Katie "Lamb" Ledecky has done her third 8A+, A maze of death in Bishop which just took her three sessions. "Very technical movement on bad feet. The hardest part is figuring out the foot beta." The 21 year old has been climbing since she was 8 years old and being a teenager she did win the nationals a few times. Her next goal is to do Mandala.

Jonathan Siegrist has done his 29th 9a, Spicy Dumpling in Yangshuo. "Fickle boulder problem to an amazing endurance finish without good rest. Finding acceptable conditions is still the crux!" (c) Tara Kerzner In the 8a ranking game, Jonathan is #4 also including Jumbo Love 9b.

Here is the 12 year old 8a Access flyers with advices including some specific instructions from The Access Fund in regards Human Waste. As the climbing community is growing bigger, the number of access problems are increasing and although almost everyone behave respectful, it just takes some misbehaving to irritate the landowners etc. Spreading information and creating awareness are important but what is crucial is to actually talk directly to the climbers misbehaving. One way of making this easier, is to post signs at the crags meaning we only have to refer to something "official" while talking to the climbers with bad access behavior.

Adam Ondra has described his onsight of Just Do It 8c+ at Smith Rocks with a great picture of Bernardo Gimenez. Good news is that they also got it on video. "It was freaking windy, but I was hoping that down at the base it would be less windy than up in the pass from where it is really nice to check the route. I was trying to convince myself by seeing the no quickdraws moving in the lower bit (well, those quickdraws are in vertical wall so it is clear they were not moving so much). At base it was too obvious that it was freaking windy. But I just set off." Full story at his Insta.

Over the years, Japan has become the most successful nation in the Lead and Boulder World Cup. In the Combined World Cup 2018, Japan male had four in Top-6 and the female three in Top-7. In male Bouldering, ten out of the Top-21 in the overall WC are from Japan. Based on the Asian Championship, where as an example Japan did only get four male in Top-9, we can see that also other neighboring are coming strong. In the Combined YuFei Pan (18) from China was #3. It just might be that Asians will dominate in the future. South Korea has been one of the best countries in the world for a while but now also the youngsters from China and Hong Kong is knocking at the door. In a few years, it just might be that also these countries will advance high up in the rankings. National Team Ranking Lead + Boulder in 2019 1. Japan 3 618 2. Slovenia 2 817 3. France 2 263 4. Austria 1 805 5. South Korea 1 313 Complete results

Miho Nonaka, who won the Bouldering World Cup in 2018, set a new Speed PB in the Asian Championship at 8.57. As a matter of a fact, three times she did go below nine seconds which can be compared to Janja Garnbet and Akiyo Noguchi who has never gone under 10 seconds in an IFSC event. Among the male, Keita Dohi was fastest at 7.18. Winners of the Combined event were Meichi Narasaki and Akiyo Noguchi. Interesting was also that Bouldering specialist Kokoro Fujii won in Lead.

David Firnenburg, #3 in the Combined World Championship in 2016, has done Classified 9a in Frankenjura. Pic from his Insta from last month when he did another 9a. "Riding the sending wave after winning lead nationals. Feeling fit after Southern France and some training back in the gym. Nice fingery route on pockets and crimps with dynamic move to saving hold in the end. 9a in my opinion. Let's keep the ball rolling..."

Osp/Misja Pec in Slovenia is #17 in the 8a crag data base with 25 871 ascents. During many years there have been access issues also related to parking although a new bigger was opened. "Since the day it was opened we are witnessing illegal camping and disrespectful behavior from some members of our climbing tribe." More info on the specific rules etc to follow on their website as well on Insta.

British legend Johnny Dawes is back on the game after a long process of efforts. A year ago he did Abuela Carmen 8a in La Pedriza, Spain. That day he tried on a top rope Inuït 8b+ just for fun and fixed it as a goal for the next season. The last week he tried first to check the moves and sent it on his second go. More info on his Insta. ©Talo Martin Known as the developer of the dynamic climbing, in 1985 he bolted Meltdown 9a slab. In 1986 he fell in the last bolt due to a hold broke in the last hard moves (video of 1986 trying the route with Jerry Moffat). Meltdown was FA'd by James McHaffie in 2012 and recently repeated by Ignacio Mulero in 2018.