The Guardian has published an interview with Shauna Coxey. Talking about the Combined format, she says among other things, "It’s going to showcase the best of our sport across the disciplines. I think the crowds are going to be amazed with what they see."

jose luis palao has done his tenth 9a via the FA of La catedral del mál in Santuario. It took him 15-20 days of projectingnot counting sections shared with other routes. "It is a 25m route with a first part of 8c+, including a technical boulder with knees. After a good rest it continues with an 8c. Very happy to finish this process for me after also bolting it."

Martin Tekles, who was #9 in a World Cup in 2017, has done his second 9a, Pure Dreaming in Arco just six weeks after his first. The reason for the 29-year-old beeing a late bloomer outdoors are that he previously has focused on competitions and getting a Master degree in Psychology.

Alex Puccio, runner-up in the World Championship in 2014, has done her 31st 8B, Wheel of Fortune in Clear Creek Canyon. (c) Robin O'Leary In total, the 30-year-old has done close to 200 boulders 8A to 8B+, meaning she has the best female ticklist out there, in spite of having had several injuries. In 2015, she required surgery to repair the torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus ligaments in her left knee. One year later she underwent a spinal fusion surgery. Both injuries she got during the Vail Boulder WC. Last year, she had to do another ACL knee surgery. In spite of all these surgeries, she has made the WC podium 14 times. In total, the 153 cm tall has done 37 World Cups and made it Top-10 all but once. She won her first in 2009 (Vail) and the last in 2018 (Vail) which also was the last WC she entered.

"Owners and managers of indoor climbing gyms are in an incredibly powerful position to help influence the growing population of climbers by helping to raise awareness and inspire action. The InsideOut® Challenge looks to turn climbing gyms into powerful allies in conservation, helping gym managers highlight environmental stewardship and climbing advocacy opportunities and mobilize their members to help protect outdoor climbing areas." More info Here are the 8a access recommendations we posted in 2010 together with the Access Fund. Remember that experienced outdoors climbers could also inform those not yet aware of the best practice.

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.

Drew Ruana reports on Insta that he has done tha FA of Pegasus 8C in Joes Valley. It is a five move 8B link-up to an 8A+. "This boulder in total is around 13 moves, definitely more on the power endurance side. Feels on par, if not harder than some of the 8Cs I’ve done." Video (c) Brennan Robinson The 20-year-old, who was #13 in the Combined World Championship, has previously done one 8C+ and four 8C's, all of them the last year. At age 16, he did three 9a's.

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)."