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.

Today climbing history was written by Moonboard Masters where five teams competed on a live-streaming simultaneously in Sheffield, Barcelona, New York and Osaka *2. The invited set ten new problems and you did get 200 points, + 20 bonus points for a flash, for a top to the 18th row on the board. Reaching and controlling a hold on row #10 gave 100 point and row #15 150 points etc. The maximum score was 2 200. Video 1. Alex Megos/Margo Hayes 1 920 points 2. Jongwon Chon/Miho Nonaka 1 730 3. Tomoa Narasaki/Akiyo Noguchi 1 700 4. Rustam Gelmanov/Katja Kadic 1 370 5. Daniel Woods/Kyra Condie 1 240

Alex Puccio has done her 11th 8A+ the last 12 months, Brown smurf in Hueco Tanks and she aims for more. (c) Sarah Filler "Another fitness boulder. Skin will be god for the project soon. Right Martini into the end REALLY small holds of Esperanza. Just as fun as right Martini. slightly harder moves at the end then Right Martini, but shorter." In total, the runner up in the World Champion in 2014 has done 75 boulders 8A+ to 8B+ which is way more than any other female, in spite having had several bad injuries.

Seb Bouin, who previously has done some 30 routes 9a and harder, reports on Facebookthat he has done La Rambla 9a+ in Siurana. (c) Tillby Vattard "This route is a piece of climbing history. For me it's a revenge to do it in 9 goes this year, because I injured my back 2 years ago on this route. In fact, I injured a herniated disc on the crux during a working session. It was really bad, but now it's really finish because I take my revenge. It's time to close french projects."