IFSC have sent out a mail saying that the European Championship in Russia has been rescheduled to 20 - 29 November. Previously, they have said that all the Olympic athletes have to be chosen in 2020 which would most probably mean that if this date is postponed further, most probably Jernej Kruder and Ievgenia Kazbekova will get their tickets due to their results in the World Championship last year.

The only left World Cup in the IFSC calendar is Xiamen in China 10-13 December.

Jana Vincourková, who restarted climbing 18 months ago after two years break, has done the FA of Conquistador 8B in Sklapsko, video. During the last five weeks, she has now done eight boulders 8A and harder including three FA's. (c) Martin Švec

"We found this boulder last week in the forest, so we created a couple of easier problems on it and the two FAs I wrote you last time, but this obvious line from the very bottom remained unclimbed but tempting to be tried soon. The conditions remained cool and windy so we went to try it yesterday and today as well. It ads up probably a 7C+ boulder problem into an already existing 8A+. The second last move in the 8A+ is the hardest and adding this to it makes it just brutal. But somehow during the four days of projecting it, I got it into my muscle memory and managed to send it. The style really suits me and the line is just awesome.

I started with climbing when I was about 6-7 years old and from the beginning, I trained too much. After a few years, it wasn't even fun for me with all the training, competitions, stress, no fun so I stopped climbing. I also didn’t have any climbing partners or some climbing group and it just didn’t make me happy. I knew I would get back to it, with an open mind and without putting any stress on my shoulders simply by climbing, the things that I like the most. Now I have a boyfriend who climbs really hard so I try to climb on the same level and at the same time, he knows how to keep me psyched for training because I do not like the “boring” routines of dead hangs, pullups, campusing and so on. I would rather just climb,😁. Anyhow, after the winter when we spend 4month of training maybe 8-10times a week, I have to say that the “boring” routines worked and I am begging to like that style of training too. I feel that motivation will last for a long time."

Illya Bakhmet-Smolenskyi, who did his first 9a in 2018, has done two 8c+, out of which one FA in Turkey. The 15-year-old has been in Turkey since before the lockdown when he also did three 8c's and one 8c+.

"I've been homeschooling since the first grade, I only visited the school for some small parts, starting with 5th grade, which could count as 2 years overall. My parents are working in IT, so they are working at home. I wanted to compete in the European cups, but since corona virus is rising up, we are thinking about rock climbing this year."

FA of Shades of grey in Okuzini: "The beast line going on crimps only. Has two cruxes with a rest in-between and both super crimpy. On the main, first crux you are forced to climb 5 powerful draws without a chance to even shake! Thanks a lot Tobias Haug for such an amazing line and the opportunity to FA it!)"

Rock Erotic in Geyik bayiri, Video: "Suppose that it can be 8c+/9a. Did a different line from the first ascent by Mumin, so it could even be counted as a brand new route. Currently, there are two betas: going along all the bolts(mine) and going higher above them using completely different handholds. Maybe the second beta will be turned into a different route, and then this ascent will turn out to be the first ascent of the line."

Grab one of several colorful tops to support UK climbing walls. All proceeds go towards helping climbing walls reopen – making them safer for both customers and staff. The ABC launches this initiative in order to support gyms in the UK prepare for safe reopening. You can buy tops and donate on this website.

Adam Ondra has the last ten years focused mainly on competitions and hard routes neglecting hardcore boulders. With the Covid-19 he found some new boulder link-ups around his home and last week he opened two 8C+'; Brutal Rider and Icebreaker.

This spring, I had the goal of sending Brutal Rider, which despite being super long for a boulderproblem, it is a pretty logical and obvious line and I wanted to get it done. While I was working on Brutal Rider, it got wet for a few days in Sloup cave, so I moved to Holstejn to try not that obvious linkup of an 8B into Iceberg 8C. This linkup became a few days later Ledoborec (= Icebreaker) 8C+. It is one of the hardest pieces of climbing I have done recently and I reckon it could be about 9b/b+ sport route. The next day Brutal Rider was dry and despite the river flooding the base of the cave, we made it work using wooden pallets and I was able to make FA of this problem as well. Brutal Rider is slightly easier, it could be about 9b sport route. (c) Petr Chodura

Great video of Brutal Rider 8C+ in the Adam Ondra episode #68

Matteo Gambaro, who just before the lockdown did an 8c+ FA in Albenga has made one more, 8 Anni Dopo.

"In 2012 I made the FA Of "Blow" 8c. (c) Andrea Gallo. In 2015 I made the FA of the right path called "The return of the Jedi" 8b which has a difficult section at the top. After the rains my most difficult projects were wet so I decided to try a link between the two lines. The first hardest part of the 8c and the latest hardest part of the 8b. It was challenging to reclimb it eight years after "Blow" also because a hold and support for important foot broke. It was very nice to be back on the road with a new motivation!"

There are several ways on how breathing can improve your climbing and here are some examples. You could try it out or even take some Yoga breathing lessons in order to best use your breathing while climbing.

1. Breath before you set of = Increase focus and concentration
2. Less nervous by thinking of how you breath
3. Get more alert/stronger by hyperventilation (fast breathing)
4. Improved resting by slow, long and deep breathing
5. A focus on breathing will make you more relaxed while climbing
6. Hold your breath while doing the crux

Just close your eyes and focus on breathing and notice what happens in your body and soul and you are halfway there.

Jana Vincourková has had a great weekend that started with doing her first 8B, Jaxitax in Moravský kras, video. Then she did the FA's of Napříč Amerika 8A+ and Michigan 8A in Slapsko.

"After sending a few 8A+ I was thinking about taking it a little bit further and try to some 8B which I set in January as the goal for 2020. Also, no woman in Czechia has ever done 8B before, so it was motivating even more. Anyway, one day we arrived in Moravian Karst-Sloup. My boyfriend tried some boulders there and by the way, told me that this one is Jaxitax-8B (FA by Adam Ondra) and that it could fit my style. So why not to try it and I have to say that it went very well. It was amazing feeling.

After that, we went to another bouldering area where we explored some new boulders and I ended up this weekend by sending another 8A+ FA, 8A FA, 7C FA. The grades were confirmed by strong Štěpán Stráník and by boyfriend Martin Švec right away, I was just lucky to send it as the first one."

Max Bertone has had some amazing weeks after the lockdown having done seven boulders 8A or harder including A Lay's Blaise assist, in the picture, and Les Ombres d'opaline (Direct) which he thought were 8A+ and 8A respectively. His father Stefano gives some updates.

"Max is just 1,52 and the boulders in Font are not easy for small climbers. He gradually sought solutions and found specific betas to solve his extension problems. He managed to send some very nice lines and came close to send his first 8B, falling at the last movement of "Saruman bas" twice, just before the end of the trip. He was very sad to leave Font, but the heat is coming and the season is almost finished in the forest.

We stay now one month in the South East of France, near Chambery. A little bit of rest and of lead in "La Balme de Yenne". In July we may go to Innsbruck if crossing to Austria is possible. In August we don't have a program yet but we stay in Europe. We will come back to Reunion on September 3, but Margot (the twin sister of Oriane) joins us on June 16."

Laura Rogora, who has qualified to Tokyo 2021, reports on Insta has done her first 9a+, Pure Dreaming Plus in Arco. It is a 50 meter link-up, mainly in 45-80 degrees overhang, put up by Adam Ondra, which never has been repeated before. Stefano Ghisolfi took the above picture and says,

"I knew she had the power to do it but I'm very impressed how fast she did it. She definitely has the potential to climb 9b, maybe a long and endurance one and I'm talking about what she can do right now. Who knows in the future... maybe even more. I think the gap between men and women could be even closer." The 18-year-old has now done eleven routes 8c+/9a or harder which is more than any other female. Second picture by Sara Grippo