Jain Kim from South Korea, who has won 30 World Cups, was watching the male Olympic Boulder final and was like many fascinated by the artistic work of the third boulder. But when the commentator Jonny Bryan described it she got very upset, "...created by the Japanese and french route setters to give an image of a Japanese rising sun." (c) Leo Zhukov

Jain Kim has explained on Insta why she got upset and has sent her complaint to IFSC. The reason she wanted the bring it up is the missing awareness and that there was no apology from any part for the unintentional hurt feelings." A rising sun flag is the military flag used by Japan during WWII, which symbolizes Japanese militarism. To the victim countries, the Rising Sun Flag is no different from Hakenkreuz, the symbol of the German Nazi for the victim countries. Therefore, the Rising Sun Flag is always an extremely serious issue between victims and Japan, including South Korea."

Has there been any reactions in the general South Korea media?
There were many media articles news already in Korea and one famous professor has officially appealed to the IOC.

According to this article, South Korea formally, in 2019, requested IOC to ban the flag in the Tokyo Olympics.

IFSC has responded to Jain that it was a mistake by the commentator and that none of the boulders was intended to portray any symbols. Jain has answered that she finds it very strange that a British commentator could pick up that symbol without being told so, as she herself did not see it before the commentator announced it.

It should be noted that both Jain and myself have tried to get in contact with Mr Bryan without success. 8a has previously acknowledged that he did a very good job especially during the Lead final, having full control over all mathematical scenarios.

It should also be mentioned that this boulder was probably also the worst ever set in an IFSC competition when it comes to difficulty. Everyone reached the zone on the first attempt but then only Adam Ondra could control the following hold once. All others fell directly after the zone, although there were another 3-4 moves to secure the Top.

Andy Lamb, who did his first two 8B+' in 2019, has done his first 8C+, Creature from the black lagoon in RMNP. The great classical line was put up by Daniel Woods in 2016 and this was the eighth repeat.

"I had originally planned on focusing more on Blade Runner (right next to Creature), but on a lot of days it felt too baker to try Blade, so I’d work on Creature instead. I had a breakthrough day where I had a good go from the bottom, and I knew it was time to fully commit to becoming the Creature. The process was a bit up and down after that, I’d have sessions where I felt really good and then regress the next session. My send go was pretty unexpected to me, the holds had felt too hot when I was warming up, and I didn’t think I had a good chance. Just tried hard and surprised myself!"

The Youth World Championship in Voronezh in Russia (six hours east of Moscow by train) started today and will continue to the next Monday 30/8. Besides Russia, Great Britain, Slovenia, Ukraine, USA, Kazakstan and Italy are sending the biggest teams. Japan, which has dominated the last years, is only competing with 15 youngsters and almost always with just one person in any of the 18 age/gender categories. Anybody, who knows if there will be any live-streaming?

Last December, Shawn Raboutou made the FA of Big Z 8C+ in Tahoe with very complicated foot work. In total, he has now done a handfull 8C+ meaning he has one of the most impressive tick lists out there.

Ashima Shiraishi reports with a video on Insta that she has done Jade 8B+ in RMNP. "I poured my heart into this bloc over the span of a few years, and finally overcoming this one was a special moment." (c) Daniel Gajda from 2019.

During the same day the 20-year-old also did Riddles in the Park 8A+, Golden Rows of Flows 8A and Blood Money stand 7C+, the latter "the most desperate of sends."

Ashima has been one of the best female climbers since she did her first 8B at age 10. The next year she did her first 8c+. As a matter of a fact, based on her Top-5 routes and boulders being 13-years-old, she was Top-10 among the male. Then the next year, in 2016, she did the first female 8C. Since then, she has mainly focused on comps, making the finals in 8 out of 9 Lead WCs and Championships the following two years.

Christoph Hanke, who was #12 in the Chamonix World Cup in July, reports on Insta that he has repeated Alex Megos Pornographie 9a in Céüse. (c) Rainer Eder

How ćome you did not use a knee pad and what are your next plans?
I didn't use a kneepad because Alex did not use a kneepad in his first ascent. For myself I try to minimalise using kneepads when it was not used by the first ascent. But there is no judgement at all it's my own philosophy. I am going to Barcelona to set the first routes in the new gym of Chris Sharma, the "Sharma gava climbing gym". The next World Cup in Lead is in Kranji in about two weeks and then comes the World Championship in Moscow.

Marine Thevenet reports on Insta that she has done Antidote 8B in Rocklands. In total, the full time lawyer, has now done close to 70 boulders 8A to 8B. (c) Clément Lechaptois

"We spent three weeks in Rocklands in July which we had missed so much! It was our 4th trip there :) It was colder than our previous trip so we climbed a lot in the plain instead of the pass which allowed me to try new and différent boulders! I managed to climb Antidote in 4 sessions. The first move cost me a lot of trouble but once I did it I topped :)"

Did you do any other hard boulders?
I did Quintessential 8B, the best boulder of my trip; perfect rock, so pure! Two 8As, out of which, Light Saber quickly, and Stratégic balance (under the Finnish line) after several sessions. Really hard to find a beta for a short climber ;) I still have a lot to do next summer 😁

In the last World Cups prior to Tokyo 2020, very few of the Olympians participated. In the very last event in Briancon, only the gold medal winner Alberto Ginés López participated. In the coming Lead World Cup, taking place in Kranj 3-4/9, only five females and Jakob Schubert and Ginés López are registered to compete.

The registration to the World Championship in Russia starting 16/9 is not closed but it seems again few of the Olympians will participate. As an example, both Slovenia and the Czech Republic have listed their participants but Janja Garnbret and Adam Ondra are missing.

IFSC reports that due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, “The IFSC Lead and Speed World Cup in Xiamen from 15 to 17 October, and the IFSC Boulder and Speed World Cup in Wujiang from 22 to 24 October, will no longer take place. Therefore, the World Cup in Kranj, Slovenia, will see the closing of the Lead season from 3 to 4 September, and the Boulder season will conclude in Seoul, South Korea, from 1 to 3 October.“

Moritz Welt has flashed his first 8c, Nordic flower in Flatanger. It took him 30+ minutes doing the 60m upside down climb and involved ten knee bars. (c) Franz Kaiser

"Just perfect. Planned to go for the flash before the trip, studied all the videos, watched some guys trying, gained endurance for 2 weeks and today finally executed it. Thx especially to Miro for the first pitch beta! One of the best routes I have seen!"

How did you like Flatanger?
The surrounding is totally impressive. Only rock and water. Some meadows and nice views. I think there's no need to say how impressive the cave is :) We also do some fishing here which is super fun.