed my first 8b+ onsight while I was visiting my home in the Basque Country. This time, we arrived on saturday to Santa Linya and it was raining, super humid... so after the first try of Seleccion I decided to not try it again. I wanted to rest all the day to be fresh for the next day, but I was too motivated to stay the whole day belaying... Rock Fucks was dry and in good conditions, so I decided to give it a try. I usually struggle a lot with kneebars, but this time I was able to climb quite good and found the good beta between these crazy tuffas and the big overhang. Such a great line too!

La Fabelita is a classic route in Santa Linya. I was belaying a friend the day before, and I was so psyched to try it! So while I was waiting for the shadow to come to Seleccion Natural, I could make a really good try. I climbed everything quite good and I was able to clip the chain of Fabelita. After that, when the shadow come to the main project I was so happy and motivated already.

Seleccion is an amazing king line here in Santa Linya! First day I came here in November I saw the route and I said, ”okay, this will be my next project!” I first tried it for like 5 days, more or less 8 tries. I felt good on the lower boulder problems, but broke my skin many times during the attempts and also fall on the last move like 3 times. This made everything a bit more difficult, but it was a great project until the send.

Dylan Chuat has completed Supercrackinette (9a+) in Saint Léger. ”And bam, the little Supercrack fell!! Followed by a pretty crazy session with two 8cs on the first try and an 8a on sight. Have a lovely day!”

The routes the 24-year-old refers to having done second go are Rêve de poutre (8c) and La tournée du patron (8c).

Can you tell us more about the process behind the ascent?
I had tried this route a bit back in the day, but I wasn’t strong enough and never came back to try it again until now. To send it, I came for two weekends and then two more days this week.

Allison Vest, with 14 boulders 8B and beyond under her belt, has completed The Fish-Eye Effect (8B) in Red Rock (NV). ”Took a lot for me to execute this one. The “big boy boulder” journey continues!” (c) Jon Glassberg Louder Than 11

What do you mean by ”big boy boulder” and how many sessions did it take?
In a similar vein to Booka Booka Booka (8B), Fish Eye suits the 6 foot [180+ cm] tall male climber the best because of its big spanned moves. I’m sort of on a mission to try and use my 6’2 span more and tackle some of the boulders that don’t have female ascents yet, partially because the size of the individual movement on them.

It can be a frustrating time working on these boulders because, while my arms are long, my legs are short haha so I have to find my own beta.

How tall are you?
I am 169 cm and my wingspan is 188 cm. Doing pull ups is so much harder with long levers hahaha.

Eva Hammelmüller, who last weekend sent her second 9a, has done Blanquita (8c+) in Oliana in just two sessions. ”Long moves in the first part on good holds, long moves in the second part on pretty bad holds :D I really enjoyed this route, yet my skin was not so keen at first (checked it out in the sun, though, which was't my best idea in hindsight). Returned two days later without much better skin but without sun as well, was told better beta (thanks so much again!!) and managed to send the route next go! SO PSYCHED.”

Over the last seven climbing days, the 24-year-old, has ticket a total of ten routes 8a+ and beyond including the epic flash of Mon Dieu (8a+) also in Oliana. ”This was CRAZY. Thought I'd be fast enough and didn't need a headlamp, but it turned out the sun was faster than me, and I had to feel rather than climb my way up the last 15 meters. Thanks Felix for guessing pretty well at which move I was and telling me roughly where to go. Big fight and race against the dark!”

How can you best explain being in your very best shape if your life?
This winter, my main goal was to focus on power and finger strength. However, I struggled quite a lot with colds and being sick the past few months, which is why my training quantity was pretty low. Due to this, I had to rest a lot, but maybe that had a positive effect on my max power (not on my endurance though haha). When we started our trip, I felt strong physically, and I was just SO much looking forward to rock climbing. After a few days of getting incredibly pumped, my endurance also came back, and I think the combination of these factors enables me right now to climb some pretty sick lines!

Martina Demmel, who last month adressed that she has been dealing with eating disorder for ten years, has on her second go sent both Rock fucks (8b+) and Rollito Sharma Ext.1 (8c) in Santa Linya. ”Kneebar-beta to make the top less risky;) slowly finding my flow in that style here!” (c) Vera Bakker

Can you tell us more about the trip?
We've got about 2 weeks in total to adapt to the athletic style in the cave because with our national selection comps for the WC's, there wasn't more "free" time. I'm slowly getting the necessary confidence to find my flow in those powerful moves and it's been a sweet reward to send the whole line so quickly while also making good progress in the main projects...

It's also been cool to see that I could do several dynamic & powerful moves now which I couldn't do 3 years ago... I'm pretty sure that it's connected with not giving myself enough energy back then. Such a good feeling to feel stronger now with an higher weight.

Yannick Flohé has repeated Shawn Raboutou’s Story of Three Worlds (8C+) in Cresciano. It is a left stand start, including a possible no-hands rest, to the classical The Dagger (8B+). The 25-year-old has previously done three 8C’s and last year he did his first 9a+ route. (c) Max Raeuber

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I’ve tried Story 3 in 2022 for one session and figured out the crux move pretty fast. somehow I never came back until this year. After new years I tried for two sessions and linked the no hand rest into the dagger a couple of times but the first two moves are the main crux for me. There’s a hidden toehook for readjusting the right hand after the first move but somehow I couldnt figure it out so I came up with another beta. This trip I came back ant sent on the first day. Also warmer conditions made a huge difference for me as I can’t climb in the cold. In the end I didn’t use the nohand rest because I was afraid of slipping and falling onto my head while resting 😅

What are your plans for 2025?
Focus more on lead my main project outdoors is ratstaman and I want to be in shape for the lead worldcups I’ll take a break from bouldering it’s too much of a headache for me but I hope I find my psyche for next years boulder worldcup season. Nevertheless I’ll compete in one or two cups in Europe like Innsbruck or Prag.

In 2019, the German won the bronze in the Boulder World Championship and in 2021, he became the Combined World Champion. The year after, he won the World Cup in Brixen. Last year he was #9 in the Paris Olympics.

Elias Iagnemma, who the last month did the FA of The Big Slamm (9A), reports on Instagram that he has repeated Jimmy Webb’s Ephyra (8C+) in Chironico. (c) Alessandro Rinaldi

The 29-year-old Italian has sent close to 20 boulder problems graded 8C and harder, placing his ticklist among the most impressive in the world.

How do you compare the difficulty of Ephyra and The Big Slamm?
The six hardest moves on The Big Slamm, 35 sessions, is harder or equally hard as the hardest on Ephyra which took me nine sessions.

What is next?
Spots of Time (9A) in England, if the weather is good next week. Otherwise I will go to Chironico and try Vecchio Leone Sit (8C+) or Alphane (9A).

Chris Sharma made the FA of Sleeping Lion (9b) last year. "The route pushed me in many ways. Physically of course but also mentally and emotionally. It’s one thing to feel capable of something but it’s a whole other thing to restructure your life around an objective like that and bring it into reality. It’s definitely more challenging balancing all the elements of life these days but climbing is such a grounding activity for me so it felt really good to make the time for this.

Specifically though the last hard move of the route, move #54 or something…. I fell off there 16 times over three months. So there was a big psychological element in being able to endure that and not lose hope. Very happy it finally clicked."



Chris started making headlines at age 14 when he won the USA nationals in 1996. The next year he won silver at the World Championship and then he won his first-ever Lead World Cup. From 2000 to 2004, he did one Boulder WC per year and his worst result for four straight years was bronze.

Taking a look at everything he has accomplished on rock over the past nearly 30 years is nothing but astounding.
1996 SuperTweak (8c) at age 15
1997 Necessary Evil (8c+) FA
2001 Biographie 9a+ FA
2004 Practice of the Wild (8C) FA
2007 Es Pontas 9a+ DWS FA
2008 Jumbo Love (9b) FA
2013 La Dura dura (9b+)
It should also be mentioned that Chris has done the FA of the five hardest DWS routes in the world! The latest one Vision Quest (9a) three months ago.