Carole Palmier climbed intensively as a teenager but then studying to become a midwife took over. During the last five years she has been combining her exciting work with her climbing life, without having any sponsor although she has done 8c's and an 8c+. (c) Isabelle Bihr - I climb twice a week during working periods, and I try to take 2 months of for holidays each year to travel an climb. I would like to take more holidays next year. I don't train, I have a lot of progress to do to improve my climbing lifestyle. I like enjoying life without thinking only "performance". I feel strong when I manage to fight in routes I'm trying. The best way to train for me is to give the best every time I go climbing and it works! My future plan and ambition is to spend more time climbing! I would like to pass my limits, and see what I can do if I only climb and train my weaks points. My climber's dream is to be in my best level in all climbing styles including; cracks, multi-pitch, Frankenjura style, boulder.

Janja Garnbret has just taken her first World Cup victory by winning all rounds in Chamonix including cruising the final shaking her way to the top. Last year, she was 2 - 2 - 3 in her debut season. Also Anak Verhoeven had a big margin in the final but she was beaten on countback. 1. Janja Garnbret SLO Top 2. Anak Verhoeven BEL Top 3. Jain Kim KOR 49+ 4. Magdalena Röck AUT 43+ 5. Yuja Kobayashi JPN 33+ Complete results

Ramon Julian Puigblanque started to compete in the World Cup competitions in 2001 and last year he won the opening event in Chamonix. Among the male, he is totally superior and there are five female following him in the overall rankings. The female #1, Muriel Sarkany competed between 1992 and 2010 and one reason why she has got less points compared to Ramonet is that there were less events per year during the 90s. On Monday, the Lead World Cup 2016 starts in Chamonix. 1. Ramon J Puigblanque ESP 6 740 points 2. Muriel Sarkany BEL 5 890 3. Mina Markovic SLO 5 414 4. Angela Eiter AUT 5 009 5. Maja Vidmar SLO 4 899 6. Jain Kim KOR 4 702 7. Jakob Schubert 4 018 8. Tomas Mrazek CZE 3 875

In 2000, Ethan got the silver in the Youth World Championship; his best result out of seven Lead and Boulder WC's is #16. On rock he has done a handful of 9a's and Biographie 9a+ in 2007, when he was the #1 in the 8a Combined ranking game thanks to three 8B+ Boulders he also climbed that year. Here you can find a 20 minutes docummentary from Ethan Pringle's Jumbo Love 9b story.

Do you agree with the 8a ranking? Who has the chance to be the upcoming star? The Lead World Cup starts on the 11th July in Chamonix. Six events out of seven take place in Europe and one in China. 1. Janja Garnbret SLO - Gauthier Supper FRA 2. Mina Markovic - Jakob Schubert AUT 3. Jessica Pilz AUT - Romain Desgranges FRA 4. Jain Kim KOR - Ramon Puigblanque ESP 5. Anak Verhoeven BEL - Domen Skofic SLO

R&I reports that Ashima Shiraishi took a 15 meter ground fall in a gym in Georgia when preparing for the Youth Nationals. She was being belayed by her father who has been belaying her for several years. "he accidently clasped down on the Grigri 2’s brake release lever that he was using to belay Ashima, which caused her to drop 45-feet to the padded floor." Luckily and due to the padded floor and the friction in the Grigri, she has been up an walking after the incident and hopes to compete in the championships. Ashima has, measured by the Routes and Boulders that she has done, been the best female rock climber in the world since she was 13 years old. Links to an article about general safety and Grigri safety article, both from 8a.

Charity Bouldern 8B | Silvretta | Austria from 45degrees on Vimeo.

Paul Robinson, one of the exploring guys, who has put up most hard core Boulders, has done his fifth 8C FA, The Dragon's Guardian in Cederberg after two years of projecting. (c) Jacques Vanzyl - After, a big storm, I woke up to perfect conditions. I marched up the hill and straight to this roof. After a short warm up and a quick refresher on some of the moves, I took a few deep breaths, chalked up, and sent the line that I once thought could never be climbed! The process of it all really was just as amazing as standing atop of what I am now naming, "The Dragon's Guardian, 8C/V15. Full story on his FB.