Jon Cardwell spent some three weeks including 30 tries on La Rambla but no success. "It was very hard for me, mostly because I arrived to Spain with poor endurance. It was good training for Oliana (Papichilo) though! More than anything, it was a mental challenge for me as I kept falling at a single move, just before the main crux. It would be my opinion that with current standards, to climb to the move where you stab for a left hand two-finger pocket is most certainly a 9a; roughly where the original climb ends. What remains, with the best beta, is no more than 7c route in itself. However, people have fallen past this move to the pocket. Most certainly an impressive ascent in 1994 and one of the most difficult routes in the world at that time.

According official statistics on Similarweb, 8a has doubled up the traffic during the last four month and for the first time ever, we are now higher ranked than both Rock & Ice and Climbing. Interestingly, most of the traffic for our competitors come through links on Google and Facebook etc. The 8a visitors, instead, actively write www.8a.nu in the browser in order to get to 8a. Here is a "direct" traffic comparison including also showing that half of the traffic for our main competitors come from their country of origin. At the same time the 8a visitors are evenly spread around the world. 82 % 8a.nu: Traffic spread evenly around the globe 36 % UKC: Traffic 59 % from UK 26 % Planet Mountain: Traffic 59 % from Italy 24 % R & I: Traffic 49 % from USA 24 % Climbing: Traffic 46 % from USA It should also be noted that 8a is only focusing on sport climbing meanwhile our competitors cover and get visitors interested in all climbing disciplines.

Over the years I have been presented several light weight quick draws, when walking around Outdoor in Friedrichshafen. The smallest is probably the Nano from Camp at 22 grams which is very impressive but not so practical. This year they have answered the quest from the community by producing the Dyon Express which is a light weight but also grab friendly quick draw which is very safe and easy to clip due to the key locking closure. We have tested a sample for two months and if you also one of the guys who are afraid of falling and instead grab, the Dyon might be the best out there. The weight is 82 grams including the 11 cm dogbone. More info

Lair Thibault has done his second 9a FA in Bielsa, La Hija de la Luna which was bolted last year by Christian Sebie. It took him ten sessions and the next plan is to go to Rodellar this summer. "It's a very complete route. After a hard section with fingers, it becomes an endurance fest, then leads to the very physical crux. After a rest, a final difficult and athletic section finishes up. Bielsa is about thirty meters high. A large bulge is formed in the bottom of the crag and then and then it straightens up. There are 30-35 routes mainly bolted by Frenchmen."

BLUE ICE III from Christian Welkhammer on Vimeo.

On the 17th June 2017, Alex Megos climbed the first ascent of a new f9a+ at Götterwandl, close to Nassereith, Tirol. The route, named ‘Clash of the Titans’ links the start of Juturna f8c+ (which Alex climbed on his first redpoint the previous day) into the ‘Vulcanus’ project (as yet unclimbed). “I feel certain that this route is f9a+. The route consists of two distinct sections, the first part is around f8b+ /f8c and leads to a poor rest that was enough for me to take a moment to shake out. This is then followed by the crux. The sequence involved around 10 moves of consistent font 8a+ / V12 climbing. The moves are powerful and the holds are small. The crux finishes with a throw from an undercling to hit the top crimp and then there is easy climbing to the top. This is the first time I have been to the area and the Götterwandl wall was absolutely amazing. Tirol as a whole has been brilliant. I was shocked to say that I had never been before. I always thought I needed to travel far away to find more world class climbing; Tirol showed me that it’s possible to find incredible climbing right on your doorstep.” (c) Liam Lonsdale

Oriane Bertone, who previously has done one 8B, has done her 13th 8A, Psychopad assis in Colimaçons.

Alex Puccio, who was #4 in the Vail WC has done her 19th 8B, Bear Toss in RMNP. She has also done two 8B+ and she is the female who has done most hard core boulders in the world.