Based on a poll with close to 3 000 unique votes, in regards the most ground breaking ascents in 2017? 35 % Alex Honnold solo on El Cap 35 % Adam Ondra doing the first 9c 23 % Angela Eiter doing the first female 9b 05 % Margo Hayes doing the first female 9a+ 02 % Other

Paul Robinson has added another eleven 8A and harder boulders including two 8A' flashes just the last week. In total, he has now done 863 boulders 8A and harder including 16 8C's, making him #1 in the world. His first 8A he did in 2003 and during the last years, he has done 50+ boulders 8A and harder so he should reach 1 000 in 2019. What makes Paul special is also that almost one third of his recorded boulders are FA out of which many in new remote areas. Picture from Paul's Instagram by Matthew Hulet. Paul is also producing many videos and here is his latest from Joe's Valley

Oriane Bertone has done the third ascent of Psychopad rallongé 8B in Ravine des colimaçons which in total took her seven sessions. "Second 8B for me. Very happy to have succeeded the extended version of this boulder one year after Alban Levier. Thanks also to Grég Sobczak for opening this marvel, and to Marie Trouvé for this very beautiful film."

Hannes Puman, #11 in the Lead WC 2017, is now visiting La Pedriza in Spain and reports on his Instagram account that he has done Flor de Lotto 8B without one shoe. Also, he did in the same day 7A, 8A, 7B+, 8B, 7C, 7C+ , 8A FA flashed and a 7A+. In the pic flashing La Décima Revelación 8A. (C) Talo Martín - Muérdago Films

Ben Lepesant has written a long very interesting article published at Innsbruck 2018 IFSC World Championships in regards the competition scene where he has gotten some sharp quotes from Udo Neumann and Kilian Fischhuber. © H. Wilhelm / Innsbruck 2018 "Neumann sees great potential in Chon Jongwon for lead climbing: "If he takes it seriously, no one can beat him. He has the strength-to-weight ratio and the finger strength of Gelmanov, the same ability to move as the others from the new generation, and a unique climbing flow. I think that even Adam [Ondra] would have trouble keeping up with him, due to his poorer strength-to-weight ratio. As I said, Tomoa can visualise really well, and this surely helps him in lead too. His style is riskier though." Talking about Ashima Shiraishi, Neumann says that the new style of route setting does not suit her and Fischhuber agrees. "Her progress curve was steep initially, but recently it has flattened out." What makes it harder for her, says Fischhuber, is that she is not part of a strong training group like, for example, the young Japanese climbers around National Bouldering Champion Futaba Ito (15), who will compete in World Cups next year. Neumann generally criticises that many young climbers "train too much too early", which in his opinion "makes it harder to progress later on."

In regards to the IFSC 2017 review her are some thoughts on 2018. 1. Even stronger domination by the Japaneses which in practice means they will normally have 50 % of the finalists in Bouldering and 25 % in Lead. 2. Janja Garnbret will continue her extreme overall domination. 3. Most of the guys 25+ focusing on the Olympic combination will decline in their best discipline like Shauna Coxsey and Akiyo Noguchi. 4. The best boulderers like Chon, Narasaki and Coxsey will frequently make the final in Lead but the best Lead climbers will continue to struggle in Boulder. 5. Adam Ondra will dominate in the World Champion as ever winning the combination although not go below 10 seconds in Speed. 6. The trend with more volumes in both Lead and Boulder will increase. 7. Sub 7 seconds by some Japaneses who also will dominate in Speed 8. Alex Megos will kick ass in Lead and Boulder. 9. The Italians will continue their progress trend 0. Records in # of participants, live-streaming and general media coverage

Michaela Kiersch has had her best boulderingday ever flashing Diaphanous sea 8A and doing Barefoot on Sacred Ground 8A (+) and Dark Age 8A in Hueco Tanks. In the Combined ranking game, Michaela who has done three 8c+', is #1 among the female. (c) Nina Williams

Barbara Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher have made the first repeat of Magich Mushroom, 27 pitches up to 8b+ on El Cap. The FA was made by Tommy Caldwell and Justin Sjong in 2008. They have previously done El Niño and The Zodiac which makes Zangerl the most accomplished female El Cap climber. All details at Rock & Ice (c) Jon Glassberg Barbara reports on her Instagram: "Free Magic mushroom what a blast!!! I never thought that I can climb all those crazy pitches. Especially the last hard one (just before the top) took everything I had...physically and emotionally. Falling on the last long move right before the chains made it to my biggest mental challenge."

Moritz Welt has done Bloodgammon 8B in Frankenjura and it only took the 16 year old one session. This was his fourth 8B just in the last two weeks. Including also one 9a, Moritz is #3 in the Junior combined ranking. In total, he has done 12 routes and 37 boulders 8a and harder in 2017. In the preliminary 8a Junior of 2017, the German is #11.