The Melloblocco 2016 will introduce a new, open competition for the participants. Besides the legendary money blocks for pros, there will be a Smart Climbing Festival, based on the smartphone topo app by Vertical Life. The contestants can follow the competition circuits of Val di Mello, check the topos, mark their boulder ascents and upload pictures to the livestream – all by using the associated app guide. The system promises to become a new, fun way of holding an open competition, allowing climbers to participate in the individual or teamscore. The live rankings can be tracked at all times. The pre-registration is open. More info here. Download Vertical-Life App.

Alex Puccio has had a productive session day in Hueco Tanks sending Crown of Aragorn 8B and two 8A+'s: Full monty and Platonique. (c) Joel Zerr "This was my first day trying the boulder, but I have done the V8 stand start years ago. Last time i was in Hueco was about 4 years ago! Too long!!!"

R & I has published Belay Screw-ups and What To Do About Them. The big dilemma is that, like on the picture by Klaus Fengler, belayers tend to use a GriGri technique which is not authorized by Petzl. Ten years ago 8a suggested a GriGri technique which actually made Petzl change their manuals. At that time, most of climbers, including several of the most famous athletes, used a deadly dangerous technique. I personally made several celebrities change their GriGri handling. Later, Petzl introduced another belay technique which almost is not used. Now, most use something similar to what 8a suggested and what is shown in the picture. Safety is the most important issue in climbing and this article pinpoint the Petzl GriGri safety dilemma. Some three years ago, Petzl did withdraw a GriGri safety video that had been shown 0.5 million times as 8a had told Petzl that one of their famous athlete was using another deadly dangerous GriGri technique.

Blocmasters international will take place in Studio Bloc in Pfungstadt (Hessen, Germany) on 19-20 March. The competition is open for amateurs and professional boulderers. Names like Alexei Ruptsov and Jan Hojer are already on the list and the prize money is Euro 10 000. All profit will be donated to "Climbers Against Cancer" (CAC). More info and their the Facebook page.

James Webb continues his rampage in Fontainebleau and today he did Hipp Hop assis 8B and L'arete de boissy assis 8B+ as well as his second session on The Big Island assis, which is a ten move long 8B+ into the 8C without any rest. (c) David Mason - Yea I'm a bit blown away by it at the moment.. We'll see how it goes. Going to have to train hard for this one! - Fell on the move pictured here once today and though there's only 5 more moves to the lip I feel so many sessions away from the full link.

A equipe é formada por Valdesir Machado, Edemilson Padilha e Ian da Rocha Padilha. Esse novo time promete muitas conquistas e superações, fique de olho nas matérias que estão por vir. Confira a matéria completa no blog da Território.

Loic Zehani has flashed La fracture sociale 8b+ near Seynes in Spot secret. Last year, Loic did his first 9a, being 13 years old. "This is a 20 meters route bolted by Jean Marc Oberli. The first part is about 15 mouves (8b) with stranges and dynamics moves after that you have an stamina part (more or less 7c+). There is no rest between the two part. It's my dad (He was redpointed the route two weeks ago) who flashed me perfectly the route (hands and feet methods!)

Influenced by the direct version of Le pied à coulisse 8C+ made by Charles "Mowgli" Albert which is thought not to be possible with normal climbing shoes, this article has been moved to the top again. Inspired by amazing Charles Albert, who does 8B+'s barefoot in Font, Jens Larssen wrote the article Sticking rubber toe plasters or separate big toes on shoes? Already 25 years ago, Marius Morstad, Special Adviser at the University of Sports in Oslo, who has been helping La Sportiva, Scarpa and 5.10 with shoe innovations, came up and presented the idea of a separate big toe compartment - The Claws. The shoe industry was not much interested but Marius says that it at least had some impact of the Mantra and the no edge concept from La Sportiva. - So to answer you question, that I have been able to inspire others so my visions could be materialized most be my biggest contribution. The vision is not truely materialized in a comercial product yet, maybe I should start my own company heehehe

The Big Island is the famous 8C in Fontainebleau and the sit version is supposed to be a ten moves long 8B+, which has been done. So 8B+ with no rest going into an 8C. The next level :) Picture by Clement Perotti