Jules Marchaland becomes second climber to flash Font 8C
- Tuesday 26th August 2025
Jules Marchaland has successfully flashed Power of Now Direct (Font 8C), a line opened by Simon Lorenzi in July 2022. This direct variation of Power of Now (Font 8B+), originally established by Giuliano Cameroni in 2020, has quickly become one of the benchmark boulders of Magic Wood.
With this ascent, the 24 year old, originally from Saint Jeannet (France), joins an extremely exclusive circle: he becomes only the second climber in the world to flash a V15 (Font 8C) boulder, following German climber Yannick Flohé, who a few weeks ago made history with the world’s first Font 8C flash on Foundation’s Edge (Fionnay, Switzerland).
Flashing a problem of this high standard requires perfect route reading, intuition, and absolute mastery. This achievement was made possible thanks to the strong connection between Jules and Simon. Indeed, this success takes on an even deeper meaning as it is part of a shared journey: Jules Marchaland and Simon Lorenzi, close friends, have spent the past several weeks exploring Switzerland’s legendary boulders together. This companionship, rooted in motivation and sharing, illustrates the spirit of the climbing community, where friendship and knowledge transfer play a central role in pushing the limits of performance.
After the flash of Power of Now Direct, Simon Lorenzi said, “It was truly incredible to experience this with my friend and to support him in such a performance. I know him well; I’ve climbed a lot with him, so I wasn’t surprised. I estimated his chances at 70–80%. This is already a world-class achievement, and yet, I know he’s capable of even more.”
Jules Marchaland commented on his flash, “When I came here, I felt this boulder was made for me. From the start, I had it in my sights, almost like an obsession. After long weeks of waiting for the right conditions, I finally decided to go for the flash. It was intimidating to prepare; no second chance, I had to give everything. I climbed exactly as I wanted to – every move was precise, in a perfect state of flow. When I topped out, I got that unique shiver! I still can’t fully believe it.”
With this achievement, Jules Marchaland confirms his status as a world-class climber and carves his name into the history of the sport.