10 Bouldering Highlights of 2023
Here's a collection of just some of the most inspiring and memorable bouldering sends of the year
It was a memorable year of big sends in the world of bouldering, from hard repeats to cutting-edge first ascents. The world’s first V17 was repeated and several other potentially harder projects were started.
Below is a list of 10 ascents in no particular order that were not only meaningful to the climbers but that have gone on to inspire others.
Burden of Dreams repeated: After six years with no repetition, U.K. climber Will Bosi made the second ascent of Burden of Dreams, the world’s first V17. Read more here. It got a third ascent late in the year by Simon Lorenzi – read more here.
Jacob Schubert climbs V17: Jakob Schubert finishes 2023 with the fifth ascent of Alphane V17. Already this year, Schubert made the first ascent of Big 5.15d and qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Read more here.
Jana Švecová gets V15 FA: Jana Švecová made the first ascent of Nova V14 in June, which is a link-up of two problems Sedni si na kosts and Terranova in Moravian Karst, Czech Republic. She graded it V14 but Will Bosi later upgraded it to V15. Read more here. Read more here.
Box Therapy repeats: Katie Lamb made the second ascent of Box Therapy this summer, a problem first climbed by Daniel Woods at V16. Brooke and her brother Shawn Raboutou also repeated it and suggested V15. Woods agreed with the V15 re-grade and changed his entry on 8a.nu. Read more here.
A barefoot V17 FA: Charles Albert made the first ascent of his long-term project L’Ombre du Voyageur in Salève, France. He proposed a grade of V17. In his typical style, Albert climbed the problem without shoes or knee pads, a choice that appears to have made the problem more difficult. Read more here and watch his project the roof below.
Katie Lamb crushing: Katie Lamb had a stellar year with several hard repeats during visits to Canada, Japan and around the U.S.A. Her four hardest sends of the year include Dead Lift V14, Spectre V14, Decided V14 and Box Therapy – which she gave a personal grade of V16.
Drew Ruana on fire: This spring, Drew Ruana climbed his 10th V16 with Howl at the Moon in Colorado. To put that in perspective, Daniel Woods has climbed seven V16 problems and one V17. Read more here.
Siara Fabrri’s second V14: In September, Siara Fabbri added another hard Swiss boulder to her tick list with Compass North V14 in Fionnay. Her first V14 was the ultra-classic New Base Line in Magic Wood in 2022. Originally from the U.S., Fabbri now works as an antimatter researcher for CERN in Geneva. Read more here.
Adam Ondra’s grit flash: During a visit to the U.K., Adam Ondra made the first flash of The Ace V13, established by Jerry Moffatt in 2001. His ascent was also the first-ever flash of a V13 gritstone boulder. Ondra said, “Freak moment! Executed just perfectly!” He thanked Moffatt for being on hand for the session.
Floatin is repeated: Florian Wientjes made the second ascent of the technical and steep Floatin V16, which was first climbed by Ryuchi Murai in Mitzugaki, Japan, in 2021. Ryohei Kameyama then made the third ascent.
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