This week, IFSC did send out personal invitations to 20 male and female for the Toulouse Olympic qualification event. A couple of days later they sent out information in regards last-minute selection rule changes, meaning that some who received the invitations have understood that they are not welcome any longer. In the original selection rule, there was a max country quota of two athletes but this rule has now been deleted. In practice, this means that Japan can send five males and climbers like Jernej Kruder and Alexey Rubtsov, etc seem to be out. Also some female who got an invitation assume they are out. It should be mentioned that both Kruder and Rubtsov did choose to not participate in the last event in Japan as they already had secured their Toulouse spot based on the original rule. If Rubtsov, who was #18 the week before in Xiamen, would have been possibly #32 in Inzai, he would have secured a spot also with the new selection rules.

Fanatic Climbing reports that Cedric Lachat has done the 27th ascent of La Rambla 9a+ in Siurana. The 35-year-old, who previously has done four 9a+', was one of the best Lead competition climbers during 00'-is when he also got a silver in a Boulder WC. (c) l’Algérien "I tried a long time ago, it was an old nemesis. The first it was after I did “La reina mora” (2015). Then I tried 2 years ago but the conditions were hot. Last year I invested some time on it, during 2 months and 5 there and go from Grenoble…and I finished with a pulley damaged. I did only 10 tries and I was falling 8 times at the crux at the end, at this deadpoint move to the two-finger pocket left hand. This year I tried Andrada’s beta at the crux, instead of holding the vertical crimp right hand to the two-finger pocket with the left hand undercling, I hold this one going to a gaston-sloper right hand and then to the two-finger pocket left hand. It’s harder physically but it’s less random."

Zach Galla, the US Combined Champion who did most of the WC's until Hachioji where he was #31 in Bouldering, has done two 8B+'; Echale in Clear Creek Canyon and Mirror Reality in RMNP. "Sick one! Fell on the jump almost every try for the first two days. Hooked it up minutes before the snow melted all over the crux holds today!" Michael Rosato

Seb Bouin reports on Insta that he has done Jorge Diaz-Rullo's Patanics in Rodellar suggesting a down grade to 9a+. "For me it feels closer to 9a/+. Yet the route is 100% my style, that's why my opinion is to propose a downgrade to a 9a+." (c) Julia Cassou Ten days ago he also did the FA of Detectives giving it 9a. ”The King Line of Rodellar in this Grade. Bolted by Chris Sharma and Dani Andrada. Seb's trip to Rodellar started with a broken car. Then the rain come and later he had to go to emergency to remove a metal piece from a quick draw from his eye. "Nothing will perturb a climbing trip !" The French is #2 in the ranking game after Jorge.

Climbing at sector Comic Tree, Kalymnos from Climb Kalymnos on Vimeo.

Clément Lechaptois has had a great month doing two 8B+'s in Colorado and his second 8C, Foundations Edge in Fionnay which was opened by Dave Graham in 2013. "It's a huge overhang of perfect granite. The hard part consists of 10 intense movements on edges and delicate feet deplacements. I started to try FE last fall and thought I was close to do it because I was able to do the hands moves pretty well but it was actually the feet moves that gave me the more troubles. I had a busy year at university so I couldn't come back there at that time. Just coming back in pretty good shape from Colorado, I needed two more sessions to climb this incredible boulder. Respect to Dave for the FA."

Martin Urrutia skips 8c+ and does his first 9a, Psikoterapia in Valdegobia. This year the 19-year-old Spaniard got his first senior podium. "The route is in a place where I usually climb frequently. It is a place where I do well. I like that stile so I decided that it would be a nice challenge because it has only three previous ascents. I started trying the route at the beginning of September, but I broke an edge of the route and I was not able to climb regularly afterwards. I had to wait until it was fixed. Finally I have been practicing and trying it for 2 months and 16 attempts. I have enjoyed the route a lot. I was progressing in each attempt and it felt very well psychologically."