Piotr Schab,#2 in the 8a ranking game, has onsighted Los ultimos vampiros hippies 8c in Margalef."My 5th 8c onsight and I must say it gave in pretty easily! Hard to tell if it was the matter of my shape or just an easy number Anyhow it’s just as satisfying! And what is more, it’s most probably the first on sight of the route!" (c) Mateusz Haładaj Congratulations! What is the next plan and ambition? Thanks! I’m trying Fight or Flight in Oliana and that’s a big goal for the spring. Feeling more than ready to climb a 8c+ onsight which is another goal of 2018. I’ve been in Spain for two weeks now, coming back to Poland 13.03 for 12 days to Rest properly and train a bit at home and then back to Catalonia.

Dani Fuertes has done Quijote Total 8c+ in Alquezar and he goes to #5 in the 8a ranking game. In total, the 37 year old has done 46 routes 8c+ and harder out of which ten the last year meaning he is at his peak. (c) Chus Arranz "It was bolted by Javier Arnaudas “Seta”, a mythical climber from Aragon. It goes across a beautiful buttress in the cave sector. The route is full of amazing boulders."

Based on close to 2 000 voptes, "Other sports/hobbies beside climbing?" and in comparison to a poll in 2010 here is the results: 16 % Hiking (11 % in 2010) 16 % Skiing (19 %) 14 % Running (15 %) 12 % Biking (Not available) 11 % Music (18 %) 09 % Yoga (Not available) 08 % Photo/Video (14 %) 07 % Computer games (9 %) 06 % Other (10 %)

Dave MacLeod, one of the best multi discipline climbers, has done the second ascent of Malcolm Smith's Gutbuster at Dumby from 2010 and here is his report. As always interesting reading Dave's thought about his send that started with some hard tries ten years ago. In September, he separated his shoulder and then he had some sessions in November where he understood he needed to build up his strength. On his second session the last week it was snowing. "On the third try a full on blizzard started while I was on the shakeout. My hands went numb and I fell off Sanction, but even if I hadn’t, the top holds were full of snow and I’d never have made it through. I retreated to the cafe for a brew while the snow raged and then returned and brushed the snow off the holds. But it was getting dark and getting silly." Anyhow, on his "last go" he could not see one foothold in the gloom and without taking off his shoes he started again and made it to the easy slab top out, "crimping the hell out of the damp snowy crimps. Getting off the boulder was even more of a gripper! The descent climb faced directly into the snow and was snow covered slippery death."

jules nicouleau is on sending train in Fontainebleau just before the French Championship this weekend, having done two 8B's and his first two 8B+'; Kheops Assis and Gecko assis. (c) Clément Lechaptois. In 2016, he was #2 in the European Youth Championship and last year he did his first two 8B's How can you explain your recent progress? I'm actually training for outdoor bouldering and for competitions. The french championships is this weekend and I have tried to be in best shape possible. I climb a loot! I'm not following a real preparation. I'm doing a little bit of board session and that's all. I climb on hard boulders and that's training me. Being in shape for the competition also mean that I'm in shape for rock. I hope to be selected for the World Cup and for the World Championship in Innsbruck. With the good conditions in the forest I decided to spend my last week before the comp by taking as much pleasure as I can, hanging out in the forest trying some hard boulders with friends!"

First Turkish 9a? // Mümin Karabas from White Van Media on Vimeo.

Outside Online has published a long portrait with Margo Hayes covering La Rambla 9a+, Biographie 9a+ and the Olympics - The Extraordinary effort of Margo Hayes. “I don’t know what my limit is, and that’s so exciting,” Hayes says. “It’s like you’re chasing this running carrot—it doesn’t stop moving.” The picture by Matty Hong, which received 24 000 likes, is from when she had become the first female to have done 9a+ through La Rambla being 19 years old. In the Youth World Championship in 2016, she got two golds and in 2017, she was #3 in the Combined.