Grading inflation is something to be expected and part of the game. The easiest way to find the softest grades is simply to look at the most repeated ones of the grade, in the world or at the local crags. Down-gradings have often created controversies, and in order to make them less dramatic we have, during the last ten years or so, labelled them as "personal grades" in the news. Even so, over the years, I have received numerous private messages from climbers who think a certain climb should be downgraded but they do not want to be the "messenger". Lately, on social media, I have read statements that some climbers will stop giving personal grades as they have been criticized or even attacked for their suggested downgrade.

The most classical example of a downgrade that has been featured on 8a is Mind Control in Oliana. The high-class route was put up in 2010 as an 8c+ and it immediately became very popular with many quick ascents. Two years later, Gabri Moroni was the first one to spit it out: "Everybody knows it's only 8c...but nobody will ever downgrade it :-P"

8a reported this and at the same time, we got private messages from other climbers saying it is no way 8c+. In 2013, Silvio Reffo flashed it and commented, "Very very happy for this route, but stay a dream send an 8c+ flash...8c is true," and we started to report it as an 8c (+). Currently, the superb route has 68 ascents in the 8a database, out of which the last 13 have marked it as 8c. Actually, 50% of the latest six repeaters have marked it as soft.

It should be mentioned that several top-climbers often suggest personal grades, but Adam Ondra sticks out with numerous personal downgrades since he was 14 years old. Other celebs frequently giving personal grades in the 8a scorecard are Alex Honnold and James Webb.

It is important to understand that grades can only be based on an average consensus if everyone is honest when giving personal grades. As a matter of a fact, it seems like, at most, one third of all climbers using the 8a scorecard officially suggest downgrades. At the same time, about two thirds sometimes mark routes as "soft" or "hard". This is very useful when we try to decide which grade should be published in the headline. Other facts that could impact which grade to report when in doubt are how many climbers have set a personal record with the climb or have done it relatively quickly. From a retro-perspective, even if 8a sometimes reports a lower grade than other media, exaggerated grades have been published hundreds of times on 8a.

The new commentators in the Boulder World Cup did a great job, but as usual they presented incorrect statements at several times when analyzing the live rankings. However, they should not be blamed as this has been the case for the last ten years as the scoring system is not logical and too complicated. Furthermore, even the live score presented on the screen is unclear. As a matter of a fact, 8a has presented the results as points instead of tops and zones for a couple of years.

Natalia Grossman won in Salt Lake City and in the IFSC rankings, her result is presented 4t 4z 15 14. By contrast, 8a just presents her scoring as 44 points. In other words, by giving a top 10 points and a zone one point, it is much easier to present and understand the result.

Hence, the 8a system just needs to present one point score, and occasionally the number of attempts when the score is tied. IFSC always presents four scores, i.e. quadruple the info to handle.

Eliot Stephens did the FA of The Origin Sit 8C last month. "Wales first 8C. Power fade climbing, and aggressive from the first single 8A move. Hardest so far.".

Natalia Grossman, who finished third in Meiringen, faced extreme pressure on the last boulder, starting last, having done nine attempts and not reached the zone with some 40 seconds left. Then she did the dyno to the zone, which secured the win, and with ease she topped it out.

Adam Ondra, who won in Meiringen, struggled a bit on the first Boulder doing it on his fifth go. Then he flashed the last three with ease looking superior, it seemed.

1. Natalia Grossman (19) USA 44 - Adam Ondra CZE 44
2. Oriane Bertone (16) FRA 34 - Mejdi Schalck (17) FRA 34
3. Brooke Raboutou (19) USA 33 (4) - Jakob Schubert AUT 33 (4)
4. Miho Nonaka JPN 33 (7) - Kokoro Fujii JPN 33 (12)
5. Jessica Pilz AUT 13 - Anze Peharc SLO 13
6. Johanna Färber AUT 12 - Gregor Vezonik SLO 12
Complete results

Matteo Reusa has done his second 8c+ by the FA of One Punch in Falesia del ghëddo which is a new crag in Piedmont developed by his family and trainers. Last week, his brother Michele (14) made the FA of another 8c+ and they plan to set up some 30 routes at the 20-meter crag.

"The route, after a simple part of 7a +, consists of 15 very difficult movements. My father bolted it and I tried the route for 12 days."

Oriane Bertone started the first boulder by innovating a new move! The 16-year-old jammed her left hand high up and put the upperside of her right shoe on the texture of the wall and then, sitting on her foot like a ballerina, she made a kneebar and continued doing the boulder on her first try.

1. Natalia Grossman USA 44 - Kokoro Fujii JPN 34
2. Brooke Raboutou USA 34 (6) - Adam Ondra CZE 23
3. Johanna Färber AUT 34 (9) - Gregor Vezonik SLO 13 (2)
4. Jessica Pilz AUT 34 (11) - Jakob Schubert AUT 13 (3)
5. Miho Nonaka JPN 33 - Anze Peharc SLO 13 (4)
6. Oriane Bertone FRA 24 (2) - Mejdi Schalck 13 (12)
Complete results

Yoshiyuki Ogata won the qualification in Salt Lake City ahead of Adam Ondra, the only two making all five boulders. Nathaniel Coleman was #21 scoring 35 (3 Tops and 5 zones), in eight attempts which were two too many. Tomoaki Takata was #22, scoring also 35, Jernej Kruder was #29, scoring 34, and Sean McColl was #33, scoring 33. Otherwise, all big names made it to the semifinal. Complete results

Marcello Bombardi, who won one World Cup in 2017, has done the third ascent of Lapsus in Andonno giving it a 9a+ personal grade. Stefano Ghisolfi put it up in 2015 and it is an extension to Noia. The first repeat was done by Adam Ondra. Marcello has previously done five 9a's out of which four the last year.

Miho Nonaka won the qualification in the Boulder World Cup in Salt Lake City doing all five boulders in just seven attempts. The big surprises were that the two Olympians Petra Klingler was #25, scoring 25 (2 Tops and 5 zones) and Shauna Coxsey was #36, scoring 13. The other two Olympians who did not qualify to the Top-20 semifinal were Kyra Condie #30 and Erin Sterkenburg #42, out of 49 participants. Complete results
(c) Vladek Zumr

It should be noted that Janja Garnbret, who has won eight consecutive WC's, did not participate but will compete the next weekend. In total, 12 out of the 20 female Olympians did not participate including also; Akiyo Noguchi, Julia Chanourdie, Chaehyun Seo and Mia Krampl.