The best rock climbing spots of South Eastern Europe, and The !

Are you planning your next climbing trip and you don’t know where to go? Do you want to experience some of the best climbing in the world, in countries you probably have never been to before? If so, the Rock Climbing Atlases http://www.rockclimbingatlas.com/ are for you! These new travel guides for climbers describe the best climbing areas in the world.

http://www.rockclimbingatlas.com/south_eastern_europe/croatia.html has for instance some of the best crags in along a beautiful coastline. There is a tremendous amount of choice of sport- or trad climbing. But also deep water soloing above the warm is a good option! A lot of climbers have never been to http://www.rockclimbingatlas.com/south_eastern_europe/romania.html which has outstanding climbing and a lot of very hard (well bolted) routes. Don’t be surprised when you see the villagers pass by in horse and cart….. http://www.rockclimbingatlas.com/greece__the_middle_east/greece.html is one big rock with the sea always nearby. It is hard to beat the climbing this country has to offer. Do you like climbing on sand stone? Then head for http://www.rockclimbingatlas.com/greece__the_middle_east/jordan.html where you can easily combine climbing with some very good scuba diving!  

But the Rock Climbing Atlas series describe many more countries. Have a look yourself on www.rockclimbingatlas.com   http://www.rockclimbingatlas.com/

Read here the forewords of ……

Alexander Huber
"Welcome to the hard world!
Climbing is hard. Hard rock, hard routes, hard moves, hard training... but not all about climbing is just hard. Climbing is a lifestyle and most of us dedicate all their energy into it! Over all the years climbing I visited countries all over the world and that is definitely one of the real great aspects about climbing - you can find rock in almost every country.
And for me climbing is the best way to travel!
The countries described in this edition of the Rock Climbing Atlas have their own, unique character - life, culture, traditions - and that gives these countries its fascination. Plus... there is tons of first class rock!
Go there and check it out. There is no way that you would come back disappointed!
Great days out there and enjoy climbing!"

Richard Simpson
"Even though we have some great crags in the , I'd rather climb overseas, especially at those places where the sun is always shining and the chances of rainy days are small. I think this Rock Climbing Atlas is a great source of information when deciding where to go climbing next, there are so many great places described here that I'm certain
it would be a tough decision.
No matter what you decide, I'm sure you'll have a great time.
Climb on!"

Kilian Fischhuber
"The Rock Climbing Atlas, let it be your guide! This book can be a real friend to you in a country many of us have never been to. It will help you finding the crags and let you choose your favourite style of climbing but also it will give you accurate information about the area and the country itself. Especially in far away places where the customs are different from your home it will provide you with useful tips and when the time hangs heavy then the Rock Climbing Atlas will come up with an idea to sweeten your stay.
During my travels I always relied on guide books and therefore I can highly recommend the use of the Rock Climbing Atlas.
Have fun with it!"

Arnaud Petit

The first thing that comes to my mind after finishing this book, is: “why didn’t anyone think

of this before?” I have been travelling a lot during the last couple of years and I’ve come to

realize how hard it is to obtain accurate and useful information. Nowadays, it’s hard to find

everything you need to know because of the huge amount of information available. This

is why it’s such a good idea to separate the wheat from the chaff. This book is of such good

quality because it depicts places which are different from the classic climbing destinations

such as , and . Describing the countries in the is a very good

idea indeed, because these countries offer new possibilities and good rock climbing. This

is where you will find the new classic climbing sites of the future, partly thanks to the authors

of this book. And for this, I’m grateful. Enjoy your climb!

Joey Kinder doing the relay interview with Paul Robinson, #7 in the boulder ranking.
 

A young buck from now dwelled up in .  Paul Robinson is a skinny, shaggy-headed, Crimp Pimp that has a smile on his face more often than Dave Graham sends 8c.  Paul represents a refreshing, young attitude toward climbing that can be hard to find at times.  He climbs because he loves it.  Not to be noticed, not to one up someone, and not to get the girls.  Paul is driven by passion and it shows.  He  has repeated nearly each and every testpiece in ’s . From Dave Graham’s notorious Nothing But Sunshine 8B to Circadian Rhythm 8B/8B+, both are seldom climbed and often attempted.  He has the means of separating himself from every other climber around with severe tenacity and a determination that is proven for success.  Paul took some time away from his insane ’s schedule to rap with me….check the format.

 

Pictures by Steve Woods

You are from .  What kinds of ethics were you exposed to coming up in the North East?

I grew up bouldering, through this I have learned all my ethics.  I started climbing indoors on rope for my first few tears before discovering bouldering.  I mean obvious ethics learned, no chipping! Pretty much that’s it, just have fun with the sport and don’t hurt the rock in anyway.

I understand that you are not much of a route climber.  Why are there so many people climbing boulders and not climbing cliffs or mountains ?

I think that there are a lot of people climbing boulders today because it is more easily accessible than route climbing.  It seems to be somewhat “new age” and is really attracting younger people.  I climb boulders just because I have more fun doing it and it is always an exciting experience for me.  Also some of the crazy experiences I have had while bouldering I while never forget from sends to some intense times on those scary highballs.  One experience was last year In Hueco, after a good day of climbing Daniel, Jon, Vasya, and myself headed back to the campsite.  We were chilling in the tent and all of a sudden we heard some crazy sounds outside.  Being all scared we peep out and it was a freaking mountain lion!  So we just like go in gangsta mode, get out our bb guns and run out of the tent and just start shooting at it and running around the campsite. We were so scared of it, but it was absolutely hilarious afterward!

What are your favorite areas and why?

My favorite areas that I have climbed in are The Granite Areas of Bishop, CA, RMNP, CO, Joe’s Valley, UT, the Gunks, NY, Great Barrington, MA, and Hueco, TX.  I know that once I visit , I will definitely have some new favorite areas and boulder problems!

It seems like its easy to team up with a dope crew here in …such motivation is key. Who is in your crew and why are they special characters?

First off, Joe, you best start bouldering again!  I never see you cuz you’re always out there clipping snatch links!  Well for a crew, lets see, Daniel Woods, totally rad to climb with him, super inspiring, and he is always forcing me to push my limits in bouldering.  Seth Allred, totally sick climber whose technique is just phenomenal, also super fun to climb with.  Jamie Emerson, Ryan Olson, and Angie Payne are super cool and amazing climbers too and ALWAYS cracking jokes while climbing!  Herm Feisner is strong, very inspiring and tons of fun to climb with along with Seth Meisel and Carlo Traversi.  Even though my girlfriend, Sarah Orens, doesn’t live In she is most definitely part of the crew as well along with Daniel's GF,  Laura Griffiths.

Who inspires you in climbing and outside of climbing?

Dave and Daniel are my true inspirations.  They are both super cool people who just love climbing for what it is.  I am always striving to become as good as them.  Moving to and being able to climb with Daniel on a really regular basis has helped my climbing tremendously and it is always great to chill with him as well.  Outside of climbing my dad is my true inspiration.  He has been through so much in his life but still lives everyday to the fullest and always seems to have a smile on his face no matter what.  Also he has been beside me and has supported me since day one along with my whole family.

Who in the should get more recognition for their climbing achievements?

Seth Allred, this kid is soooooo strong, but gets no recognition for it.  His climbing ability is phenomenal and always is super psyched on climbing. Another person I think should get more recognition is Jon Cardwell.  He is a super cool kid and super strong as well?

Is being recognized that important?

It all depends, if you don’t want to be recognized than it is not important at all.  But if you are like me and many other climbers in the that want to be able to support themselves through professional climbing then being recognized is a huge part of the sport.

Why are Americans weak-shit minus a select few?

Dedication. There are just not that many people dedicated enough in the to pursue climbing to the next level.  I can only count a hand full of names that climb nearly as much as I do. I think it’s hard for people to get the time to climb as much as I do. But I also think there aren’t that many people who are dedicated enough to give everything in their life up to become the best rock climber in the world like a select few.

I have recently read criticism about 8a.nu in the late Alpinist 15.  Why are sport climbers and boulderers so much more involved with keeping scorecards than a climber placing gear and doing a peak?

I’m not quite sure. 8a.nu, I have found to be a great website for keeping a record of my climbs and seeing what other friends of mine who I don’t see that often have been up to. It seems that some people can get a little carried away and just be bouldering just so that they can add points to their scorecard, but I think the majority just likes the website for the reasons I stated above. I think the rankings are good for some but bad for others. If your goal is to climb some 8a so you can get in front of someone to be number 18 in the country then that’s no good. Gut if you use it to gauge yours elf and how you are climbing, then it is really productive.

What are your thoughts on the standards in all types of climbing?

Standards in climbing have been skyrocketing in the past few years. What once was a project for some of the best climbers in the world is now being flashed!  I’m not sure if this trend will keep going or if future generations will have a hard time getting past the bar that has been set by this generation.  I am not sure what is coming for future generations, but I'm super psyched on my own generation and the generation that is truly pushing the standards right now. I surely hope that the generation I am in will be able push the standards even further than they are today.

There have been many events of people being called liars here in . What are your thoughts on honesty in our little world of climbing? Is there any exception to the rule?
Well, honesty is the real world. People should not be calling others out. Climbing is a small low-key sport that should be based off of honesty. If someone tells me they do a climb I believe it and don’t go around doubting. Its just worth it, worry about your own climbing and let others do what they want. I was called a liar this summer. I was definitely pissed for a short time but then I realized that there is nothing I can do about it but climb even harder. If someone is convicted of lying then just deal with it and it will pass over. Once people see you are not lying and you are super cool for not getting all st ressed over it, they will see how good of a climber you are and how cool you are.

Are there specific rules that should be followed in climbing?  How do you think ethics (sometimes being so abstract) should be appreciated?

Not really, climbing is different for everyone and should be treated that way. That’s why climbing is so amazing.  There are no true set rules set in stone but I guess there could be some abstract type rules in climbing. Say u got a hard undercling sit start, the rule is you only get one pad to start. Or if you feel like you dab, then jump off.

Lets just say Prana just gave you one million dollars.  If you have one year to spend it all, where do you go and what do you do?

Wow, that would be amazing!  First, I would straight up just quit college, I would be out of that soooo fast!  After packing clothing, lots of climbing shoes and chalk, and a crashpad I would head straight to the airport. First, Joe's Valley for a while then Hueco for 2 months. Then for a while living in an amazing apartment somewhere in Ticcino. Stay there for a while living like a true gangsta. Then, maybe Font for a while.  Then hit for a while, climb a ton and possibly go swimming with some great white sharks in the ocean. And then with the rest of my money, go to and hang out on t he.Beach at a sick resort in the nice hot tropical climate with a bunch of friends!

 

DAAAAAAMMMN DOG!!!  THAT SOUNDS HOT!!!!

Want to contribute to the 8a Yearbook 2006?

So far we have received contributions from more than 30 photographers around the world, and the door is still open for anyone who wants to contribute. We are looking for photographs of the top climbers and ascents of 2006, from the top crags around the world, and then of course exciting and thrilling photos for our gallery section.

More specifically, we need pictures of the following:

• Photos to the climbing photo gallery/contest
• Top climbers in the 8a ranking (male, female, juniors and seniors)

See the list Climber Of TheYear 2006 for more information.

• From the top crags in the 8a world wide crag ranking:

Crag Name	Country	Big City/Area	Pics	CQ	RS	PI
Frankenjura	Germany	Nürnberg		12.0	92.2	104.2
Railay	Thailand	Phuket		18.0	79.2	97.2
Rodellar	Spain	Saragossa/Huesca		16.0	70.2	86.2
Céüse	France	Grenoble, Gap		11.5	72.7	84.2
Kalymnos	Greece	Kos		15.5	65.1	80.6
Gorges Du Tarn	France	Montpellier / Millau		17.0	62.2	79.2
Red River Gorge	United States	Lexington, KY		16.5	46.5	63.0
El Chorro	Spain	Malaga		12.0	50.6	62.6
Siurana	Spain	Barcelona		14.5	44.1	58.6
Rumney	United States	Plymouth, NH		14.0	41.3	55.3
Rifle	United States	Rifle, CO		14.0	39.7	53.7
Maple Canyon	United States	Salt Lake City, Utah		14.0	34.2	48.2
Red Rocks	United States	Las Vegas, NV		14.0	31.9	45.9
Misja Pec	Slovenia	Trieste		12.0	32.8	44.8
Orpierre	France	Grenoble		10.5	34.2	44.7
New River Gorge	United States	Fayetteville, WV.		16.5	27.9	44.4
Chateauvert	France	Aix-en-Provence		15.0	29.3	44.3
Freyr	Belgium	Brussels		13.0	31.2	44.2
Berdorf	Luxembourg	Echternach		17.0	25.8	42.8
Arco	Italy	Trento		12.0	30.0	42.0

         The complete list can be found under the Crags section on.

The book will include an 8a photo gallery, and hopefully also a photo contest, in which the 8a staff will present their subjective votes for the best pictures of the year. For general information on the 8a Yearbook project, take a look at 8a Yearbook.

Contributor’s guidelines:

All pictures sent to the 8a Yearbook project will be considered for publication. We prefer digital photographs, high resolution JPG files at 300 ppi. We reserve the right to crop the pictures as necessary for best layout in the book. For slide submissions, please contact me for more information on how to proceed. All contributors will receive 1 - 10 free 8a yearbooks.

Send contributions to: [email protected]

Sincerely

POA

Photo Editor - 8a Yearbook

This is not an accurate list of who has been the best juniors of the year! This list is a subjective and preliminary list based on rock and comps etc. We base the list of results that are official on the web and in papers. Most probably there exist anonymous super strong juniors out there. Please comment if you think that the list should be updated.

 

3. Durif - 90
4. Daniel Woods USA - 89
5. Katharina Saurwein Austria -87
6. Sean McColl Canada - 87
7. Anna Stöhr Austria - 88
8. Eric Lopez Spain – 91
9. Tyler Landman UK -90  
10. Magnus Midtboe Norway - 88
11. Johanna Ernst Austra - 92
12. Matt Fultz USA - 91
13. Andrea Szekely USA - 89
    
    
14. Jon Cardwell USA - 89
15. Paul Robinson USA - 87
16. Akiyo Noguchi Japan – 89
17. Martin Stranik Czech Republic - 90
18. Jakob Schubert Austria - 90
19. Gabriele Moroni Italy - 87
20. Anma Sachi Japan – 90
21. Gabor Szekely USA -90
22. Sasha Digiulian USA - 92
23. Silvie Rajfova Czech Republic – 89
24. Barbara Zangerl Austria - 88 
25. Chloe Graftiaux Belgium – 87
26. Christina Schmid Austria -89
27. Mina Marcovic Slovenia - 87 
28. Mathieu Bouyoud France - 88
29. Barbara Zangerl Austria - 87
30. Mauricio Huerta Mexico - 89 

www.8a.nu

<a href='http://web.8a.nu/articles/ShowArticle.aspx?ArticleId=2374'>[LINK TEXT]</a>

Dave Graham: Here is kind of a little jingle, a couple of statements, some stuff that reminds me of him. Its an improvisational thing, so don't try and criticize nothing. I don't want to hear it. Its kind of a rap, or a poem, or a bunch of rhetorical statements. I am not sure. Word. "Joey Kind Kid. One of Whom Lays it down. Outlaw. He Tore of the Roof. Abe Jigga. Prince of Darkness. Living Breathing Creature. Smooth Jigga. Owns a Chariot. Motivation is the Key. Bachelor of Fine Arts. Master of Many Directions: Brimstones, Fire, Rabies, Snakes and Ladders, Bloody Murder, and Who knows More Then Him. Promised he would die with a shovel in his hand. Joe."

Bigwall climbing Pic: Tim Kemple

Freshly squeezed, 8B in RMNP Pic: Keith Ladzinski

Prime Time To Shine, 8c in Cleer Creak Pic: Tim Kemple

The 8a relay interview started with Martina Cufar handed over the baton to Natalija Gros  who gave it to Dave Graham  and now Dave has after 12 months given it to Joe Kinder. Dave: "I am very very weak at the relay interviews. I have a level of like 4+ and it takes me forever. Now I am getting fit here in Siurana and Santa linya. It's cool! Climbing a lot with Chris and Dani. It's super fun!"

Joe Kinder... Joe Kinder is one of the coolest motherfuckers on the planet. I don't want to make him blush too much when he reads this, so I won't flatter him too much, but out of many people who could receive a kind word, Joe deserves it. He is very important friend in my life, and one of the few people I have met on this crazy planet who can be trusted. I live on another continent then him you see, this makes things complicated, I rarely see him. Even though there is a massive gap between us, he is always there in some way or another. Joe is 'always psyched', and as well, perpetually supportive. He likes me for who I am, which is special to me... Its kind of weird way to introduce somebody, but fuck it, I'm weird.


You are coming to Spain to climb with me. Are you psyched?
Yes Dave, you are DAMN RIGHT I’m coming and you are DAMN RIGHT I am psyched… It’s basically all I can think about.

You stay for three months, that's a long time, but not long enough. When will you move here?
Well Dave, Maybe I can move there if things work that way. I am capable of amazing things when given the chance…knowutumsayin? It all comes down to the painful concept of money and making money…such a painful topic for such a poor rock climber like me. I SO wish I was Ballin’ like you Dave… any tips???

What do you think about this statement "We live in the age of ten words or less"?
Ah yes Dave, maybe that is a phrase about how we are not using our mouths to exert the messages our brains tell us. Or how people are speaking less and doing more…This is a good thing… I hate shit talkers. Or perhaps this statement is a theory of how our day and age yields less feeling in our conversations with each other and we create bullshit small talk…PUULLLEEEEAAAASSEE…I really cannot tolerate small talk, I would rather just stare and attempt ESP conversing…save that shit and wrap it up.

What are some one-year-after comments about Las Vegas. Not the climbing, but the city. The Guns, the drugs, the strippers, the weird tourists, the old people, the gated communities...Go on. Speak you mind?
Good question Dave, basically I was fascinated with Las Vegas as a whole. There really is no other place like this and remains One of a kind. F’real. The corruptness of our neighborhood and the oddities we were constantly faced with were healthy. We had murders down the street. Gunshots from time to time, that made us think “Damn, I wonder if someone is dying right now with a hole in their body”. There was all of that shit! Just a strange place. Word bond. But, I would not change a thing about us living there. It was completely imposing to be exposed to some ill shit like that. I recommend people to get the hell out of your comfort zone and experience the other side. Its DAMN healthy and you appreciate certain things more.

What is up with the climbing scene in the U.S.? Any thing crazy you have on your mind?
Well…There are only a few people in this country doing amazing things as far as I am concerned. It’s a real shame too. When you compare Europe to the USA, we are nearly 5 years behind what is really going on. I see the US as very traditional and not exactly the most progressive country in terms of climbing. People will attempt to push standards, but US standards are almost weak-shit when compared to Euro standards. I am sure people will be bummed when they read this…but WAKE UP STRONG GUYS… DO SOMETHING!!!!! I love using that phrase, “Do something”. I live in Boulder right now and there are some STRONG climbers here… But, no one seems to do anything as ill as the Euros are. Daniel Woods, Paul Robinson, Ethan Pringle and a very FEW are straight Representing’. Thass real. Those cats are making things happen constantly. Thank GOD!!! Tommy Caldwell is always making rad things happen…then theres You, Dave and Chris S. But you are pretty much European now. Besides them…it’s, kinda dead. I am trying Kryptonite 9a right now and will send soon…I think that is pretty cool for American climbers??? Whutchoo think??!! I have to do it before we leave to Spain…I am confident I will.

Tell us something about your climbing life these days. Goals, problems, nice things...
I have had small projects for the past year. Lots of sport routes I have completed in a couple of days. This has been really satisfying due to the fast sends and not getting to involved. Mostly my focus in climbing has been consistency and mad volume. I am a firm believer in a good climber being consistent and regularly producing. This is my own little theory…It’s really just for me. None-the-less I have been pretty successful in my recent ascents. Quick, Hard, and really satisfying. That’s been the name of the game. Now…I have a little relationship going on. It’s pretty intimate and I feel like things are really moving forward and I will be in a whirlwind of BLISS soon. Kryptonite is taking precedent over a lot of doings right now. I have put the fast send tactics on hold and now am projecting. I think this route is an amazing climb and find myself pretty much obsessed. I have until February 1st to send and I am confident I will. Props to Tommy Caldwell for the vision and the effort. The route is a monster and is unlike anything I have ever tried. Its hard and really consistent. Its also kinda heady…You take HUGE falls in spots if you fuck up. I like it.

What do you think about friendly dogs Joe?
I love them. I like Blue Healers and Bull Terriers and Pit Bull Terriers and all kinds of other dogs. I cannot wait to get one. But, traveling and climbing is kind of important now. So, a dog will have to wait. REALLY good question Dave!!

Enlighten us about rock climbing. How the fuck does it actually work? You've been to college, I haven't. Intellectualize about this one for me.
OH MY GOD!!! Ummm…Jeez Dog. Ok…well…Its like a passion thing involving a certain terrain that primitive creatures have mastered and really don’t even acknowledge as being anything even remotely interesting. Sometimes I feel like this. Like…what the fuck are we DOING??!!! But then it comes down to that notion of “I want” and “that’s cool”. It’s so pointless, but so fun and way beyond the complexities of team sports and other “sports”. Climbing is more related to Yoga or some sort of Tai Chi or whatever. The activity/lifestyle is personal to every climber. Its not just the physical endeavor either.

Its community, traveling, knowledge, achievement, failure, emotion, slander, egos, driving, hiking, clipping, skin, injuries, resting, patience, pleasure, going, coming, staring, pondering, obsessing, gas money, all kinds of money, moving, boasting, slaying, resorting, status, photos, media, friends, suckas, turds, skinny people, ropes, Hating on Boulder, countries, competition, training, tips, toes, bodies, coffee, waiting, sun, shade, energy, anorexic people in Boulder, previous pioneers, ethics, rules, jungle gyms, being cool, and all kinds of shit. Lets just say…when I see that incredibly talented climber on that Deodorant commercial battle his way up that huge, red cliff in such a style… When I see him do the one arm pull-up on the sharp edge of the cliff and then top out. He YELLS at the sky and jumps up and down with such excitement…when I see him Incredibly psyched, and then put deodorant on then raising and shaking his fists in the air… It all comes clear to me. Climbing is my life and it is a life. How’s that for a college graduate? I’m Smart.

What do you think about this statement "after you miss the boat for the fiftieth time you say fuck it, and learn how to fly"?
Well Dave, that statement is a means to rising above. You gotta buck up on certain situations and create your own destiny, which is up to each and every one of us. I believe in all things being random and not ONE person has to settle for a situation, but can create it, and has the ability to change it. Sometimes it’s hard and it sucks, but there’s always a way…

That’s a little optimism dropped on your ass… Jyeeeeaaaahhhh!!! Thank you my friend, I shall see you soon. FUERZA!!!!!!!

Lead: #2 Lama, #1 Usobiaga, #3 Mrazek & Crespi All Pics by Urban Golub!

Lead & Boulder Combined: #2 Gros #1Eiter #3 Vidmar

Patxi Usobiaga lead World Cup winner 2006

Most superior winner - Angela Eiter Austria

The World Cup 2006 was as always totally dominated by Europeans. Only one Japanese among the 15 best counting the four categories: Lead & Bouldering, Women/Men. More WC competitions than ever: 10 lead & 7 boulder events - Barbara Bacher participated in all being #8 in Lead & #9 in Boulder.

The most superior WC climber in 2006 was Angela Eiter who won eight of the ten lead events. Patxi Usobiaga won among the men including six podium places. In both 2004 and 2005 he only had two each.

David Lama shocked his opponents in his debut, being only 15, by winning The European Champ, winning his first boulder event and being second and then first in his two first lead comp. Also Charlotte Durif won the European Champ being 15. Tomas Mrazek was the overall best, being #3 in lead and #5 in bouldering. Preliminary lead results! 8a members actually dominates ;-)

1. Patxi Usobiaga ESP 619    Angela Eiter AUT 845
2. David Lama AUT 548       Sandrine Levet FRA 655
3. Flavio Crespi ITA 533      Caroline Ciavaldini FRA573
3. Tomas Mrazek CZE 533   Maja Vidmar SLO 561 
5. R J Puigblanque ESP 528  Natalija Gros SLO 559
6. Jorg Verhoeven NED 524  Mina Markovic SLO 407
7. Edu Marin ESP 452           Charlotte Durif FRA 395
8. Cedric Lachat SUI 386      Barbara Bacher AUT 309

The season of 2007, will start in March with the European Champion in Bouldering, 2006. That championship was supposed to take place in Moscow but it was cancelled as the organizer could note guarantee the safety due to poor mattresses. The lead event was also a 'scandal' and we received an open letter by Patxi Usobiaga., which Patxi should have credit for.

The world championship in 2007 will take place in Marabella, Spain, in September and the Youth will have their event in Ecuador in August.

Competition climbing as an independent organisation
At the UIAA General Assembly in Banff it was decided that UIAA Climbing, the International Council for Competition Climbing (ICC), will become a fully independent international federation. Previously, the mountaineering guys in the UIAA controlled it and the UIAA financial and political interests were always a problem for the people managing the sport on a voluntary basis in the ICC. The change should mean more space for developing the sport further. More countries will be able to participate in comps which will improve the chances of Climbing becoming an Olympic sport.

The most important issue for the new independent competition organisation is to improve the format. Lead competitions are extremely boring both for the athletes and the spectators/media. You only see slow climbers who are doing identical move, trying to rest wherever it is possible and this is killing our sport. We have to come up with improvements of the lead format. Climbing is growing tremendously all over the globe but the competition scene has stagnated mainly on the national level but also in the World Cups where some 15 men + 10 f. Europeans travel around the globe.

8a has for many years suggested a new format similar to slalom or horse jumping that gives a stronger influence on time. If you have tied results or to many top-out, let time decide. Instead of climbing a 8a, 8a+ and 8b from qually to the final let all routes be 8a for men and 7c for women. This will attract more climbers as they will be able to climb more than just the first five meters. Put up a large digital watch and present split times etc. At least we don't have to be stuck watching guys resting in no-hands rest.

First ascent, F.A.

By Peter Mortimer, Sender films

 

Since the late 90ties, I think it began in 1997, I’ve been more or less a boulderer. The shorter and steeper (and the more over graded) the better. Yes I’ve been chasing numbers. There it is for everyone to see. I haven’t tied in for years.

Now, I don’t know if it’s an age thing, but after having watched films like “E11” and now “First Ascent”, I can’t help feeling drawn towards the strict ethics of traditional climbing. The philosophical approach, the feel for the rock and nature, the lines, the purity, the adrenaline, the...pain...the agony....the feeling of certain death being imminent...nah it’s definitely an age thing.

 

Maybe, just maybe, pain is less, shall we say painful, when you watch someone else experience it on your 50-inch plasma from the comfort of your XL designer sofa, sipping a vintage Barolo and smoking a fat Havanna in your spacious, tasteful living room in one of the wealthier suburbs, no?

 

But anyway, back to the film, this is getting way too gonzo.

 

In “First Ascent” we get to meet and follow a few colourful characters pursuing their quests of making first ascents:

 

• Didier Berthod and Sonnie Trotter work the Cobra crack in Squamish, one of the very hardest cracks in the world.
• The same Didier makes the FA of "Greenspit", a roof crack in the Swiss Vallais region.
• Dean Potter takes numerous 60-foot whippers going for the first free ascent of the Tombstone, outside Moab, Utah.
• David Lama, Cedric Lachat and their posse climb virgin DWS-lines on the immaculate limestone of southern Thailand.
• In the aptly named Obscurist-piece, fist fighting specialists, Cedar Wright and Ivo Ninov, hurt themselves in not so slightly disturbing ways, making the FA of an off-width roof crack in the Yosemite Valley.
• Topher Donahue, Jared Ogden, Heidi Weitz and Vera Schulte-Pelkum battle Poison ivy, loose rock, ticks and difficult route finding making old school ground up FA:s in the Black Canyon of Colorado.
• Tim O’Neill does... what Tim O’Neill does best in Hollywood.
• A team of Swiss alpinists battle harsh conditions to make a first ascent of a gigantic monolith piled on top of a huge mountain in the Himalayas.

Extras include Matt Segal making the, you guessed it, FA of “Iron Monkey”, French legend Fred Rouhling bouldering and climbing his own “Mandallaz drive”, 9a,  as well as a very interesting behind the scenes look on how the film was made and a bunch of other stuff.

 

As the brighter among you’ve probably gathered already, “First Ascent”, is not a film about numbers. I guess it’s about capturing and understanding what drives those lost (or is it enlightened?) souls out there chasing those coveted first ascents.

 

Why is it so damn important to be the first though?

The rock formations and lines have been there for eons, or at least tens of thousands, or even millions, of years (sorry all you creationists out there), and will, by all likelihood, be there for millions of years still. You'll have to clean the whole thing yourself, find out if it's at all possible to climb and protect reasonably. From the second ascent onwards it'll be so much easier...

 

Well, like Didier Berthod so eloquently puts it, it all comes down to... glory and ego. Err... touchy subject, let’s not get too far into that, especially as the whole point of the film is that these are the entirely wrong reasons. Apparently, life is not about FA:s, glory and ego. It's about the simple things like making friends, seeing stuff and eating sushi. Experiencing it to the fullest and enjoying it for what it is. I couldn't agree more.

 

I really liked the film and I think it has something for everybody, regardless of if you're into hard core trad, big-walls, sport climbing, bouldering or anything else. It feels like what you see is the real thing. Honest climbers trying to explain why they're doing what they are. These are no celebrities, or stars. Like Didier says. He doesn't think he's special. He simply wants to become as strong as possible in order to be able to climb the best and most beautiful lines in the world. There's no glamour, just hard work.

 

 

 

 

THE 8A YEARBOOK WILL BE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE. The cost for printing 5000 copies is covered by: Mammut, Petzl, Prana, Peak Performance, Millet, Top-30, Rock Pillars, Ocun, BEAL, La Sportiva and an american private donor.

8a Yearbook 2006
Lifestyle - Training - Rankings

1          COVER PAGE

2          AD by Petzl

3          EDITORS VOICE (Lifestyle - Training -Rankings)

4          LIST OF CONTENT

5          www.8a.nu (Background, scorecard, ranking)

6-11     www.8a.nu (Ranking of 100 women/men, junior,
              35+: Routes & Boulders)

12-17   10 TOP CRAGS (incl. 100 routes/boulders)

18-22   8A STATEMENTS ARTICLES (ethics, grades etc)

23-24   COMPETITION ARENA (wc, youth etc)

25        AD (full page Euro 1500)

26-40   100 CLIMBERS OF 2006 ( Sharma Durif 1. Hirayama)

41-46   LIFE STYLE PROFILES Interviews (, Huber, Sharma)

47-53   8A TRAINING ARTICLES (power, endurance, mental)

54-59   PHOTO-COMPETITION (5 best pictures of 2006)

60-67   SWEDISH PAGES (Said Belhaj etc)

68        BACK COVER AD by mammut

style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Free of charge The 8a yearbook 2006

Photographers are contributing for free Pic: Anna Piunova mountain.ru

This is the first ever yearbook in sport climbing and bouldering. It is produced on a style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> voluntary basis by some of the www.8a.nu members, including non-paid photographers all over the globe. We plan to distribute 5000-10000 copies (68 pages) style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"> free of charge. To do this we need Euro 9 000 from sponsors. Euro 900, we have received from a private donor. Prices for sponsored ads:

Back cover: Euro 3000

Inside covers: Euro 2000

Full pages: Euro 1 500 - Choosen pages

A package of 4 banners (500 * 100 pixels): Euro 1 000

The 8a yearbook will focus on Lifestyle, Training and Performances of 2006

PAGE5: www.8a.nu (Background, scorecard, ranking system etc)

This section will include a short background, some history and the logistics of the 8a web page, such as 8a features and explanations to the ranking system.

Scorecard and ranking explanation In most sports there exist an updated world ranking based on results during the last 12 months, like in competition climbing for example. In sport climbing and in bouldering climbers are struggling with grades and high numbers are reported worldwide, but who's the number one outdoors? 8a.nu has played with these thoughts and presents a system were it's possible to have an updated world ranking, based on the Top-10 climbs, the last 12 months.

However, as grades and ethics vary, one should not consider the the 8a.nu ranking an absolute truth, more like a fun motivator. Routes & Boulders Points Style, Score & Bonus points 8b+ . 1 150 _Onsight jumps 3 grades - 5 points 8b 1 100 Boulder OS jumps 2 grades - 5 points. 8a+ 1 050 Flash jumps one grade + 3 points. 8a 1 000 Redpoint score _ 7c+ 950 Top rope drops one grade 7c 900 New Repetition = - 1 point . 7b 800 New First Ascent (FA) = + 10 points . 7a 700 New FA Boulder = + 5 points 6b+ 550 6a 400 New 2:Go = + 2 points 5a 250 New Trad = + 30 points To ensure that the Scorecard is not miss used all holders will have their personal ID and password. We will not allow climbers with faked names to take part in the ranking, however you can choose to be a log-book member = No Score & No ranking! We would also like to explain that we do think that climbing is foremost about adrenalin, scenery and nice people. Sometimes you can add grades and points and it gets even more exiting, but don't lose your perspective. Take care! Interaction between climbers 8a is the magic grade in the climbing scale of difficulties and it is reached by less than one percent of all climbers. 8a.nu is the world's largest climbing community with almost 10 000 members who run personal web pages where they keep track of their ascents and more. Communication is possible through personal messages, guestbooks and the Forum. Members who are on-line are automatically listed and it's possible to search for members who have visited a particular crag etc. 8a.nu was opened in 1999 by Jens Larssen as a local sport climbing site for Göteborg - . The webmaster was Leif Jägerbrand who together with Jens invented the Scorecard including the world ranking, based on the Top-10 climbs the last 12 months. In 2000, Björn Pohl joined and the global site was opened including the first world ranking were introduced. Since 2003, the webmaster has been Jonas Emanuelsson who has developed the site for 20 different countries, a crag database, on-line interaction and a training-log. Major contributers have been Åke Nilsson President of ICC Rules commission, who have written a number of World Cup articles etc. In the long run, 8a needs receipts as the cost for the server etc is increasing. 8a is looking for sponsors, advertisers and contributers. Please contact Jens.

page 6-10: www.8a.nu (Ranking of 200 women/men, junior, 35+)

This section will include the global 8a routes/boulder ranking of Women/Men (Senior, Junior, 35+) 2006. Each category will include about 100 climbers.

www.8a.nu World ranking based on Top-10 climbs in 2006

1		12995		Dani Andrada		1975	Spain
2		12780		Patxi Usobiaga		1980	Spain
3		12598		Ramón Julian Puigblan		1981	Spain
4		12580		Adam Ondra -93		1993	Czech Republic
5		12540		David Lama		1990	Austria
6		12525		Tino Lois		0000	Spain
7		12368		TomᚠMrázek		1982	Czech Republic
8		12265		Christophe Zehani		1974	France
9		12254		Evgeny Krivosheytsev		1969	Ukraine
10		12210		Steve McClure			United Kingdom
Example of BANNER: Euro 200
11		12208		Yann Sanchez	1975		France
12		12191		yoshi Verhoeven	1985		Netherlands
13		12148		Magnus Midtbø -88	1988		Norway
14		12115		Klemen Becan	1982		Slovenia
15		12059		David Graham	1981		United States
16		12055		Said Belhaj	1981		Sweden
17		12055		Didier Rastaud	1975		France
18		12040		Marc Michalon	1977		France
19		12020		David Gambús	1984		Spain
20		11970		Jose Abreu	1984		Portugal
BANNER
21		11957		Martin Stráník	1990		Czech Republic
22		11948		Sean McColl	1987		Canada
23		11947		Gabriele Moroni	1987		Italy
24		11913		Cedric Lo Piccolo	1982		France
25		11910		Rouanito Gonzales	1984		France
26		11880		Kevin Wilkinson	1980		Canada
27		11859		Joey Kinder	0000		United States
28		11811		Charlotte Durif (f-90)	1990		France
29		11805		Pierre Bollinger	1979		France
30		11790		Mathieu Bouyoud	1989		France

PAGE 11-17: 10 TOP CRAGS (incl.100 recommended routes/Boulders)

Based on the 8a data base we present the ten most popular crags 2006 (see below). To make the list more interesting and useful we also include 10 recommended routes at each crag. There will be a photograph of each crag together with some short facts.

Crag Name	Country	Big City/Area	Pics	CQ	RS	PI
Frankenjura	Germany	Nürnberg		13.0	89.7	102.7
Railay	Thailand	Phuket		18.0	79.2	97.2
Rodellar	Spain	Saragossa/Huesca		17.0	67.1	84.1
Céüse	France	Grenoble, Gap		10.5	72.1	82.6
Gorges Du Tarn	France	Montpellier / Millau		18.0	59.6	77.6
Kalymnos	Greece	Kos		16.0	56.0	72.0
Red River Gorge	United States	Lexington, KY		16.5	46.5	63.0
El Chorro	Spain	Malaga		11.0	50.1	61.1
Siurana	Spain	Barcelona		15.0	41.9	56.9
Rumney	United States	Plymouth, NH		14.0	41.3	55.3
Rifle	United States	Rifle, CO		14.0	39.7	53.7

PAGE 18-22: 8A STATEMENT ARTICLES (Ethics, Grades, Safety etc)

A section with edited versions of 8a articles on ethics, grades, safety.

Practice & Ethics in sport climbing 
In sport climbing, compared to most other sports, there are few written rules or use of referees. Instead, the climbing community creates and circulates their own Practice & Ethics. Beginners are sometimes struggling to understand what is "normal" behavior and what's allowed and what's not. Over time, the general procedure has been modified and in different subcultures different ethics apply.  

We thought it would be a good idea to discuss and define good style as of today and also give some amusing examples of violations that are practised in order to receive sponsors, glory and points. We're not saying there's a definite line between right and wrong but the fundamental idea is: don't systematically push the border of ethics towards more subjectivity, instead, keep the spirit alive. Here is a list of what 8a thinks are practices within sport climbing that are frequently interpreted in different ways; Green, Yellow and Red card are given. We estimate that about 1/3 of all ascents would not pass community approval. What do you think? Bouldering ethics are on their way.

Sport climbing practices with different interpretations	Green Card - Congratulations	Yellow Card - Ethical dilemma	Red Card - Ascent not valid!?
1. Onsight beta This style means that you should not receive beta (information) on the route before climbing.	Talk and discuss with anyone who doesn't have beta on the route. Use binoculars. Ask questions like - Do you think I can do it?	Belay but look down, once. Ask questions like: Does it suite my style?	Read topo descriptions like - 'Crux at the third bolt'. Where did you fall off? Look at route when rapelling a neighboring route. Tick-marking by a friend.
2. Gri-Gri locking/Rope drag Dynamic moves to footless often create pendel swings which may be stopped by Gri-Gri or by tight belay.	Provide enough slack so that the swing is not affected.	Holding down the release and actively give rope.	A Gri-Gri that has locked due to a swing. Any rope drag due to tight belay, even if it's the belayers' fault.
3. Pre-clipping carabiners Having the rope pre-clipped in a carabiner, like a top-rope.	One pre-clipped carabiner if it's for safety.	Two pre-clipped carabiners if it's for safety.	Three or more always means top-roping. Downclimbing is ridiculous.
4. Onsight reversing In competitions you are not allowed to downclimb to the ground but outdoors?	If you reverse once after the first move or two, due to a wet hold, wrong sequence etc.	If you reverse more than once. If you have clipped the second carabiner.	If you systematically downclimb to practice moves. If you untie and rest. If you have clipped in 3 or more carabiners.
5. Cheating stones Stones used for reaching the first holds.	If it's done and included in the grade by the First Ascent.	"I did it with an extra stone to reach the start holds"!	In order to ease an established start and keep the grade.
6. Grabbing/Clipping anchor Use of anchor carabiners as an artificial hold. The route is defined by the crag not by the anchor.	Climb the mountain not the anchor, which means that the 'top' is often above the anchor.	Finish by clipping an anchor which is placed below the top due to rope-drag etc.	Pro-longing the anchor to avoid last move. Grabbing the anchor.
7. Flash/Onsight variations Sometimes different routes have the same start or finnish.	When the shared part of the climb is a full grade lower, i.e. a 6c start is divided into two 7c's.	When the shared part of the climb is three steps lower, i.e. a 6c start is divided into two 7a+'s.	When the neighbouring route gives beta/info on the route that will be climbed.
8. Combinations/Variations To combine neighburing routes and add link-ups, new starts and finishes to existing routes.	Create (1) much easier/ harder combination (new anchor) or variation with quality & new characteristics.	Create (2) easier/harder combinations (new anchor) without a clear line, new characteristics or quality.	Create (3) or more combinations, variations of the same grade and characteristics with no clear line. Downclimbing link-ups. Good training but not worth a name/grade.

9. Chipping/Chopping Changing mother nature by drilling, hammering or sikaing.	Clean a route from loose stones.	Create a new hold to make a superb route possible.kljklj..........kjkkl	Improve or worsen holds. Sika.
10. Onsight coaching What are you allowed to yell?	General screaming - 'You can do it', 'C'mon', 'Go on', 'Breathe', etc.	Instructive and adaptive screaming in order to coach.	Yelling things like; 'the route goes to the right', 'the rest of the route is easy', etc.
11. Flash with beta How much info is reasonable?	Getting as much beta as possible from other climbers on the ground.	Look at the holds from a neighbouring route.	Rapell down to look at the route to find the most obvious line.
11. Downclimbing - An old style, in order to claim as many pre-clips as possible.	If it is for safety reasons you can always start with one pre-clipped.	Downclimb but not un-tie.	Climb the route. Later do the downclimb. Jump instead of downclimb.
..kjkkjlllllllklllll

Rating in theory and reality - "Everything is relative?"

In climbing, difficulty grades are used for measuring the performances of the actives(see Grading scales for Routes and Bouldering). This differs from most other sports where the actives compete in seconds, centimetres, points or through a game or fight, usually attended by a referee. So, how does the grading system work? Who's to determine a grade or if a route needs down-grading? What's a route and what's just a long boulder? Are you trying to maximise your climbing skills or are you chasing easy grades?

The rating system in climbing is primarily a means of making it easier for climbers to choose routes/boulders that are within his or hers capability. Secondly, it's a way for the climber to watch his/hers progress and compete with oneself. Lately though, partly because of 8a, the grading system has become a means of demonstrating how good a climber is compared to others, partly to improve the strife for glory and sponsors. This article tries to cover both the theory and the reality of the grading system, a theme that this site depends on. 8a.nu is looking forward to your comments...

In contrast to Einstein who actually showed that 'everything is not relative' but that there is an exact relationship between mass, time and space, the grading system in climbing is indeed relative, at least until a grade has been confirmed or changed by the climbing community. Rating is generally based on a subjective suggestion from the creator or first ascender (FA) of a route. Hence, rating is not and will never become a precise science. The suggested grade by the first ascender of a new route will always depend on the FA's relative experience of that particular difficulty and type of climbing. And, since climbers differ in physical abilities, such as reach, endurance and power, various climbers will suggest different grades for the same route. A grade is therefore a measurement both of the difficulty of a route/boulder and of the effort and time invested by the climbing community climbing it. With time and/or after much activity on a climb a more definite grade can be recommended. However, a grade will always remain plastic and open for change.

Albert Einstein

Down- or upgrading is necessary when several climbers at the level of the grade in question think that a grade is incorrect.

Downgrading is, however, a sensitive issue since the personal best for climbers at a particular level often includes the same routes/boulders. This on the other hand, implies that these problems are soft for the grade. Climbers will very quickly find out if there's an 'easy tick' of a high grade. Then again, it could only be that a particular route/boulder is very popular.

Grades given in guidebooks, at least the ones covering popular areas, are usually correct, though there will always be controversy about some of the climbs, especially newer ones. We know several examples of first repeaters that don't bother correcting the grade but confirm the initial fairy-tale suggestion. In doing this, they're only convincing themselves of their greatness. Surely, we all know climbs in the neighbourhood that are over-graded. On the other hand, there are a lot of climbs and areas that are disappearing into oblivion because they're considered sand-bagged. To this we can only say: upgrade, routes/boulders that are worth climbing should be climbed!


Practical examples of grading

Personal best!
If a route/boulder constitutes the personal best for several climbers, that climb could be up for a downgrade.

Number of red-point (RP) attempts/success ratio versus time/success ratio!
The number of RP-attempts on a climb in a day depends on how much rest is needed in between attempts. On a short climb, or a climb with an early crux, 10 or more attempts could be possible on a day, whereas on a long, pumping climb, only a few attempts might be possible per day. As a result, many climbers consider long and pumping climbs to be sand-bagged, though they're actually just harder to red point

Red point grading versus on-sight (OS)!
It's not possible to grade a climb in relation to it's RP/OS ratio. The grade should only reflect the difficulty of the easiest way up, not how easy it is to find that way. In theory, however, all routes could have a supplementary grade for OS, but this would make the grading system even more arbitrary.

Technical skills versus power?
Since it's easier and faster to acquire power than technique, we believe that the rating of power demanding climbs should be kept down. Take any teenage gym-rat and he/she will claim that the overhang ratings are considerably softer than the vertical ratings. Then again, looking at differences in power between men and women, I believe most women would claim that the it's the short steep routes that are sand-bagged.

Natural protection versus bolted routes?
In the British rating system, naturally protected routes are given higher grades if they are considered severe. A real death trap is graded E10! This system is unique for Britain and in most areas climbs are not rated higher if they're dangerous. However, one should bear in mind that when placing gear, as you do in traditional climbing, you generally have to spend more time at each section, even the crux, and sometimes, for safety, you have to place protection in a potential hold, making the climb harder than it would have been if it was bolted.

Now versus then
Traditionally, climbing took place on vertical routes away from civilisation, and the first ascender had the possibility to conquer the mountain and grade the ascent. Today, most training occurs indoors at gyms with steep overhangs and campus boards, producing a new type of climbers with multifaceted skills. This has changed the success ratio on older routes and boulders, suggesting that some of these climbs should be downgraded. Most probably, routes/boulders including dynos (dynamic moves where you let go of the feet) will face the same development as dynoing becomes more popular and our level of performance increases. In terms of upgrading, we will probably see the upgrading of a number of popular climbs as holds get more polished or break off.

How to climb harder grades!
When training to become a better climber, we're often told that we're suppose to strengthen our weaknesses. This is good advice and will make us more all-round as climbers. However, based on what's been discussed above, achieving harder grades could require the opposite, to practise our strengths. For example, if you're lucky enough to hold a certain talent, such as power, endurance, reach, or hand/finger strength, your best option for a higher grade is to aim for climbs that requires your special talent. This doesn't mean you shouldn't practise your weaknesses, just don't forget your strengths!

 

PAGE 23-24: COMPETITION ARENA 2006

PAGE 25: AD (full page E1000)

PAGE 26-42: 100 CLIMBERS OF 2006 (Sharma Durif 1.Hirayama)

This section includes 8a’s subjective lists of the 60/20/20 best climbers/juniors/35+ 2006. The lists are based on performance, lifestyle and character and includes climbers such as C Sharma, P Usobiaga and C Durif. Climbers will be presented in order of rank where some of the more prominent and characteristic climbers will be profiled with comments, analyses and photos.

1.       Chris Sharma USA-DWS and Life style interview
2.       Patxi Usobiaga Spain-World Cup winner, #2 in the ranking, including two 8c onsights etc
3.       Angela Eiter Austria-World Cup winner

Pic: P Maurell

Pic. T Wenzler

4.       Dani Andrada Spain-#1 in the ranking
5.       Charlotte Durif France-European Champion
6.       David Lama Austria-European Champion
7.       David Graham
8.       Tomas Mrazek
9.       Josune Bereziartu 10.   Jorg Verhoeven The
11.   Kilian Fischhuber
12.   Natalija Gros
13.   Daniel Woods
14.   Jerome Meyer France
15.   Maja Vidmar
16.   Ramon Julian Puigblanque Spain
17.   Sandrine Levet France
18.   Adam Ondra Chech republic
19.   Flavio Crespi Italy
20.   Yuji Hirayama Japan

21.   Olga Bibik Russia
22.   Dai Koyamada Japan
23.   Martina Cufar  
24.   Sean McColl Canada
25.   Anna Stöhr Austria
26.   Christian Core Italy
27.   Caroline Ciavaldini France
28.   Fabi Christof Germany
29.   Dave McLeod UK
30.   Ines Papert Austria

31.   Barbara Bacher Austria
32.   Rosta Stefanek Czech Republic

33.   Emily Harrington  USA

34.   Katharina Saurwein  Austria
35.   Nalle Hukkataival Finland
36.   Markus Bock Germany
37.   Kinga Ociepka Polen
38.   Alex Chabot France
39.   Jody Hansen USA
40.   Edu Marin Spain

PAGE 41-46 LIFE STYLE PROFILES (, Huber, Sharma)

For most climbers, climbing is a lifestyle and not just a sport. This section presents climbers that haven’t stopped at one thing but continued to develop their skills withiin different areas of climbing ( and probably A Huber). Here we also present the interview with C Sharma from kalymnos.

PAGE 47-53:  8A TRAINING ARTICLES (power, endurance, mental)

This section will include edited versions of 3-4 8a articles on Training, including power-, endurance- and mental training (see below for an exampel).

In general terms, all finger techniques are equally good. However, different techniques suite different climbers, holds, angles and rock. Most climbers have a dominated finger position and this position is therefore trained frequently, meanwhile the abandoned techniques are getting weaker. A balanced gripping repertoire is the key factor for any top-climber. Introduction article-2002!

Your preferred technique usually depends on where and how you began to climb. If you started out on verticals with crimpers you are probably strong in a  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">closed crimp position, while if you started out on steep indoor bouldering your strongest position is  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">open crimp. Climbers that have started out on small limestone pockets and slopers, like in , are often very skilled in  style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">open hand.

Recruiting muscle fibres

The good thing is that, through recruitment training of your finger muscles, it is relatively easy to adapt and increase the strength of the different finger positions. In bouldering, you have probably noticed that you feel stronger by the number of tries. This is in fact partly due to recruitment. For each try, more muscle fibre is being used and coordinated.

PAGE 54-59: PHOTO-COMPETITION (5 best pictures of 2006)

	Pic Sam Bie
	Pic Sam Bie

PAGE 60-66: SWEDISH PAGES (Said Belhaj etc)

Since 8a started of as a swedish page we wanted to include some country specific pages from . Here we present the swedish ranking, some local news and a few swedish profiles (Said Belhaj and Johan Luhr, 35+).

 

Page 68 BACK COVER (ad at Euro 3000)

A lesson of Lifestyle and friendliness: The Petzl Roc Trip Kalymnos 2006 - Old informative article from Kalymnos

Andrada on the Ultimate route Pic: Anna Piunova mountain.ru	Sharma on the Ultimate route Pic: Anna Piunova mountain.ru
Andrada flashing the 8b route Pic: Devaki Murch/Prana	Cufar on the women Ultimate route Pic. Devaki Murch/Prana

 

It is amazing to see how much Petzl and Kalymnians put in to make the Roc Trip a great experience. Petzl sent two guys who worked for six weeks to put up new routes included the Ultimates. There was slide shows by Huber, Sharma, Bodet and Petit. Different restaurants gave us dinner coupons for every evening and it ended up in a party all night long at the Plaza Hotel. 8a were actually invited to a dinner with the major who asked for tips in order to make it better to climb at Kalymnos.

Even the grades are super friendly. 8a has been involved in some down gradings for the new topo but there are many more to come. Chris Lindner suggested 8b for Lucky Luca extension which is 8c in the topo -'100 % excellence though'. Kalymnos has still probably the friendliness grades in the world.

Most of the 20 pros and Chris Sharma say that you should focus on climbing instead of training in order to improve. Get your (performance) motivation just from climbing and your preferred climbing lifestyle.

We also did a long interview with Chris (it will appear in the yearbook). In addition, one of our reporters asked him about 8a's speculation on the grade of his DWS. 8a has suggested 9b if you include the mental challenge?
Chris said: "Grades are helpful to measure progress but I rather search for the perfect lines. It felt (physically) like 9a but you might be right with your suggestion...the anxiety before the dyno... we will see" ;)

Pringle, Htenas, Lindner, Sharma, Becan, Crastev, Huber, ?, Andrada Sansoz, Brown, Ojeda, McClure, Cufar, McCall, Durif, Lamiche Belhaj, Graham, Bodet, Petit	The amazing Grande Grotta
The Ultimate routes which Andrada, Sharma, Durif, Cufar and Ojeda did.	Fantastic 7c at Grande Grotta
Dani Andrada on the Ultimate route Pic Sam Bie	Alex Huber on a 7b+ at Sikati Pic: Sam Bie

 

8a has been to

Almost. We watched  the bouldering dvd from the Soul Cal crew -

attacking the boulders from and Stoney Point to Bishop,

, the Tramway and . Fabolous west coast bouldering

on stellar sandstond, volcanic and granite.

After the first seven sequenses (impressive topouts, somtimes seemingly without  any spotting and crashpads)  we got  kind of irritateted, : are these overhuman climbers  ever goanna fall off?

Well, oh yes! Got the answer in the best part of this dvd:

Belly flop (v12/13): Chris Lindner finally makes it, after a impressive lot of tries,

this is not bouldering  - this is gymnastics!

gives you a lot of bouldering to watch (V5 classics to V13 first ascents),

inspiering female topouts from Natasha Barnes, ...and makes you wanna travel

in . Now. Engergetic music, why we noticed the video at first

(but  it´s actually a it´s a relief when you get to hear people speak).

At times, cool surf-and ski attitude in not present  in climbing.

Here you get it! And it includes some wanking off when it comes to efffects,

but just shut your critical mind off and enjoy the boulders.

Slippin ass white boy! For example.

, A Bouldering Vid.

Director and production:  Paul Dusatko for Integrity7 Productions

Music: DJ Revolution

Climbers: Natasha Barnes/ Chris Lindner/ G. Gregor/ Buck Branson

is distributed and sold in by Tielma Productions. Tielma Productions also releasd a DVD from the Nordic Championships in bouldering.