There are now more than 5.5 million star rated ascents in the 8a database. Through the advanced search you can find the highest rated climbs by stars, grade or onsight percentage etc for different crags and countries. You can also check directly through the crag Tick List and some of the crags that stick with high ratings out are; Phalz, Montanejos, Schleier Wasserfall, Donautal, Bohuslän, Wild Iris, American Fork, Terradets and Verdon. Among boulder areas; Val Calanca, Eldorado Canyon, Devil's Lake, Newlin, Brione, Poudre Canyon, Mt Evans and Yosemite stick out. The most popular climbs are found in Kalymnos and Fontainebleau.

Arne Farestveit, 187 cm tall, has done his first 8c+, La Rubia in Villanueva del Rosario. "I started climbing at around 11 years old, and have always been drawn to outdoor climbing the most. I went to Villanueva Del Rosario (aka Chilam Balam cave) during Christmas and tried La Rubia about 5-6 sessions but wasn’t really close. This trip, however, I felt way stronger and managed to do big links already on my first day. 3 sessions this trip, so in total 7 or 8 sessions. My goal was to climb 8c+ before I turned 18 and I managed to do so with a few weeks to spare. Super happy right now..."

IFSC reports that due to the Coronavirus outbreak, there will be no WCs in China in April. The same goes for the Continental Championship. Further more, "President Scolaris updated the IFSC Executive Board on a series of ongoing legal issues, in particular relating to the Japan Mountaineering & Sport Climbing Association (JMSCA) appeals currently pending at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)."

Coudert Camille started climbing at age 18 and only indoors for the first 18 months. Then he started logging boulders in Fontainebleau in 2015 (from 5b) and eight months later he did his first 8A. The following years his impressive progress has continued and now he just did The Big Island 8C, in just six sessions. At the moment he has three 8C projects and says he is not far from doing No Kpote Only 9A. He will also put on a knee pad and start working the sit project of The Big Island (9A?). How can you explain your great progress and what did you do before climbing? I have never been sporty. I just tried different sports without ever getting hooked; tennis, rugby and swimming. I tried climbing by chance and I immediately hooked and since then I have always been motivated to progress. Each year I always set two extreme projects well above my level that I try seriously and in parallel, I alternate the sessions between extreme and easier projects. Besides that, I do volume sessions of easy boulders.

Kazuma Ise, who did two 8b+ routes being 12 and two 8B's being 15, has done his first 8C, Byaku-dou 8C (The Road to the Heaven) in Hourai. It was put up by Dai Koyamada in 2003 and has just been repeated three times. Impressively, Kazuma just needed four sessions. How come you did choose this as your first 8C, what is your next goal and your future ambition? Because mono-pocket dyno is so attractive to me. My next challenge is Vanitas 8C, Monariza 8B+ and United 8C+. I want to be able to put all my life into climbing. I want to be able to do many FAs like Daniel and Jimmy. I want to be the strongest and coolest climber in the world.

Seb Bouin reports on Insta that he has done Catxasa in Santa Linya calling it9a (+). "I used kneepads for the link, and I think the route is a bit easier with kneepads. It's maybe time to check seriously something harder. Let see how it's going." Noteworthy is that none of the previous six repeaters of the Chris Sharma FA have said it is soft. On the other hand, it seems nobody used kneepads. (c) Victor Alvarez Rodriguez In the last 12 months, Seb has now done 14 routes 9a to 9b+ which has only been beaten by Adam Ondra.

Loic Zehani, who previously has done nine FAs 9a to 9b, has done the FA of Teahupoo 9a which was bolted by his father. "The first part is vertical with a boulder problem on the first 2 meters. After that, you have a boulder section (7 moves) in overhang with an undercling up to a little two fingers pocket to get out of the roof and enter in a nice and technical wall. This route is very nice because it's very varied. It took me five days to complete this route because of the boulder section but also because of the wall section."

Martin Stráník, #2 in the World Championship in 2007, has done his fifth 8C the last year, Primitivo in Valle Bavona, meaning he has had his best year ever. In the 8a ranking game the Czech is #4. "Amazing line, hard powerful moves, fit my style very well. 2 sessions in two days."