ZlagBoard Contest by La Sportiva // Blokfest 2016, London from Vertical Life on Vimeo.

ZlagBoard Contest by La Sportiva // Sharma Climbing, Barcelona from Vertical Life on Vimeo.

Matty Hong, who has done three 9a's previously, has set a nice personal best and we have got the great picture from Simon Carter. What was the key to step up to 9a+ and what is next? "I've been in Spain for three months now - my post-graduation (University of Colorado, Boulder) climbing trip. I started trying Papichulo about half-way into my trip but also moved around and climbed at other areas. Maybe it wasn't smart to try something so hard at the end of a long trip since it's hard to maintain strength without training inside, so I was doubting myself a bit wether I was strong enough to do it. Now I will return to Colorado and work on editing a film from my trip with Daniel woods & Dave graham. Then hopefully I can make it to Ceuse for a try at Biographié!"

The cold and smelly breath of death, 8B+/8C, Dorotea, Puerto Natales, Patagonia, Chile - One of Latin Americas hardest Boulders from Pirmin Bertle on Vimeo.

Reel Rock Film Tour comes with the amazing news that Ashima Shiraishi has made the first repeat of Dai Koyamada's spectacular Horizon 8C, in Hiei, Japan. The 14-year-old worked on the 30 move long roof problem in December and now she has done it on her third day, which means she is the first female and the youngest climber ever to have reached 8C. Here you can find Dai's comment on his FA including a picture where you see that it is almost a horizontal roof. - "No doubt the Super Project was the hardest problem I’'ve ever done and that probably means it’s a V16 (8C+). However, I’'m not quite sure because I don’t have enough references to compare with. I would be able to fully understand what V15 (8C) is like exactly if I did more than fifty or so of them, but my accomplishments don’t even come close to that." Based on Ashima's Route and Boulder ticklist, she has been the world's best female rock climber since she was 12 years old. Among the male, she is currently in the Top-20 including also having done two 9a's last autumn. How many 14-year-old girls are able to compete with the best male in any sport? (c) Brett Lowell

The Globalist 8B+ by Vadim Timonov from Nikita Closer on Vimeo.