Ryuichi Murai has done his sixth 8C in the last 12 months and the seventh ascent of Asagimadara in Mizugaki. The 167 cm tall Japanese is the new 8a ranking leader. "Finally I managed to climb "Asagimadara 8C" put up by Tokio Muroi for three days. Yesterday, I tried it for the first time in one year. I could remember my moves soon because Mizugaki is the best season now. I had attempted to deal with crux move (4th hold) by campusing so far. But I couldn't the move. Eventually, I could resolve by leaving right heel on start hold. Actually I wrote this move off by reason of short reach, when I touched Asagimadara at first. So I felt more surprised than happy!!

Straight 8's • Two Welsh Boulders from Eliot Stephens on Vimeo.

Magnus Midtbø has done Thor's Hammer 9a (+) after some 15 days of work on the 55 metre long upside-down monster in Flatanger. Magnus bolted it in 2011 and then Adam Ondra got the 9a+ FA. Later an easier sequence was found and Magnus has decided to say it is a very hard 9a like Ondra and Seb Bouin. (c) Matthew Moore McMahon "I went to Flatanger two times this summer for working on it. This trip I did it already on the fourth day. I still had the moves dialed from the summer and the friction was much better. This winter I plan to travel to Spain several times. We are just about to open a new climbing center in Oslo and that will take some time. What about competitions and the Olympics? No plan but most probably I will compete some more but just not now. Olympics within four years is absolutely one alternative. Even if I am not a fan of the format I think it is a good start.

Jernej Kruder, one of the best all-rounders with his activity ranging from Bouldering comps to multi-pitches, comes with great news on Instagram. © Kerstin Helbach "Baam! Yesterday I stucked the dyno once again :) but this time decided to finish in direct finish named Pontax 8c. @chris_sharma opened this line a year before he sent Es pontas, so it must be a second ascent after 11 years. Luckily I feel more comfortable on dyno now, so I started working on original line. Together with @janhojer we're getting higher now and I think we have equal chances of success. So there is no battle for second ascent, cuz after 10 years, few days wouldn't make any difference. Let's hope the waves calm down and we can be back in the game.

Fanatic Climbing has got some comments from Alex Megos after his FA of Supercrackinette 9a+ in St Leger. "It took me 3 days and I think it's 9a+. About the sends in the East face, I did l'Enfumette but I think it's 8c+ (originally graded 9a by the man who did the first ascent Kevin Aglaé). Took me 4 tries. I did as well too "Concept Extension", 8c+."

Dave Graham, one of the leading climbers of the last 15 years, reports on Instagram that he has done an unexpected FA of Topaz 8C in RMPN/Wild Basin. The first 8C FA by Dave Graham was The Story of 2 Worlds, which has become one of the most famous Boulders in the world. "This boulder is somehow long-winded; it begins with some strange technical footwork and a tedious set up for a punchy frontal divisive move to a pinch, the gateway to the last precarious sequence of foot moves and hand shifts and mini bumps. I had no clue I would end up on the top the try I actually climbed it, in a really rare rock climbing moment, tension and nerves through the final sequemce were toned down as each move I completed, I genuinely thought I was falling and about to slip off every move of the final sequence. AMAZING."

Fred Nicole, the leading boulderer some 20 years ago, has put up Chakija in Rocklands saying it is between 8B and 8C. Here his full story from Instagram. "What a crazy week! The last climbing day in the #Rocklands I managed to climb this line on the beautiful orange wall just left of "Stalker" - I was looking at it more closely since my last visit there in May. It is a beautiful orange wall with quite a few strange moves, that took me a while to figure out. I named it "Chakijana", a Zulu storyteller tells it is a meercat, others a hero of their culture... I just liked the sound of it. As for the grade it is difficult to say as I can imagine it sticks better with really cold conditions; it should be around 8b/c - time will tell! In the meantime I was back in Switzerland for a few days and I am now in China! I hope for a great winter bouldering season when I get back to Zurich!"

Laura Rogora has made her first 8b+ flash, Grazie in La Fortezza. "After the warm up the idea was to try the moves of this 8b+, but when I did the first hard move I decided to try it flash. Thanks to Enrico's beta, and after a hard battle I was able to reach the chain. I was so happy!" The picture, taken by (c) Pietro Migliorati, is from the 9a project, Tomorrow Land in Collepardo. The 15-year-old has previously done one 9a and she is also the reigning Italian Champion in both Lead and Boulder. She is #1 in the 8a female ranking game as well.