Over the past few months Chris Schulte has been developing new proud boulders in an area previously known only as a crack climbing destination. In this new video he shows some of his new lines and tells about this special area. More info here.

Comparing the hardest reported male grades the last year with the hardest reported 8a news ten years ago, it has actually been a decline. In 2003, we reported the first 9b+, Chilam Balam and several 8C+ boulders; Koyamada (2), Calibani and Nicole. All these great ascents have been down graded. In this period, also several 9a+ and 8C were reported which when it comes to boulders, almost all have been down graded. When it comes to juniors, still the 2004 ascents are more impressive than the todays standard. Daniel Woods (15) did the FA of Echale 8B+ and Adam Ondra (11) onsighted eleven 8a+ and here is Adam's first interview.

Isabelle Faus has done Partage 8A+ in Fontainebleau considered by many as one of the very best aretes in the world. Very few female has previously done 8A+ in the famous forest. Isabelle, who did her first 8A when she was 16, is #3 in the world ranking game. "I did one session to figure out the beta, and got up pretty high, but couldn't figure out the top… Then I watched some videos of short people climbing it, went back, and did it the first try of my second day trying it.

Christian Bindhammer, who has done several 9a's and who has been #2 in three WC's, has done Prinzip Hoffnung 8b+ after five days projecting. The 38 year old has never tried trad climbing before and luckily he did it without any fall. "For me really something new, actually I wasn't sure how I'll climb if there is no bolt, but I was really surprised that I was very focused and absolute not nervous will trying from below. Climbing itself like toprope, the route is maybe 8b, but of course putting the gear it needs much more power and time, this makes the route around a grade more difficult. But sure you need a strong head for it... Or just to be more young and don't think to much what could happen

Hazel Findlay, one of the most talented female trad and big wall climbers in the world, has done her first 8c, Fish Eye in Oliana after seven days of projecting. (c) Walker Emerson Blog focusing on her adventures. "Although I don't focus on sport climbing so much I spend about 6 weeks each year sport climbing in Spain, mostly as training for something in particular such as a single pitch or multi-pitch trad route. This year I was supposed to be training for Freerider in a day (so mileage) but I got sucked in to trying Fish Eye.

Ramon Julian has set up El Desentreno Mental in La Cova de l'Ocell which is his 37th 9a and harder out of which twelve FAs. Ramonet, 159 cm, did his first 9a in 2002, the same year he won his first Lead World Cup out of twenty victories. As he also has been the world champion two times it is easy to say that he has been the best sport climber in the world counting the last twelve years. (c) M.alba

Kasia Pietras has done her first 8A+, I Portici in Osogna which is one of Fred Nicole's classic test pieces and which has been given three stars by all seven 8a entries. "Took me 6 days to complete this one... it was a great experience to project a hard boulder! Super psyched to have completed the boulder! Psyched for more climb- ing in Swiss!! I think it is a super classic boulder in Ticino, another great boulder that Fred Nicole has put up!! I'm super psyched that it's my first of the grade!

Based on close to 1 000 votes, (Favorite climbing clothes brand?), we can see so pretty dramatic changes compared to 2009. 29 % Prana (42 % 2009) 22 % E9 (14 %) 10 % La Sportiva - 07 % Moon (9 %) 07 % Mammut (7 %) 05 % Chillaz (3 %) 04 % Verve (6 %) 16 % Other (Nihil, The North Face and Adidas most mentioned)

Here is the Top-10 list of which active 8a members have done the most 8B+ and harder. In brackets is the last 12 months figure which James Webb is in the lead. It should be noted that the list is based on personal gradings and even if all have done many, James and Adam are sticking out. 1. Daniel Woods 73 (14 last 12 months) 2. Paul Robinson 72 (15) 3. David Graham 65 (7) 4. James Webb 42 (22) 5. Bernhard Schwaiger 34 (1) 6. Adam Ondra 31 (4) 7. Carlo Traversi 20 (2) 8. Chris Webb-Parsons 19 (4) 9. Jan Hojer 17 (8) 10. Gui-Gui Mondet 15 (5)