Alex Puccio has done two more 8A's in Hueco Tanks, Young blood and the FA of Mammoth rub. In total the 153 cm tall has now done 76 boulder 8A+ to 8B+. (c) Robin O'Leary "I guess my second FA ever, but really this seems like the first. Really fun line on West Mt. that starts far down and left of a classic v4 called “Could have been Ty’s.” Bomber rock, fun movement and slippery small feet. Also has some power moves in it. :) Matt Fultz and I figured out the moves and then it worked, just slightly different foot beta for the both of us was the key."

Climbing has taken yet another step to be recognised by the broad mass as Free Solo wins Best Oscars Documentory. On the other hand this means that many of us will have to talk crazy solo climbing once we get questions about our hobby as we are meeting new friends. A way to change the focus of the discussion, if you get tired talking solo, is to say - Honnold had more control and more safety margin than the guys trying to summit K2. Hopefully, Alex will soon do a 9a meaning we could also say that he is truly one of the best climbers in the world. Adding info about the Honnold Solar Foundation - The Honnold Foundation reduces environmental impact and addresses inequality by supporting solar energy initiatives worldwide, could also spice up the discussion and how your friends will perceive climbers. 8a interview from 2012 and one from 2011 in order for you to know more about Honnold's background. Alex Honnold scorecard with 967 climbs including comments from his free solo, Free rider, "Solo! 3:56 on route. The end of an epic life dream. Such an experience. Logged it as a boulder problem - thanks 8a!" As can be seen on his scorecard, Alex is also one of the most active marking chipped routes as well as giving personal grades.

The Open Letter that was published on Rock & Ice where the headline said the chipping needs to stop did include this very provocative sentence. "We ask now that these crags of manufactured routes be removed from the walls and from guidebooks, to stop the encouragement and normalization of these practices." I do think this is totally wrong and I am sure there are many Ten Sleep Canyon climbers that agree with me. To spend hundred of hours rappelling down chopping bolts would just be crazy. If such chopping would be done it might spread around the world and create a massive conflict. One good solution, which 8a has used for like 15 years is that such routes can be marked as "Chipped" in the topo. Such message is good enough for making sure the chipping will stop. Further more, once the chipped routes go free, it could be reported like that with a new grade. It should be mentioned that the chipping stopped almost a year ago which just underlines how provocative the open letter was, asking for chopping bolts even if the problem has been solved.

Alex Puccio has had a great start of her Hueco Tanks trip although saying she was out of shape on Insta one week ago. During the last five days she has done three 8A+' including The Tax Gatherer. (c) Robin O'Leary "3rd try. Thought the holds were going to feel worse so had a power push through them for the first try and then second try I pulled on and then stepped off because foot was not in the correct spot. Pulled on again for a third go and sent. Definitely should have flashed this one." Alex have had many injuries during the last years including some surgeries. Since almost a year she has also been plagued with double elbow tendonitis. During December she was almost not able to climb at all and on top of that 153 cm tall had increased from 54 kg to 58 kg. "I know that we all have our own peaks and valleys, but this one has honestly been one of the hardest for me, arguably harder than my major surgeries. Since last summer of 2018 I have gone through some BIG life changes, knee surgery again and then had a break from training/ climbing and so on." In 2009, Alex won her first World Cup and in 2018 she did just participate in one, which she won. One month ago, during her last climbing break, she announced on Insta that she will not try to qualify to Tokyo as she did not want to give up outdoors.

Thilo Jeldrik Schröter has done his second 8B flash, Nagual in Hueco Tanks. "Last day best day. Two rest days leading up to this." Full story at his Insta. During his five weeks in Hueco Tanks, which started rather slowly due to finger problems, the Norweigian did 28 boulders 8A and harder out of which nine flashes.

Based on Matt Fultz thoughts in regards flashes and grades, it might be interesting checking the 8a Practice & Ethics presented in a traffic light system; Green - Yellow - Red. Once I onsighted a route in Kalymnos. Hours after I proudly recorded it in my scorecard Aris T, sent me a smiling message that he had belayed me on my first onsight of the same route like 10 years ago. Kind of fun and I had to change it to second go. At the same time it is quite normal also by top climbers to start an onsight and then down climb to the ground and save the onsight. Further more, belaying friends several times and then go for an onsight has been done on what some consider the first 8c onsight. The 8a take is that when it comes to world class ascents, we have to apply the ethics more strict but at the same time if Matt Fultz had no recollection of trying the moves, so he had no advantages from what he did 13 years ago, he could possibly have called them flashes. The bottom line is that we have to accept that there is a grey area, even if it is much thinner for "world records". If your mother lifts you up being 8 or even 12 years old feeling the first holds on Action Directe, you can of course try to flash it ten years later. The same onsight ethics goes for asking your friend to pre-clip two quickdraws for safety reasons, even down climb once below the first quickdraw or even belay your friend once. It is up to you to make the final ethical "grey" call based on the current community accepted ethics. Please share your opinions :) Can you onsight or flash a climb twice?

Matt Fultz has had an amazing first day in Hueco Tanks where he did Esperanza 8B+, Diabolique 8B and two 8A (+) "second go", Barefoot on Sacred Ground and Tequila Sunrise. The latter two he had tried once 13 years ago when he was 14 years old so some could have called it flashes. Ethical discussion and comments on his Insta. It should be mentioned that the two "flashes" most consider 8A+ but Matt put it up as 8A's. In the 8a ranking game Matt is #11 but he would have been #6 if he had not been so conservative. Further comments in the right column.