Italian climber Elias Iagnemma has made the first repeat of Pilgrim, Christian Core’s boulder at Rifugio Barbara in Val Pellice. Core put it up at the start of the millennium and suggested 8B. After eight sessions, Iagnemma proposes 8C — which would make it one of the world’s earliest 8Cs (Fred Nicole’s Dreamtime was freed in November 2000).

He first tried it almost casually, for cooler training. After the first session the line looked different: “Session after session I kept wondering why it felt so hard.” Fresh from Rocklands and in good conditions, he finally sent. He suggests the upgrade because Pilgrim felt harder than other 8Bs he has done — and he notes that grades stay subjective and should not define the whole experience.

Iagnemma is among the world’s top boulderers (Burden of Dreams, The Big Slamm, Exodia). Pilgrim pin on climbing.place coming with verified coords.

Photo: Elias Iagnemma archive.

Sources: Planetmountain, Gripped, Up-Climbing, Instagram @elias_iagnemma (2026).