Gambaro Matteo, who did his fourth 9a this spring, has done the FA of Aurora 8c+ in Albenga. It is 35m long. First chain after 15m 7a+, 2nd 25mt 8a+, good rest and 10m extension. In total the 45-year-old has bolted 160 routes out of which 45 in this crag. "I finished bolting this spring and this summer hard to try due to high temperature and style. The first 8a+ is endurance and physical tufa style challenge and you arrive in the good rest. After changing style and intensity. The exit is fingerstyle and needs good condition.. (for me).

Alex Garriga, who previously has done six 9a's, all of them the last ten months, has done his first 9a+, Ali Hulk Extension Total in Rodellar, which is a 30m roof link up with 80 moves. In the 8a ranking game, the 20-year-old is #6 but bt looking at his trend diagram, he should be Top-3 within a year or so. "I was a month in Rodellar climbing and was testing the route but I was also doing others. At the end of the trip I was very attentive and had to return a couple of days to do it. For me the key was to clarify the part of the rope so that once the boulder was passed, I could make the way."

Japan won the National Boulder ranking ahead of Slovenia and it is the same story in Lead. As the last two World Cups are in Japan, most likely, the Japanese dominance will just increase and set a new record in 2019. Korea is #3 but in reality it is Chaehyon Seo with 380 points that is the biggest threat to the two top countries. Complete results 1. Japan 1 202 2. Slovenia 876 3. Korea 484 4. Austria 472 5. USA 380 Complete results

Adam Ondra stopped by Höllental, on his way back from Slovenia, and onsighted four routes included Bernie Fiedler's 9a, Blut und Honig. Ondra, who is the top climber giving most personal grades, thought the 45 m endurance was 8c+ or even 8c. "A route which is very hard to grade. It is long but has many good rests, and the real difficulty is the low percentage crux way low down." More info on his Insta now with 503' followers.

Adam Ondra, who topped both qually routes, climbed two respectively four moves higher than Jakob Schubert and Kai Harada. Japan did not send their best team, anyhow getting three in the Top-9. Among the female, the semi was a Slovenia, Korea and Japan affair getting all Top-12 places but Jessica Pilz and Anak Verhoeven tied at #7. The big surprise was that Janja Garnbret was #13 with four Slovenians ahead of her. The final start 17.30. Complete results

In her fourth Lead World Cup, Chaehyon Seo from Korea got her third victory. This means that if the 15-year-old is at least #8 in one of the two last World Cups, she will be the sensational overall winner. Her dilemma is that she has not participated in two Bouldering events, meaning her only chance to qualify to Tokyo 2020, will be the Asian Combined Championship. Back to Kranj, once again poor route setting as the four shortest fell in the same move and the Top-4 did also fell in the same sequence. Nobody reached the last one-third of the route. It should be mentioned that in the semi, ten out of the eleven first reached just two different holds. 1. Chaehyon Seo (15) KOR (c) Eddie Fowke 2. Jessica Pilz AUT 3. Lucka Rakovec SLO Complete results

Adam Ondra was unsure if he should even compete in Kranj but luckily he did creating the perfect show topping out in great style. Passing his opponents' high point he twice waved to the spectators wanting them to cheer more. (c) Eddie Fowke "I like this event way too much and I just wanted to go here and climb without pressure and it paid off. It felt great and the audience was the best I have ever remembered." 1. Adam Ondra CZE 2. Kai Harada JPN 3. Alberto Gines Lopez ESP Complete results

The picture is not clear at all as it is a print screen from the first crux move in the final where all the last three struggled due to possibly deteriorating conditions on the sloper. Adam actually put his thumb on top of his pointer as you normally do on a crimper. With the pressure of the thump it seemed he created more pressure and cruised the same move Jakob Schubert could not do. Have not seen this thumb-over-pointer on a slooper before so possibly this technique should be given a new name. Any takers?

Only one out of the Top-5 male ranked did participate in Kranj. After four competitions, Adam Ondra leads although he has just participated in two events, which he has won both. In regards Domen Skopfic, he has said he instead wants to enjoy outdoors being in Rodellar at the moment. Add to the list that Tomoa Narasaki did skip Kranj as well. Noteworthy is also that only four out of the top-10 in the Combined ranking did participate. Complete results Among the women, it is better but anyhow only two out of the Top-4 did participate. Furthermore, only two out of the seven qualified to Tokyo did choose to participate in Kranj. In practice, this means that, although just one Speed as well as two Lead events, remain for the Overall Combined, it is still an open affair as it just might be easier to get good results with many of the best absent. Ondra has said that he just might skip the last two Lead World Cups. It will be very interesting to see if he bothers to win the Lead WC in 2019. Possibly he will just do the next one and hope this is good enough for securing the title.