"I do not share my ascents on social media partly because I do not own a smart phone or any social media. I am just not interested in it. I also feel like if I did get a social media account, I would feel pressured to get more ascents and do more climbs so I could post about them. It would just overall be more pressure. To me, climbing is very special in that it is an individual sport and I only want to climb for my enjoyment. Climbing has many different perks to me. As stated above, I like the individual aspect, but I also like how it brings me closer to nature. I travel many amazing places for climbing trips where I wouldn't normally go. Another aspect of climbing I enjoy is how different it is every time. Each route is unique and different and brings me a new challenge." Connor Herson grew up in a dedicated climbing family with a big wall interest. Being 13 years old, he French freed The Nose in 13 hours with his father Jim. "Seriously, you can’t make your kids like climbing. You can only make them not like climbing." Family interview from 2014. "I made a goal last year to climb 14 5.14's (8b+ and up) before I turn 15 (early July). I have done 11 so far, and I know a few more I think I can do. For competitions, I want to make U.S. Team for lead climbing and compete in the youth world championships this August. I’m not interested in the results, I’m more interested in making it to finals so I can try all the climbs. I will spend much of the summer training indoors, but I still hope to get some trad climbing in at Yosemite or somewhere else in the Sierra. Basically, I want to keep a relatively even balance of outdoor sport and bouldering, outdoor trad, and indoor competition training." The 8c+ second go, in the headline, was Southern Smoke in Red River Gorge and it was his friend Zander Waller who gave us the tip of the amazing multi-discipline climber "slightly off the radar".

Martina Cufar, World Champion from 2001, has shared the snowy picture from Verdon. As a matter of a fact, the weather is terrible all the way from Siurana with heavy rain and even i the Céüse base camp, there is a risk for snow this night.

Stefano Ghisolfi has spent 13 days working on Chris Sharma's old project Perfecto Mundo in Margalef which both say might be 9b+. Taking some days off Stefano quickly did Gancho perfecto 9a in Margalef which was put up by Chris Sharma in 2008. This was just the third repeat after Ramon Julian Puigblanque and Adam Ondra. (c) Andrea Cossu We caught up with Stefano on his way back to Italy where he will do some more specific training and then probably go back in a weeks time. "Ganchon perfecto was totally unexpected for me, I tried few times and found it very hard. Then decided to give a go and sent it. My plan for 2018 is to do just the Lead World Cup and the World Championship plus some hard rock project. For the olympics I'm doing some speed and bouldering comps but just in Italy this year. From the next year I'll compete in international comps. Perfecto Mundo project first part could be 8c to a rest, then the main section starts, about ten intense moves with the crux that is a jump from a mono to a pinch which is the hardest move. I can do it as single move but not always. From there is still a bit hard, 8a+ to the chain I think." Sharma projecting video

Piotr Schab has done his third 9a+ through Chris Sharma’s Catxasa in Santa Linya which is a 45 meter long route bolted by Dani Andrada. "I needed two days to figure out the right betas and for my body to adapt to the moves, to finally send it in the first go of day three, feeling in control the whole way up." More iinfo his Instagram (c) Lena Drapella As it only took six tries in total, it seems the Pole is in his best shape ever. His big current project is Fight or Flight 9b in Oliana which he already have worked on for 15 days and he has another three weeks to go. In the 8a ranking game, the 21 year old is #2 after Adam Ondra.

UKC has published an article saying, "Guidebooks should omit specific Sport Route Lengths". For me this is wrong. Looking in a topo for planning which sector you want to do, it is great to know the length of the route. I mean, maybe you do not want to climb 10 meters routes and instead your focus is 30 meter long endurance routes or vice versa. To not include route length in the topo, mean you might end up at a crag with 35 or 40 meter long routes with just a 60 or 70 meter long rope.

Fanatic Climbing reports that Gerome Pouvreau has done Alex Megos Supercrackinette 9a+ famous after Adam Ondra's flash. “For the grade, after the 2 amazing guys who have sent the line before before me, nothing to add! A huge congrats to Adam for his flash, it’s very nice for our sport, and it’s also fascinating how he combines waiting, observation, projecting, sending… Hats off!” The day after Florence Pinot did La ligne claire 8c+ also in St Léger. Here is an interview with the former competition climbers who previously has done a couple 8c+' including Escalatamasters which some consider 9a.

Nando Zanchetta has searched the internet for the weight and length for some top athletes in order to measure BMI. Based on that IFSC reports males with lower than 18 and female with lower than 17, it seems under weight seems not be be such a big issue. Bear in mind also that Asians normally have a lower BMI and that goes also for teenagers. On the other hand, the Boulder World Cup winner 2017, Jongwon Chon from Korea has a BMI at 17.1 by 176 cm and 53 kg. However, coaches and athletes have said that it seems he actually eats healthy. He is just like some Asians, naturally very skinny.

Isabelle Faus has done the FFA of Delusion of Grandeur 8B (on the picture) and after she sent as well Electric Ant 8A+ in Chironico. Days ago she also did an 8A and 8A+. ©Chad Greedy "Wow! So psyched, super classic boulder. not my style at all....slopers.. really big crux move that is my full extension. Top out is high and committing and satisfying... I was scared on the slab! not usually an FFA type of girl.. I think its dumb in most cases.. but I think I'm the first girl to do this, and it's one of the most classic boulders in Ticino so thats kinda cool.. Went up and the Electric Ant (the new start) right after! Probably one of my best days of climbing!" Isabelle has logged on her scorecard 93 ascents from 8A to 8B+ and is one of the best boulderers of all time.