Stefano Carnati, who previously has done four 9a+, has done his 16th 9a by Super circo abusivo 9a in Paline. "It went down after 10 tries over 4 days. It’s a really beautiful 40m line and it took quite some time to figure out all the sequences." The picture is from the FA of Collasso Gravitazionale 9a in Candalino.

Martin Stráník has done the FA of Black Panther 8C in Vesec, video. In total, the Czech has now done twelve 8C boulders out of which five FA's and he is #3 in the 8a ranking game. "Great athletic bouldering on 25 moves. Thought it would be a fast process, but pumpy hands were sending me down six days in total, exhausted body, destroyed fingers. Low 8C." (c) Jakub Fric

Eloi Peretti has done his first 9a, Ça chauffe in Seynes. (c) Aurele Bremond

The route is divided into 3 different parts: A nice 6b with a no hand rest at the anchor followed by 10 meters of technical climbing on very small edges. The last 5 moves of this part are the crux of the route, on very sharp crimps and small footholds. Even if the route is 35m long, it is in fact very bouldery.

Once the crux is passed, there is an incredible overhang on perfect rock with big moves on pretty good holds. It is not so hard, it would be around 8b or 8b+ maybe, but you have to commit in every move if you don't want to fall which makes the ascent so spicy!

I spent around 15 tries in this route and at the end the weather was becoming warmer and warmer and I was worried I would not have the chance to pass the crux before the season is over. But I returned a last time to this crag and finally sticked the last one finger pocket of the crux and made my way to the anchor.”

Eliot Stephens has done his third 8C, The Origin Sit in Dinas Rock. "Wales first 8C. Power fade climbing, and aggressive from the first single 8A move. Hardest so far." (c) Jacob Martin

"In 2019 I put up the 8B+ stand start, and wondered whether there could be a sit. This year I had a look, and found a 5 move sequence that climbed into a position 2 moves into the stand. Those 5 moves of roughly 8A+ took me a good few sessions to link, and a handful more to link into the stand." More comments on his Insta.

As we probably will see many crowded crags this year, it might be a good thing to discuss queue ethics. There are absolutely new "rules" and ethics probably vary from crag to crag. In general, I think that if there are drawers or even a rope on a route that is not used, you could always ask if you could have a go. If they are kind to let you have a go, you should not start hand-dogging.

The dilemma is of course if the other party say that you are not allowed even if they do not climb on it or if they block the routes for several hours as many of them are having multiple tries. If we are talking about one of the easiest routes on the crag that many want to use for a warm-up, I do not think it is respectful to book it for several hours. Personally, I always say that anybody could have a go as long as it is done on my top rope. A quick top rope send just takes a couple minutes meanwhile starting to lead often take at least double as long time.

Austin Purdy, who previously has done 67 8B's and 16 8B+', has done his second 8C, Dicktopia in Camp Dick. Video on his Insta. "The picture is from a session in the mid-afternoon when the wildfires were getting quite bad. It is actually not dark out the res tint and darkness is because of the thick smoke in the air.

I first started working this boulder in the fall and made good progress, however, I had to stop going to it due to extreme conditions because of wildfires in the area. I was hoping to return to it this spring, but again that was difficult due to snow, cold conditions, and a sprained ankle I injured falling off a highball in Hueco Tanks. So instead, I have mostly been focusing on training these past few months. It seems like that training has paid off because I was able to send the easier variation to this boulder, Little Richard (8B+/V14), quite quickly when I came back to it and Dicktopia soon after."

Could you please also comment on your extremely wide grade pyramid?
As for the grade pyramid, I really enjoy pushing myself and climbing at my limit, but I feel like many climbers are only interested in climbing boulders with higher numbers near their max grade. For me though, just because I can climb 8C doesn’t mean I don’t have fun climbing 8As just because it isn’t my limit. In fact, I feel like one of the great things about climbing harder is it gives you the ability to send so many more cool boulders because you can do them quickly, and some of my most enjoyable climbing days have been ones where I try and do as many 7C+/8A’s as possible instead of failing on something near my limit.

In 2021, there will be Body Mass Index (BMI) screenings of all Boulder and Lead semi-finalists in all IFSC World Cups. The new stricter BMI limits will be 18 for females and 19 for males. Federations will receive a letter from the IFSC Medical Commission, requesting an explanation and the Commission will also assist with support to federations with athletes below the BMI limits.

During the last years, several top climbers have come forward talking about their eating disorders. 8a has often talked about the problem. In a 2008 article, I asked whether we should have a BMI 17 recommendation for scorecard users. Many were very critical of such a recommendation. Here are some examples of different BMI, which is calculated by dividing the body weight by the square of the height (BMI = m/h²).

170 cm and 55 kg = 19 BMI
170 cm and 52 kg = 18 BMI
170 cm and 49 kg = 17 BMI

The IFSC Medical Commission has a mission to, protect & maintain the health of competing athletes on an international level as well as, to protect & maintain Sport Climbing as a safe sport. Read more about their work.

Lucie Hrozová, who has 14 medals from Ice WCs and later started bouldering last May, has had three goods weeks with new personal records. First, the 32-year-old flashed Red Hot Tortilas 8A in Sneznik. Few days later she did her first 8B, Temná hmota 8B in Sneznik (c) ON_OFF Production

"It was like two days I was trying to figure out a solution for smaller people. I have to match on a very small hold to be able to reach. Then on day three, I come it was half wet so I tried just the dry part and then on the 4th day it was dry and I tried my first like the real push and I send it :)" Video on her Insta

Then last weekend she did Conquistador 8B in Sklapsko which was set up by Jana Vincourková last yrar as the first female 8B in Czech. Video on Lucie's Insta.

"I climbed and competed mostly in ice climbing the last years and did a lot of mix and drytooling. Three years ago I had very serious surgery on my shoulder. I needed pitons, reconstruction of labrum, biceps and plastic of cartilage, and since then ice climbing is for me very painful. As I can't do it (but I still believe I will return one day), I started to do more climbing with fingers instead of ice axes. Last year I managed to send my first 8c route. Anyway, last year again I had a medical issue with compartment syndrome, and with this syndrome it is very hard to climb routes. Last May I started with bouldering. First I started just because I had to, because of the compartment, but lately, I really have found it very nice and I kind of fell in love with it."

Alex Garriga has done his hardest route ever by Líder ibérico 9a+/b in Cuenca. It is a link-up of the hardest part of two 9a+' he has done before creating the 30 meters and very steep route. The 22-year-old had previously put up 10 routes 8c+ to 9a+ during the last year, all in Cuenca. (c) Javi Pec