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Yannick Flohé, who got the bronze in the Boulder World Championship of 2019, has done his first 9a, Wild Publico. "Bouldery crux with dynamic moves on mono and crimps then going left into Pal Publico 8c. For sure one of the best lines in Marglef." The video is not the footage from the send but a clip as he did not have a camera man.

Based on 1 500+ unique votes in our "Best Crashpad 2021" poll, Organic got superior results. In brackets the result for the 2019 poll, which is more or less the same. It should be noted that in 2015 Organic got 16 % and that all others (except for Flashed) had better results.

30% Organic (30 % in 2019)
13% Ocun (14)
10% Black Diamond (11)
8% Moon (9)
6% Snap (4)
6% Petzl (4)
6% Flashed
3% Mad Rock, Edelrid, Metolius and Asana
12% Other brands; Mammut, Pad, La Sportiva and Mushroom most frequently mentioned.

Tom Bolger reports on Insta that he has done the FA of Frenesi 9a/+ which was an old open project in Margalef. (c) Ivan Torres

"It’s an awesome route. I cleaned up the old project and brought life back to it! Really hard jump move from a bad 3 finger dish! Psyched to keep adding FAs to the Espadelles wall! I had to add the chain and had to brush clean all the holds and remove some loose rock. The route has three marked boulder cruxes with sustained powerful moves on two-finger pockets in between. The route broke near the start hence the really hard jump move. I guess this is why it was left by other people who had tried. The route has a left-hand finish called Abstinencia which used to be 8c+ but will now be harder due to the broken start."

He has lived in Catalunya for over ten years and in the Margalef area for a few years. Currently he is studying to become a climbing guide in Spain. Last month he made the FA of Wild West 9a/+ in the same sector.

"I work in the U.K. I travel backwards and forwards as I work doing rope access. This year I have worked less due to covid and as a result, I have managed to send more of my projects 😛. My next plan is to bolt new lines and try and repeat all the classics her locally and eventually travel once we can :)"

After talking to route setters and IFSC officials this winter it seems they are now close to agreeing that there will be two zones in Bouldering starting from 2022. The advantages are that two zones will make it possible to separate better and also that it makes the comp fairer for the athletes. Furthermore, it increases the chances of getting a result. In the Youth B World Champion 2019, 28% of the girls had to tell their friends and relatives that they scored zero once.

Currently, four flashes/tops are presented 4T 4z by IFSC. 8a has since 2019 simplified it but presenting such scoring as 44 points, as in practice, you get ten points for a top and one point for a zone.

The question is whether IFSC will continue with the same scoring meaning the max scoring would be 4T 8z or 48 points. My suggestion with two zones is based on that you give 2 points for the first zone and then 4 points for the second zone. Furthermore, a flash gives one bonus point, i.e. four flashes would score 44 points just as it is today.
This means, for example, that a climber reaching the second zone on all four boulders would get 16 points, beating another climber topping one boulder but only reaching the first zone on two boulders, hence getting 14 points.

It should be mentioned that since 2002, 8a has published numerous articles explaining that two zones are the way forward. In 2017, I was invited to a meeting with IFSC and later I participated in an IFSC "Working Group" and presented a new scoring system based on two zones and points.

IFSC has confirmed that the Boulder World Cup in Meiringen 16-17/4 will take place. Last year, there were no Boulder World Cups. "The “Addendum to IFSC Rules”, redacted in 2020 by the Climbing during COVID-19 Working Group, is currently being reviewed and updated." One difficult issue to resolve is the starting order, which as it stands will be based on the 2019 ranking. It has also been confirmed that the World Championship in Moscow 15-22/10 will take place as scheduled. "The announcement follows the decision taken by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in the case between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency."

Marine Thevenet reports on Insta that she has done Podomos in Cresciano. In total, she has now done well over 60 boulders 8A to 8B. (c) Clément Lechaptois

"I never saw the boulder before this winter; even if it is just behind Frank’s wild year! This is incomprehensible why it is not a classic from Cresciano! I tried it during a weekend; during the first day I couldn't do the key move with the undercling; on Sunday I had it in two parts 🔥 I came back to it the following weekend but it was wet; I still tried to figure out some tricks and touched the holds for a couple of hours. Two weeks later we had the chance to come back for a sunny and cold weekend and I sent it just after Clement :) Such a nice Saturday!"

Jonathan Flor reports on Insta that he has done La Rambla 9a+ in Siurana. It was put up by Ramon Julian Puigblanque in 2004, and with 29 ascents it is the world's most repeated 9a+. (c) Javi Pec

Flor has done some 45 routes graded 8c+/9a and to 9b, meaning that there are only seven climbers ahead of him on that exclusive list. Add to that some routes that he has personally graded. The 24-year-old finished a five-year intensive competition career in 2018, being #23 in the Boulder World Championship in Innsbruck.