Janja Garnbret, (c) Vladek Zumr, did all five boulders first try in Meiringen and Slovenia got another five girls to the semi. Also Akiyo Noguchi, Natalia Grossman, Oriane Bertone and Brooke Raboutou topped all five boulders. The biggest disappointment was that Petra Klinger and Kyra Kondie were tied #21 and did not make it to the semi. Other Olympians not making it to the semi were Viktoria Meshkova #23 and Laura Rogora #29. Another negative surprise was Fanny Gibert, finishing #35 among the 70 participants. It should also be mentioned that the results were quite different in the two groups as tied #41 had just 4 zones in one group and 3 tops and 5 zones in the other. Complete results.

Although the Olympians Tomoa Narasaki and Kai Harada did not participate in Meiringen, Japan had its entire team of seven finishing in the Top 25. Slovenia did, as Japan, get four into the semi. Adam Ondra won one group with four tops and two tops and five zones got you in the Top-20 semifinal.

The biggest negative surprise was that Jakob Schubert and Jan Hojer were tied at #23. A total of 101 participated, out of which just half made at least one top. The semi starts tomorrow at 10.00 Euro time. Vladek Zumr - (c) Complete results

Although Adam Ondra won his qualification group in Meiringen and three other of the Olympians made it to the Top-20 semi, it seems many of the guys going to Tokyo have taken a toll on all their Speed training. Jakob Schubert, who was #7 last week in a Euro Cup, was #23, Jan Hojer #27, Michael Piccolruaz #27, Collin Duffy #31, Mickel Mawem #35, Alberto Gines Lopez #73 and Rishat Khaibullin #77. Nine did not participate including Tomoa Narasaki and Kai Harada from Japan.

Roberto Lopez reports that due to the effects of Natura 2000, climbing around Alicante is at risk. Please, fill in this form to show the positive economical impact climbing has in the area.

"The future entry into force of the new regulations that will regulate the Natura 2000 Network in the province of Alicante puts at risk the future of practically all the climbing crags in this province, since in its draft decree it explicitly says that the activities Climbing and canyoning are not compatible with the protection of the environment in the natural areas of this network, which cover almost the entire natural territory of the province.

The local climbing community has already mobilized, giving visibility to this problem, especially through social networks, and working together with the Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing of the Valencian Community. One of the initiatives launched has been the creation of forms aimed at foreign climbers in order to collect real data on the economic and tourist impact that the climb has in the province of Alicante and to be able to present them to the authorities as an argument for them to rectify the future decree and includes climbing as an outdoor sports activity compatible with the protection and regulation of the natural spaces of the Natura 2000 Network of Alicante.

Therefore, for us it is very important to spread the word about this problem as much as possible and your 8a.nu page is the perfect portal to reach the maximum number of climbers. It would be great if the news and the link to the form appeared on it. Here are the links to the news published by facebook and to the form for climbers from outside of Costa Blanca. Congratulations for 8a.nu and thank you very much for the help you can give us."

The organizer's live-streaming from the male qualificalition in Meiringen is up and running, with french/german commentators. You can follow the results on IFSC or via the IFSC App. Based on an 8a poll with 1 200 unique votes, Adam Ondra is the big favourite to win.
39 % Adam Ondra
17 % Jakobb Schubert
15 % Alex Megos
08 % Yushiyuki Ogata
06 % Jernej Kruder
05 % Others (Nikolai Uznik most mentioned)
05 % Kokoro Fuji, 3 % Nathaniel Coleman, 1 % Alexey Rubtsov

The female start their qualification 16.30. Tomorrow the semis starts 11.00 and then the male final 19.15 followed by the female final.

Antoine Girard, who previously has done eighth 8B+', has done his first 8C, Longue promesse in Le Pertuis, video.

"It’s a overhanging wall with slippery edges with a very nice dyno at the end. The hard part is to do the first move of the stand and manage to keep the tension in the heal hook till the last move. The sit start adds a 7C+ to the 8B stand. Nothing really hard but enough to make the upper part much harder. I spend five sessions on the stand start and I spent three sessions more to succeed in the sit start. It’s actually my first 8C. I made the first repetition three months after the FA of Nathan Michel. For the grade I think it’s a real 8C because I spent five sessions more than my other hard 8B+."

Climbing reports that three 3a routes have been bolted over 1 000-year-old Petroglyphs in Moab. "“Put it this way:, the native people soloed up and stood there for hours on end, pecking at the rock with another rock,” said Reay." (c) Darrin Reay

Darrin later removed the bolts and have been in contact with the bolter who first said the Petroglyphs were just graffiti. Stewart M Green has also reported the story on his Facebook. "As climbers, we need to be aware that it is illegal to climb on or near cultural resources like rock art panels and archeological sites as mandated by the Archaeological Resources Protection Act and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966."

In a new article, Climbing reports that the bolter has received death treaths and that he regrets his mistake.

Gonzalo Larrocha, who did his first 9a at age 30, has done the FA of PanHaters 9a in Alquezar. In total, the 36-year-old has now done 20 routes 9a and harder. It should be mentioned that some of his 57 recorded 8c+', the first nine years ago, are considered 9a by most. "I started equipping this route before the pandemic. Sometime later I finished it. Thanks to David, Beto, Eugenia and other people who accompanied me. Of the grade, I am very lost. I think it's very tough for 8c+. One good thing for me during the pandemic is that I could bolt at least 12 new routes in Alquezar, between 6c+ to 9a."

So you did your first 7c at age 21 and then have had a rather slow "late bloomer progress" at the same time you have a very wide grade pyramid. How can you explain this and when will you do your first 9b?
I'm motivated with climbing and I'm good at endurance but really bad at powerful moves. I don't think 9b is possible for me. I don't feel that I could progress more. But nevertheless many other times I have been confused😀.

Daniel Fuertes, who did his first 9b last autumn, has done his 13th 9a, Borrachos libres in Rodellar. Dani Andrada did the FA of the big roof in 2016.

How have you been training during the pandemic?
I have trained on a small campus board at my house and in La Caverna boulder gym, but it has been difficult in Spain this winter.

Geila Macia, daughter to famous Spanish climbers Berta Martin and Israel Gacia, has done her first 8b+ as well as her fourth 8b, Brujo in Sadernes. Berta, several times Spanish Champion as well World Cup semifinalist, gives us the story.

"It was my first 8b+ too. It is not one hard so much more endurance with some of cruxes. I knew it would be a good route for her size being still 13-year-old. She could do all the moves on the first try. Even at the end of the route, from the last quickdraw, she went straight because she was afraid of a long fall. I must say she found a harder beta just to go straight. On her fourth day of attempts, she fell there in the end being exhausted. The next day, she warmed up and found better feet to not fall again, even though she was feeling so nervous and tired because it was 3rd day on a row in the route. She said it was impossible to finish the last part to the anchor and I just told her to not be stressed or nervous and we could come back after a rest day. - Go and try to make a good endurance try and keep going... and she did it.

After a day of rest. We climbed a little more in some other areas she did an 8b in just four in a day, Brujo. It was her fastest 8b ever."

How does the family train and is Geila strongest in the family now?
We are both training together between 3/4 days every week and also try to go outside rock climbing. She can train all days, I don't. Those days, I am just her trainer. I can try 8b but I’m not as strong as her. She can train in all kind of boulder but I can’t try those kind of parcuour ones. She is the strongest in the family now. Her father doesn’t train just climb in the weekends.