Sam Weir started climbing in 2012 and within a year he reached 8A. Last year the 27 year old did his first 8C and now he has done The Ice Knife 8C (B+) in Guanella Pass. "Amazing consistent compression climbing with some tricky toe hooks and small feet. Really extended in the arms. Probably not possible if you have a smaller reach than me? Took me 3 days but I have been training in the gym and climbing on Hypnotized Minds which is much harder. Feels to be the same grade as paint it black 8C, low end. Video"

Barbara Zangerl has done Cedric Lachat's Speed Integrale 9a in Voralpsee, which was a 10 m extension to Beat Kammerlander's Speed 8c+. It took Babsi some 15 days and the sending day was amazing. "What a day!!!!—at 7 a.m. I finished my nightshift at the hospital; right after we drove to Voralpsee; without any expectations. Energy was pretty low in the morning, but somehow the day ended with this crazy fight through this big route! On my last try of the day-> I DID IT!!!" Jacopo Larcher Interesting she did it the first time also doing Speed 8c+. "The extension is powerful on slopy pockets ...not easy to climb that with pumped forearms." Ten years ago, the 163 cm Austrian was one of the very best female boulderers in the world. In 2009, she got an herniated vertebral disc which had her to stop bouldering. Today, including trad FA up to 8c and several 8c+' in sport as well as world class multi-pitches and big walls up to 8b+ on El Cap, she is the best female multi-discipline climber. "I love all disciplines. I couldn't focus just on one all over the year. Next is Canada is a trip to Canada for June and July. Excited to go there for my first time. Always fun to see new places."

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Seb Bouin, who has done more than 20 routes 9a and harder has repeated two more: Nadesjda near Montpellier and Molasse’son for which he gives a personal 8c+ grade. (c) Sam Bie "I'm going to try and take a little bit of salt to deal with the following. And I will try to be as objective as possible in my reasoning. First of all, I would start by saying that the quotation of a track may be something that changes between the first ascent and the many repetitions that follow. Indeed, the process of first ascent makes it difficult to take a path. We spend more time, we break the catch, we don't have methods... it's normal that sometimes the quotations move in one direction or another. I have either been decotter or recoter about this, and I find it normal."

In 2013, Tito Traversa (12) fell to the ground from 18 meters due to quick draws fallen apart as they were only attached with the rubber band. Tito had just done his fourth 8b+ and he was on a youth trip with his local club including one instructor and two assistant-instructors but no parents at all. The Italian court has now said the unofficial instructor Nicola Galizia should be blamed and has sentenced him to two two years in prison and also judicial expenses in excess of 21 000 euros. However, Galizia is likely not going to jail as this is his first offense. Pareti.it has more info in Italian For Tito, forever in our hearts, video made by Christian Core which was presented at Arco Rock Master 2013 where Ramon Julian Puigblanque dedicated his victory to him. Tito's father have said we should keep his 8a scorecard as another memory of his son. Statement of Tito's father Giovanni.

The 2018 season has started out better and the local Kalymnos community is more optimistic then before and there are many hotels and apartments have done or are doing upgradings. Starting from June 1, Carian Hotel start up their 4 star services included also car rental. This is a high class luxury hotel, first of it's kind on the island, also with a SPA and relax and they offer half price for climbers in June, see picture. Aris T reports that 1 200 bolts and 200 anchors have arrived to the island. "This is our contribution to the island from the proceeds of the Kalymnos guidebook for 2018." The new updated topo will be released this autumn including several hundred new routes compared to the 2017 edition. Just Claude Idoux has over 200 new routes that will be included. When it comes to climbing shops, Adventure center has closed but Wild Sport is running a new one. "The last two years was rather slow with less flights and many trying Leonidio and other new Greece destinations. This year has started great with perfect weather and many old faces that are coming back. With the upgrading of the Kos airport we see more low budget airplanes coming and from what we have heard, Ryan Air will add more flights from different locations in Europe. We try our best and it is nice to see that the "low budget" destination gets upgraded every year and also welcoming a new segment of climbers."

Jonathan Siegrist has done the second repeat, after Ethan Pringle, of Chris Sharma's Jumbo Love 9b in Clark Mountain. In order to reach the 80 meter route you need to drive 10 miles on a bad dirt route and climb a 7c+ intro route. (c) Cameron Maier - Bear Cam Media More info to come

Niccolo Ceria reports on Insta that he has flashed Chris Sharma's Trifecta Middel 8B and James Morris' Mortality Sequence 8A in Flock Hill. Interesting is that they both only been repeated few times. (c) Gomez Garcia Gonzalez Niky's Insta is full of other great pictures and info about some new FAs, but no grades, in the stunning and famous boulder spot in New Zealand. With a couple 8B flashes previously, he should be considered as one of the best in the world.