NEWS

Tonsai at Railay still a paradise
16 January 2016

Tonsai at Railay still a paradise

Bjรถrn Dr 8a Alber, Tonsai local, active since 1999, comes with great news regarding Railay. "Contrary to popular belif I found Tonsai to be in the best shape in many years this year. As is evident in the picture of Ymer Alber on Tonsai playboy with Tonsai beach in the background. The infamous wall is there but only surrounds what is a much cleaner beach. The crowds were smaller but the Tonsai atmosphere is alive and kicking. The area enclosed by the wall is probably going to be built in to bungalow resort and along with that a severely needed new sewage system will be constructed Picture by Sumphon Suebhait (King of Railay) who has been running King climbing school and been writing his guidebook on Thailand climbs since 1996.

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The Game 8C by James Webb
16 January 2016

The Game 8C by James Webb

James Webb comes with great news on Instagram, with a picture from Isabelle Faus. "Cold conditions today in bocan but things seemed to work out. On my first go of the session I sent 'The Game' V15. Feels so good to finish it off just before rolling back home. Huge props to @dawoods89 for puttin up this beast and a huge cheers to the krew for stickin with me the past few days!" Daniel Woods made the FA in 2010 after 17 days of projecting giving it 8C+. Later Carlo Traversi made the second ascent giving it a personal grade of 8C, having found a better sequence which also Jon Cardwell agreed upon, although he broke a crucial hold. Woods said that some of the new holds used have gotten bigger due to brushing.

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16 January 2016

Two 7C traverses onsight by Oriane Bertone (10)

Oriane Bertone shows great fighting spirit onsighting Snake Cave 7C in Rocklands. The day after she did one more 7C problem.

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8b+ onsight for Steve McClure (45)
16 January 2016

8b+ onsight for Steve McClure (45)

Steve McClure has been on a great trip to Chulilla, where he onsighted a dozen 8a's and some harder routes, including Taka Okame 8b+. Not bad for a 45 year old. Here is his modest comment. Photo Keith Sharples "Great place Chulilla, loved it, super tech. One of best places I've been for ages, though its ages since I've been anywhere! Not sure I onsighted 8b+. how can one tell? Other than how it feels, and what the guide says! It says 8b+, other say 8b+, it felt 8b+. Still, I found it really hard, but onsight you never know, you get it wrong and you really can't say. But my efforts are irrelevant really, in todays climate, not even worth a mention, I'm amazed anyone is interested! Its almost embarrassing that a few of my routes would make 'news'. Still, maybe its because I'm so old I should have given up and grown up...."

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8a the leading global sport climbing website
16 January 2016

8a the leading global sport climbing website

Here are some official stats from SimilarWeb suggesting that 8a is the leading global sport climbing website. Measured by traffic, 8a is #4 but the higher ranked get most of their visitors from their country of origin. It is also interesting that all the other major websites do get most of their traffic from Google search, Facebook etc meanwhile 8a gets 87 % by visitors actively writing www.8a.nu in the browser. Thank you for your active interest :)

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8B+ and 8C by Kevin Lopata in Font
15 January 2016

8B+ and 8C by Kevin Lopata in Font

Fanatic Climbing comes with the great news that Kevin Lopata has done the 4th ascent of Misti 8C in Fontainebleau. The professional double bass musician at the music academy of Lille has also done Mรฉcanique รฉlรฉmentaire 8B+ in the forest. - "Misti is very esthetic line, with a continuous effort where I am quite comfortable in this style... Small holds, technical feet moves, resistance,... It just requires me to improve a little bit in undercling body tension...Not to bad for me. About Mรฉcanique, it's the opposite ! Big body tension, no foot, and a weird heelhook at the beginning. I like this style and I'm training a lot for that and it pays ! This 2 problems show to me that for having the success you must stay focused and work hard !"

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14 January 2016

Which skill do you lack the most?

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Daniel Woods has done most 8C's
14 January 2016

Daniel Woods has done most 8C's

Alex Beale has put together the most comprehensive 8C stats that are out there. Daniel Woods is #1 with 22 8c's and Dai Koyamada is #2 with 19. "To me, the data suggests that Daniel Woods and Dai Koyamada are neck and neck for the title of best boulderer ever. Just looking at the number of hard FAs and hard ascents, an argument could be made for either of them. Whatย’s more, each has a potential 8C+/V16 under their belt (albeit both unrepeated)."

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An interview with Alex Megos
13 January 2016

An interview with Alex Megos

Alexander Megos had really good days with outstanding sends in Margalef at the end of November, but he left some unfinished business. Such was the route which ended up being his first 9b, 'First Round First Minute', which he sent on his next trip to the area, the very last day of 2015. That plus what he fired-off the next two days (a 9a+, the FA of a 9a and the FA of an 8c+) made my head boil with questions when I saw him climbing... Read the interview here. Picยฉ Ignacio Sandoval Burรณn.

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13 January 2016

9a (+) by Alban Levier without a rope

Fanatic climbing reports that Alban Levier has made the FA of La Force giving the 30-mover a 9a although he did not use a rope. It is a direct and slightly harder version of an 8C he repeated before Christmas. It should be noted that some think 8C converts rather to 9a+ and bear in mind that it must be considered a hard 8C. Last year, the 21-year-old won one Boulder World Cup.
Alban Levier, ici proche, libรจre "la Force" 9a au toรฎt d'Orsay !

Orsay roof (Paris surburb), again ! Alban Levier (french bouldering team) opens a new harder variation of the integrality of the roof with ยซ La force ยป 9a ! After having sent the 3rd ascent of integrality of ยซ Quoi de neuf ยป (around 8C) just before Christmas, Alban didnย’t take any rest ! He was working the integrality of his variation ย“Verticalย’Artย” 8B+. This direct exit variation is harder because you are doing ย“Morpheusย” hard 7C boulder at the end instead of finishing with the classical final part or the roof (7B by the lip). 3 sessions work after, Alban opens this afternoon ย“La forceย” and proposes the route-grade of 9a for the difficulty of this challenge of 30 moves. The name of this new game is of course dedicated to regretted Rรฉmy Bergasse. Check the video-live of Alban running in the roof and very close to send last week-end !

Posted by Fanatic Climbing on Wednesday, January 13, 2016

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