Kasia Pietras has done her first 8A+, I Portici in Osogna which is one of Fred Nicole's classic test pieces and which has been given three stars by all seven 8a entries. "Took me 6 days to complete this one... it was a great experience to project a hard boulder! Super psyched to have completed the boulder! Psyched for more climb- ing in Swiss!! I think it is a super classic boulder in Ticino, another great boulder that Fred Nicole has put up!! I'm super psyched that it's my first of the grade!

Based on close to 1 000 votes, (Favorite climbing clothes brand?), we can see so pretty dramatic changes compared to 2009. 29 % Prana (42 % 2009) 22 % E9 (14 %) 10 % La Sportiva - 07 % Moon (9 %) 07 % Mammut (7 %) 05 % Chillaz (3 %) 04 % Verve (6 %) 16 % Other (Nihil, The North Face and Adidas most mentioned)

Barbara Raudner, who started climbing when she was 28, has done Los Humildes Pa Casa 8b+ in Oliana. Fotocredit: Flo Murnig. More great pictures at Barbara's blog. "Los Humildes Pa Casa is such an amazing route, for me one of the best lines! It has been bolted by Oscar Jiménez as one of the first lines in Oliana and many people call it as „the line of the sector“. If you arrive at the parking and you see the outstanding long tufa line, you just want to try it. My good friend Roger Schäli and me had a great time climbing in Oliana the past few weeks together with so many nice people." What is the secret of your continous progress and what is next? I am always motivated to try hard, to enjoy climbing and to have fun with my friends. I have a lot of new projects in my mind ... in the near future I am psyched to take part at the San Vito Climbing Festival in Sicily in May together with my best friend Daila Ojeda.

Derek Powell who started climbing in 1995 has made a great personal best, being 44 years old, by doing Death Sentence 8c in Jailhouse. He did his first 8a in 1998 and his first 8b+ in 2007. "Thanks to Vian for the countdown(s) and the coin(card) toss. Thanks to Ginny and Noah for the support. Greg, I'll call your 17 kneebars and raise you 13. I'll call your volleyball and raise you a weather balloon."

Mateusz Haladaj has done his ninth 9a, out of which five in Santa Linya, Analogica Natural. "The left extension. Think it changes the original grade, took 5 falls from the last move. One of the best and logical lines in the cave. I think harder and better than Fuck the system!

Florian Schmalzl who has had some great progress the last years has done his first 8C, Zunami in Saalachtal which was set up by B Schwaiger in 2003. Florian (22) started to climb when he was 15 and bouldering when he was 18 years old and it took him ten days over three years to do it.

Mina Leslie-Wujastyk started a crowd funding page two days ago for the GB WC bouldering team as a sponsor had to withdraw. Their target was 8 000 pound and now already 230 backers have raised 9 000 pound. Six backers have paid a total of 1 900 pound for a one hour coaching with either Mina or Shauna Coxsey. As there are many federation and competitors struggling with World Cup finance, this might be the way to go. Last year, Shauna was #4 and Mina #9 in the Bouldering World Cup which starts in less than four weeks in China.