Yoshiyuki Ogata, currently #8 in the Boulder WC, has set a new Japanese Speed record at 6.37. A total of five other potential non-Speed specialists did take part in the comp in Tokyo where Tomoa Narasaki was second fastest at 6.75. Complete results Due to the multiplication format in Tokyo, the person who wins any discipline is almost automatically Top-5. The fastest time ever by a non-Speed specialist is 6.34 by Mickael Mawem and third is Tomoa Narasaki with 6.69.

Marcel Rémy, born in 1926, has done the first pitch of Les Guêpes in St-Loup which his sons Yves and Claude put upin 1974. The second and finishing pitch is 6a and as he could not do it, it has become his project which he trains for. (c) Claude Remy, who together with his brother Yves have bolted some 15 000 routes. Two years ago, Marcel did Miroir de l'Argentine, 450 m high, 12 pitches, 5b+. He came down flying a dual-parapente. Video in French.

Walden 8B+/8C and Underclass Poem 8B+ at the Cousimbert, Fribourg (CH) from Pirmin Bertle on Vimeo.

Piotr Schab, who just did his first 9b, has done his eight 9a+, Pachamama in Oliana in just eight tries. "Probably the best sequence of moves I've done in past couple of years." (c) Marcin Szymkowski The Pole is #2 in the 8a ranking game after Adam Ondra which he has been for almost two straight years.

Carlo Traversi has done the first repeat of Jimmy Webb's The Outer Limits 8C in Donner summits, in six sessions. "5 star line, great movement. Broke one of the crimps that Jimmy used, so had to adapt the sequence a bit. Maybe the hardest boulder I've climbed?" Carlo has now done seven 8C's and in the Combined ranking, including having done the second ascents of the trad 8C+ Meltdown, he is #16.

Martin Keller has published a a nice passionate blog about his FA of Ninja Skills SDS 8C/+ in Sobrio. It took his some 150 sessions including many during the night. It should be noted that in 2012, Martin put up Der mit dem Fels tanzt after some 100 sessions. In 2016, he did the FA of Highlander 8C (B+) after 13 years of projecting. Further more, last week Martin did the Story of Two Worlds Low 8C which he used as a training preparation.

Ema Seliskar, who previoulsy has done five 8b+', has done her first 8c+, Beautiful pain in Kotecnic. "It was really beautiful and painful - especially after falling from the last move in previous attempt. I tried this rout for the first time I think this was like one month ago and than it took something around 10 sessions to climb it. Now, I just want to climb a lot of 8a's and when we will go to Spain this autumn I also want to try something harder."

Matt Fultz, who just got married, is having a great peak being 27 years old. Yesterday he did his second 8C Bridge of Ashes in RMNP, just two weeks after he did his first. In the meantime the late bloomer also did the FA of Kenny Loggins 8B+ in St Vrain, meaning he has done 23 8B+. Including also 67 8B's, he has a solid pyramid for building upwards. In the 8a ranking game, he is #6 but continuing the peak and with an upcoming trip to Switzerland, for the 183 cm powerhouse at 78 kilos, he just might soon be in the Top-3. Videos on his Insta.

Caroline Sinno, who previously has done three of the hardest traverses in Fontainbleau, has done one more La Valse aux Adieux. "Super short and intense trav (shorter than long boulder problems). I would grade it 8A+ boulder. Nicest holds ever and one of the prettiest trav here." (c) Lucien Martinez In Font, traverses normally get a traverse grade which is in between boulder and route grades. Caroline suggested 8B as the traverse grade in order to respect the history in Font. 8a has previously said that traverse grading might be confusing because it is hard to understand when a climb by definition is a traverse or not. Outside Font, traverse grading is not so often used andbecause of that we always add the estimated boulder grade to the news. There is an 8C (trav graded ) extension to La Valse aux Adieux. "I am very close in the extension, hopefully I can try again Monday! The 8c trav extension is a bit longer and could be around 8B/+ boulder. Trav grades are confusing and not relevant."

Climb Greece reports that Yann "Diego" Ghesquiers has done the first repeat of Gerome Pouvreau's Halva Power Ext 8c+ in Kyparissi. (c) Isabelle Bihr The 48 year old mountain guide, who has previously done four 9a FAs, the last one two years ago, is one of the guys bolting new routes for the upcoming Kyparissi festival. All the hard core routes in Babala has been bolted by Diego, who also works as a helicopter rescuer.