Exactly two years to the day after his ascent of "Burden of Dreams," Simon Lorenzi has now ticked his fifth 9A route, "Shaolin." The Belgian shares the title with Will Bosi as the boulderer with the most lines in the highest currently confirmed grade.
What a highlight to end 2025: With »Shaolin“(9A) in First Creek Canyon could Simon Lorenzi On December 27th, he achieved his fifth 9A ascent. The 28-year-old Belgian became only the fourth person to climb the boulder problem by Sean bailey, who achieved the first ascent in spring 2024. In 2025, Noah Wheeler and Zach Galla also repeated "Shaolin".
Simon Lorenzi: two 9As in 2025
With "Shaolin," Lorenzi further expands his portfolio as one of the world's strongest boulderers. From 2021 to 2023, he completed a 9A every year – starting with the first ascent of "Soudain Seul« in Fontainebleau, about the third ascent of »Burden of Dreams« in Lappnor and finally with Shawn Raboutous »alphanes« in Chironico.
Although a 9A ascent eluded him in 2024, he made up for it twice in 2025. In the spring, Simon Lorenzi ticked "Return of the Sleepwalker" in Nevada's Red Rocks, and shortly before the end of the year, he also sent "Shaolin." The 28-year-old had already attempted Sean Bailey's line earlier in the spring, before finally securing a top-level climber (including...) Mejdi Schalck and Jules Marchaland) to return again. After several sessions, Lorenzi finally succeeded in sending the power test piece "Shaolin", which is known for its dynamic crux move into a left crimp.
No drama, just a smooth process. I've never experienced such good mental focus before.
Simon Lorenzi
These are the climbers with the most 9A boulder problems.
His ascent of "Shaolin" makes Simon Lorenzi the second climber in the world to have a total of five 9As on his tick list. He shares this place with the Scottish crimp master. Will Bosi – though not with identical ascents. Both have repeated "Burden of Dreams," "Alphane," and "Return of the Sleepwalker." While Lorenzi managed to send "Soudain Seul" and "Shaolin," Will Bosi added two more 9A ascents in England. There, he climbed Aidan Roberts' "Spots of Time" and made his own 9A first ascent, "Realm of Tor'ment."
What makes the current outdoor ranking particularly exciting is a very special ascent from last year: In December, the Italian and 9A boulderer Elias Iagnemma reported perhaps the world's first 9A+ Whether "Exodia" in Val Pellice (Piedmont, Italy) will remain at this new grade in the long term is currently unclear. Anyone attempting the first repeat of the line should allow plenty of time – Iagnemma himself invested 211 sessions in his mega-project. Worldwide, more than 20 climbers have now repeated at least one line at the confirmed grade of 9A.
That might interest you
- Fourth 9A boulder for Simon Lorenzi | Return of the Sleepwalker
- Simon Lorenzi and the story behind Soudain Seul (9A) | Video
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Credits cover photo: Yulen Calleja Ordiz