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.

Based on the recent economical crises in Spain and Greece, the both governments have decided to collect Euro 8 daily climbing tax. The good news is that all 8a members will get a free climbing pass at a value of Euro 88 per year. The climbing tax will be collected at airports and at the immigrants desk. If you have not prepaid the tax and there is a control, you will have to pay Euro 100 or go to jail for one day. The controlling organisation, Lirpa Loof, says: "We will mainly work on the crags with the softest gradings as we know here is where most climbers go. We also know that many top climbers use campus board so we have installed them in some prisons near Oliana and on Kalymnos. Anybody who can do 1-4-7 is free to go.