Francesco Berardino will boulder 2024C+ for the third time in 8

20-year-old Milanese Francesco Berardino is well on his way to becoming the world's best boulderer. After the second ascent of Celestite (8C+), he repeated REM (8C/8C+) and Return of the Dreamtime (8C/+) within two days.

Bouldering pioneers like Dave Graham, Jimmy Webb and Daniel Woods are still going strong, but a new generation of climbers is catching up in big steps. One of those strong youngsters Francesco Berardino.

^{Francesco Berardino on the second ascent of Celestite (8C+).}

In New Year's week he secured the second ascent of Dave Graham's test piece Celestial (8C+). The third repetition of Giuliano Cameroni's followed on January 15th REM (8C/8C+), and the next day he became the first boulderer to climb Return of the Dreamtime (8C/+) by Yannick Flohé.

Gradual approach to the level of difficulty

The difficulty levels are a bit confusing, says Francesco Berardino after his double success on the Dreamtime block. He usually tries a line for a while and the longer he tries it, the more difficult it seems. “That was the case until Monday, when I suddenly found myself on top of the boulder.”

That's why he's thinking about climbing REM again for the uncut. What is certain for the 20-year-old is that Giuliano Cameroni's line was his most difficult to date. After Paul Robinson, who suggested 8B+, and Sam Weir, who thought 8C/+ was appropriate, Francesco Berardino is the first repeater to rate the boulder at 8C+. So REM is currently somewhere around 8C/8C+.

^{Francesco Berardino in Giuliano Cameroni’s line REM (8C/8C+).}

Francesco Berardino found Yannick Flohé's creation on the Dreamtime block easier than the 8C+ suggested by the first climber. Since the Milanese is the first climber to repeat this line, Return of the Dreamtime currently checks in at around 8C/+.

That might interest you

• Paul Robinson repeats REM (8c+) and suggests 8b+
• 8C+ first ascent in Ticino: Yannick Flohé boulders Return of the Dreamtime

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Credits: Cover picture @luca_consonni