"Impressive, gravity-defying moves on state-of-the-art climbing walls are guaranteed when the world’s best bouldering athletes fight for an entry to the super-final at the annual adidas ROCKSTARS invitational that is hosted in Germany next weekend, on the 13th and 14th of September. Among the competitors of adidas ROCKSTARS 2019 are the defending champions Miho Nonaka (JPN) and Jernej Kruder (SLO), the incredibly gifted Janja Garnbret (SLO), who won this year’s overall bouldering world cup as well as a triple World Champion title (Boulder, Lead, Olympic Combined), the triple adidas ROCKSTAR Sean McColl (CAN) and the two-time overall bouldering world cup winners, Shauna Coxsey (GBR) and Jongwon Chon (KOR). Adidas Rockstars, when Climbers Meet Music. Qualifications on Friday and on Saturday, live-streaming; Semifinal 11.00 am - 1.30 pm and Final & Superfinal 8.15 pm - 11.15 pm

Claudia Ghisolfi, copies what her brother did nine years ago by skipping 8b+ and does L'extremacura in Gravere as her first 8c. In the last World Cup in Briancon was #25. In total she has made it to the semifinal 13 times and her best result is #13. (c) Stefano Ghisolfi

Vojta Trojan, who just turned 20, has done his second 9a, Der Heilige Gral in Frankenjura. (c) Jakub Konečný "I knew that it was a question of time, because the moves already didn't feel hard for me. I started trying it almost a year ago and it took me almost 30 days to finish it. The main problem was, that it was (more or less) wet all the time. So I just had to be strong enough to climb it even with wet hands! This route is really a milestone for me.. I've never sacrificed that much for one route. But this route was definitely worth it! Definitely the best I've seen and climbed.

Based on the official Tokyo 2020 qualification system, it is not yet clear if the Japaneses are allowed to compete in Toulouse. "The twenty (20) highest ranked athletes per gender, not yet qualified through D.1 above (Hachioji), at the Overall World Cup Ranking will be selected for participating in the Olympic Qualifying Event." As no male or female can qualify to the Olympics, as their second spot is a "host" selection, it is not clear if they will be allowed to participate in Toulouse. In any case, it is not fair that the best are not allowed to compete/train on the only event identical to the one in Tokyo 2020. Further more, how do IFSC plan to do with the substitutes for injured climbers? It might be that it is good enough to be ranked #30 in the overall Combined if the Japaneses and the Top-7 in Hachioji are not allowed. The twist for this is that there most probably will then will be at least one Speed climber in Toulouse that probably will get another an Olympic ticket. With three male Speed climbers in Tokyo, the probability for any of them talking a bronze is on pure mathematics almost 50 %.

Alizée Dufraisse is back from Africa and enjoys bouldering in Switzerland where she did El Toro 8A+ in Gottardo in just two sessions. (c) David Graham "I am going to do route climbing again in south of France (st antonin noble val) for the next month and a half with the easier projects there and then Spain for La Rambla in November!" The former successful competition climber has been projecting the 9a+ for for three years now.

HippyTree / Possessed from HippyTree on Vimeo.

Alberto Gines Lopez, #5 in the Chamonix World Cup and #31 in both Lead and Bouldering in Hachioji, has taken some days off from his competition regime and made a quick ascent of El Intento 9a in Cuenca. (c) Mario Martinez Munoz "Now I’m back to training for the upcoming comps. The Olympics is quite difficult but I’m working for it. Currently the 16 year old is #28 in the Combined World Cup and he has great chances to make it to Toulouse as his new personal best in Speed, from Hachioji, is 7.39.

Seb Bouin, who last week did the FA of La rage d’Adam 9b/+, has done the second ascent of the hardest multi-pitch in France, Hossana in Verdon; 8b/b+, 8b, 8b/b+, 8c, 7b+. Patrice Glairon Rapaz bolted and Cedric Lachat did the first ascent. (c) Julia Cassou

Aris T reports that he and his crew are currently developing two new crags in Kalymnos with some 50 routes, mainly from 5c to 7c. "Heroes is a quality new crag, not big for Kálymnos standards. Needs a testing period and some more cleaning. So we will publish it in about 1-2 months from now. Walking time 15 -18 min. We are finishing also the bolting of a paradise new crag on the first beach out of Vathy to the right, 2 min walk from the beach. You go there by boat, 10 min from Vathy."

Leo Skinner, who did his first 7C+ when he was 11 years old, has done his first 8B, Louis left in Bacon Hole. "I first tried this boulder 3 years ago and did the easier parts but I couldn’t do the crux. I went there this year and did all the moves quite quickly. I was lucky enough to climb it in about 5 sessions before the season was over."video