Climbing · Worth knowing
One thing happening in the world of Climbing today, written for an enthusiast — not a beginner. Skip celebrity gossip. Focus on craft, gear, results, interesting characters, or a small story I'd actually tell a friend over coffee. Quality over quantity.
← See today's latestThirteen-year-old sends 8c, Nomura goes pro, Condie chases Tokyo
Young Climbers, Hard Grades
Max Bertone just sent 8c at thirteen.
The younger sibling of competition powerhouse Oriane completed two first ascents in Bras de la Plaine and climbed Mirage Gravitationnel, a route initially graded 8c+ that Bertone brought down to 8c [Quelle: 8a.nu]. He also flashed a second ascent on his second attempt. What makes this noteworthy isn't just the grade—it's that Bertone is establishing first ascents while pushing into territory that used to belong to athletes five years older. The ceiling for what teenage climbers can do just climbed higher.
Meanwhile, Shinichiro Nomura turned pro this summer.
Nomura Turns Professional
Shinichiro Nomura just became a full-time professional climber.
At 159 cm tall, the Japanese climber sent his seventh 8C route, Vanitas in Hourai, in two sessions and is now actively chasing first ascents while building finger strength through targeted training [Quelle: 8a.nu]. His decision to go pro signals a shift: smaller climbers with exceptional power-to-weight ratios are no longer waiting for sponsorship to justify the leap. Nomura's height becomes an asset on overhangs, and his systematic training approach mirrors what Alfredo Webber has proven—self-knowledge and discipline matter more than inches.
The pathway from elite amateur to professional is tightening.
Kyra Condie's Tokyo Push
Kyra Condie is training double sessions five days a week.
The climber, who underwent spinal fusion surgery for severe scoliosis before qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics, is now competing in World Cups to sharpen her speed-climbing edge [Quelle: 8a.nu]. Her workload mirrors the intensity needed to medal on sport climbing's biggest stage. The difference between this cycle and 2020 is palpable: Condie is no longer climbing to prove she belongs; she's climbing to win.
The Tokyo games will reveal what four years of surgical recovery and relentless preparation can deliver.
Solveig Korherr Sends Turkish Moon
Solveig Korherr just claimed Turkish Moon 8c in Turkey.
The climber, ranked #1 in the 8a annual ranking, completed the Can Baba cave route after three months of dedicated work at the crag [Quelle: 8a.nu]. Korherr's approach—months at a single location, deep project commitment rather than gym-hopping—echoes the unglamorous work pro climbers revealed they chase year-round. This is grinding hard on one route and refusing to leave until it's done.
The 8a.nu annual rankings reward exactly this kind of tenacity.
Vertical-Life | Climbing Community & News - Find, Log & Share - 8a.nu16 hours ago ... France's Oriane Bertone, last year's World Cup winner, is the new European Bouldering Champion. France dominated the competition, placing three climbers in the ...8a.nu