Adam Ondra reports on his Instagram. "The hardest route Manolo (Maurizio Zanolla) has done - Eternit 9a (maybe 9a+). And one of the hardest vertical face climbs in the world for sure. No success yet. " (c) Petr Pavlicek Beside climbing, Ondra has been a role model on 8a when it comes to take a stand against chipping and giving personal grades, actually since he was 14 years old. Reporting failure in order to give credit to others, he has done before, and here he is almost unique. Manolo put up Eternit in Feltrine as a 9a in 2008 when he was 51 years old. In 1990 he made the FA of Appigli Ridicoli at the same crag and graded it 8b+, nowadays some say it is 9a. If Manolo would have used the modern (Lleida) grading, he would have been much more recognized. Thanks to Ondra, this will very soon be a reality.

Mina Leslie-Wujastyk had a bad accident on a 9a where she rotated up-side-down. On her blog she said it was because her harness was too big. Later we discussed this with Mina and addressed that also the construction of her harness could be part of the reason for her accident. In the aftermath of this we have tested the Hirundos and Sitta harness from Petzl and found out that they are safer, i.e. less of a risk to rotate as Mina did. In the picture of the Sitta you can see that the length of the strap connecting the leg loops with the tie-in point is rather short, red color. This means that the tie-in point can not move as long towards the hip as it most likely did for Mina. Flexible leg-loops with a long strap to a big and loose tie-in point (black) is what you should avoid. The Petzl harnesses are just two great and comfortable light weight harnesses but most impressive is actually it's buckle making it super fast to put on and adjust. Hirundos info. The Sitta, more info which at 240 grams (small) is like 12 % lighter is at the same time more than 60 % more expensive (~140 Euro) than Hirundos. Other then that, it feels the same due to a more advanced construction. At the same time the leg loops (blue) stretches a bit more.

The 8a data base consists now of 4.5 million quality rated ascents that will help you to find the best crags and climbs in the world. Go to "Crags" and you can search the Ticklist to find the highest star rated, the most popular, the most onsighted or flashed etc. Through the mobile adjusted beta.8a.nu you can also find the nearby crags closest to your position and driving instructions etc.

Our server provider has some problems this weekend. Until they have solved it, please visit beta.8a.nu which is much faster.

Fanatic Climbing has made an interview with Baptiste Dherbilly after he has done the first ever repeat of Salamandre 9a+ in Saint-Pierre which Fred Rouhling put up in 2007. The 24 year old French, who did it after 17 sessions, says he can not comment the grade as he previously has done just one 8c+, also from Fred. "This route was a myth for me because the poster of Fred was my first climbing poster when I began climbing... I would like to insist on the fact it was really a sharing and collective adventure and this is the reason why I’m climbing. Without belayers and without the hours of discussion it would not have been possible! I would also insist on the importance of the present moment. This is what pushes me to climb routes at my limit because they give unique feelings. It is very great sensation to feel where we have to be very millimetric and 200% in what we do, to focus one movement after another and nothing else matters. This is a state that I find trying this route: a state of both ultimate concentration and letting go on everything else.« (c) Etienne Seppecher Documentary video of Rouhling's ascent

Would it not be great if Ben Moon could make IFSC route setters use his Moon Board for one World Cup problem? Then everyone could actually try it out and check the standard of the best in the world.

Alexey Rubtsov, World Champion in 2009 and #3 in the World Cup this year, has done the first 8C in Russia, Whiplash in Lietlahti Park. (c) Nikita Tsarev "First time I tried it in 2015. Every year I made one or two trips trying it but most often it was impossible to work normally, due to very quick weather changes. This autumn I already did one trip, but boulder was wet and I did just one session. Returning home, I began to closely monitor the weather and waited for the window. When the forecast was positive, I got into the car, only 12 hours behind the wheel and I'm on the rocks. This time I climbed the project on the second day, I spent about seven total. Lietlahti is a new crag, but it is very close to the Triangular Lake, only 2-3 km. Together they are really great! You can find a lot of bouldering on granite. Now there are boulders of all categories, many hard. There is also a rope. Perfect place:) The potential still exists. Basically, we climb the nearest stones. In the forest we do not go far when I finish everything I will look for new routes." The Russian also explains that he has done some Speed climbing session doing the track in 8 - 9 seconds. The next year he will compete in all three disciplines in order to prepare for the Olympic qualifications.

Finally, after 13 years, the east face of Pedra Baiana was conquered by the five climbing friends, in an expedition which lasted 14 days and yielded 17 tough pitches up to 8b through the 800 vertical meters of one the most difficult routes in Brazil, named Sangue Latino.

Taylor McNeill has done his first 8C, The Big Island in Fontainebleau and it just took five sessions. In total, the 190 cm tall spent three weeks in Font but basically it was just the last two days there were prime conditions that made it happen. (c) Dawn Davis "Dream bloc off the lifetime list. No amount of words could describe my experience with this boulder. Literal last day effort, climbed the island, then added the two moves for the real start. I have no idea what 8C feels like...I have such a specific style that I’ve done 8Bs that felt harder. Perfect boulder. I am notoriously bad at crimps, but am really good at wide compression on big holds. I honestly don’t think I could find a rock climb more my style. I am pretty tall, yes. I’m about 6ft 3in (~190cm) and have a span of about 6ft 6in (~198)"