The Himalayan Times reports that the "Swiss Machine", was killed in an accident on Mount Everest. This was his last post on his Facebook page. "Quick Day from Basecamp up to 7000m and back. I love it; it's such a great place here. I still believe in active acclimatization. This is way more effective then spending Nights up at Altitude!" Ueli was known for speed climbing big mountains often solo all over the world. His plan this time was to climb Mt Everest by never repeated West Ridge/Hornbein Couloir route without using supplemental oxygen.

1. Keita Watabe JPN - Shauna Coxey GBR 2. Tomoa Narasaki JPN - Janja Garnbret SLO 3. Jernej Kruder SLO - Miho Nonaka JPN Complete results Excellent final with great route setting but some incidents. In the first boulder, Keita reached the top with the first hand one second before timing out but the judge gave OK for having matched and controlled in just split seconds. Even the commentators were not sure as it had previously been said that you needed "control the final hold for three seconds". The picture shows Keita just before the big cross over move and then he matched with his left hand on top. Split seconds later he got the control by the judge. Based on that the clock actually shows 2 seconds, when it is between 1 and 2 seconds left, we can conclude that Keita actually just controlled it for few split seconds before he got the ok by the judge. Further more, as in Chongqing, one topped and matched on the last volume but this was not good enough as the top hold was just a small micro. The last major incidents, besides a minor starting mistake, was that the clock stopped for Mei Kotake when only 12 seconds remained. After a small pause she was given 2 min more but could not get close to the top.

1. WATABE Keita 220 - COXSEY Shauna 280 2. CHON Jongwon 183 - GARNBRET Janja 227 3. NARASAKI Tomoa 169 - NONAKA Miho 167 4. FUJII Kokoro 166 - GEJO Stasa 136 5. RUBTSOV Aleksei 152 - KLINGLER Petra 131 Complete results

Almost 250 teenagers competed in the European Boulder Cup in Graz which was a new all time record number of participants. Austria, France and, to some extent, also Italy dominated and in fact, just these three countries won all Golds and got 13 out of the 18 medals. 97: Florian Klingler AUT - Laura Stöckler AUT 99: Sam Avezou FRA - Sandra Lettner AUT 01: David Marco Colombo ITA - Luce Douady FRA Complete results

Hétvégén lezajlott a kínai boulder világkupafutam. Felpörögtek az események, ráadásul számos érdekesség is övezi ezt a sorozatot. Kínai ha durrant, az mindig nagyot szól. Ők nem lacafacáztak: megpályáztak két boulder világkupa rendezést is (egy hét különbséggel), meg is kapták - és meg is tudtak felelni a kikötésnek: Idén a történelem során először Kínai is képes volt élőben youtube közvetítést készíteni! Végre... ezt is megértük. A héten szombaton pedig jöhet a Japán forduló. Aztán egy hosszabb szünet és június végén fogunk majd újra Ázsiába kalandozni az indiai boulder WC kövi fordulójára. Az erőviszonyok kezdenek megmutatkozni, míg csajoknál egyértelmű Shauna és Janja párharc lesz az összesített győzelemért, addig a fiúknál nem lehetne egyértelműen megállapítani. A japán Watabe idén eddig vezeti a ranglistát (3.,4.,1. helyezések), őt követi a koreai Chon (12.,1.,4. helyezések), harmadik Narasaki (21.,2.,2.helyezések) és ne feledkezzünk meg a mosolygós Fujii-ról sem (1., 9., 11. helyezések.) Európai oldalról pedig Jernej Kruder (11.,5.,3. helyezések) és David Firnenburg (6.,10.,8. helyezések) a legjelentősebb versenyzők. 1. Keita Watabe JPN - Shauna Coxey GBR 2. Tomoa Narasaki JPN - Janja Garnbret SLO 3. Jernej Kruder SLO - Miho Nonaka JPN

Climb2Climb reports that Simon Lorenzi, Lead Youth World Champion and winner of one Euro Cup in bouldering, has done his first 9a, Action Directe in Frankenjura. In total, the Belgian needed eleven days over three visits, in addition to some specific training. So why did you choose AD as your first 9a and what is the ambition for 2017? I choose Action Directe because I love Frankenjura. It's my style, the place is so historic and is the most famous 9a in the world. It is not far away from Belgium, just 5 hours from my home. This year, I will do the world cup in Lead and I hope to make many semi finals. Action Directe was put up in 1991 and has after being upgraded around 1995 been considered the first 9a until last year, when Hubble from Ben Moon in 1990 was proposed to be upgraded.

The qualification from Nanjing includes seven male Japanese climbers among the Top 15. The biggest surprise was that Alexsey Rubtsov, the overall WC Leader, ended #23, and that Jakob Schubert finished #37. Other big names that failed to make it to the Top 20 semifinal include Bonder, Gelmanov, Levier, Stranik, Skofic, Piccolruaz, and Sharafutdinov. Among the female competitors, the only sensation that did not make it to the semi was Alannah Yip, who was #5 last weekend. The semi final is streamed live 9-30 GMT+8 on Sunday morning. The final starts 18.30.

Annot A Bloc invites to a bouldering festival 20-21/5, one of the biggest events on natural boulders in Europe. A new area specially brushed for the occasion, with more than 80 new boulders, in all levels, on a perfect sandstone! More than 400 climbers, a big fiesta and lots of free animations. Video trailer - A contest on natural boulders will take place on Saturday for all-level climbers - Some climbing, tree climbing, rope course and rope bridge, free initiation, playful workshops, climbing equipment exchange, a raffle and many other activities will be available for this friendly weekend - A highly colorful evening , with a final at night-time, a giant BBQ, a slideshow and a Baléti (traditional dance)

Nalle Hukkataival is skeptical towards the Golden Piton 2016 he got from Climbing in regards, "Boldest move". "This Golden Piton appears to be awarded for my ascent, if only partially and in a slightly backhanded manner, but more so for how I had the nerve to suggest the grade that I did. “Perhaps Hukkataival isn’t one to contemplate the philosophical implications of new bouldering grades” (quote from climbing). Then Nalle continues; As someone who has dedicated his life to the sport and spends perhaps more time than anyone mulling over issues like this, I find a presumption like this pretty unwarranted." The fact is that Hukkataival invested 80+ days, not counting replica training, which could be compared to max 13 days for doing all the 8c's and 8c+ he has done previously. Based on that he said that he had no other choice than to go for 9A. Here is a Hukkataivalgrading theory and practice article from 2010 with lot of references to 8a articles.