Julija Kruder did follow her brother Jernej to Mallorca to try out DWS for the frist time. No fear - she started by doing a 7c onsight and then it just took her eight tries to do Chris Sharma's Weatherman 8a+ including some falls from 12 meters. This might be the hardest female DWS ever? "I was extremely surprised, because she didn't feel any fear." Jernej, who also put up two 8b+' says that there is a video coming up.

Ivana If Řezníková has done Star gate 8A+ in Szklarska Poreba. This was her second 8A+ this year when she also did six 8A's. More info on her blogspot.

Fanatic Climbing presents an interview with Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson in regards their Dawn Wall ascent which has become a movie. Interesting is that Tommy had to do a variation pitch, including down climbing, as he could not do the dyno going more straight up. In fact, they say that either Chris Sharma and Jonathan Siegrist could not manage the dyno and even Adam Ondra did choose the loop pitch. In the topo, both the loop as well as the dyno pitch are graded 9a but in practice, Jorgeson's straight up pitch is probably more like 9a+?

Take part in the 3rd Leonidio Climbing Festival on November 1-4, 2018, in Leonidio, Greece. Join the festival and climb alongside Angela Eiter, the first woman to ever climb a 9b (5.15b) and Petzl team athletes Klemen Bečan and Said Belhaj. Remember to take part in Vertical-Life's Zlagboard contest! The event is organized by the Region of Peloponnese and the Municipality of South Kynouria, and sponsored by Petzl!

Mina Leslie-Wujastyk has done Raining Bats and Dogs in Malham. " Great route, fell 11 times on the big move on the headwall before doing it. Powered by hairdo strawbs :)" (c) John Thornton In 2009, Mina did her first 8A and she was also a successful competition climber having been #10 in a World Cup. In 2017, she did her first 8B (A+) but since her focus seems to have shifted to doing routes.

Cathy Wagner has done her 81+ #148, Walk of Shame in Verdon. Just during the last 12 months the 53 year old has done 17 8a+, which is a new personal best. "No misunderstandings possible, it is 8 and very high class thanks to the vision of the talented Mr. P'tit Louis. a big thanks to him!"

On October 6th Alannah Yip and Matt Fultz won the 8th Portland Boulder Rally, one of America's premier bouldering events with a $10,000 cash purse and all-day festival. (c) Rich Crowder Event highlights

David Firnenburg, #3 in the Combined WCH in 2016, has done the first repeat of Gerome Pouvreau's Le Cadafist 9a in Saint Léger. "Yeah!!! 2nd ascent after Gerome. Very good job for the FA mate! Such a nice line! Bouldery sections at the start and at the top on crimps, mini pinches and pockets. Pumpy when you link it. Was heartbreaking to slip with my foot once at the very top after I climbed the hardest moves but today I came back, excited and with strong will and did it with style. Proud ascent! "

Jain Kim won the last World Cup in Kranj and with 28 victories, she has won most the in IFSC history. Overall, the 153 cm tall worst result since 2009 is #3. (c) Eddie Fowke 28 Jain Kim 25 Angela Eiter 22 Mina Markovic, Sandrine Levet 22 Anna Stöhr 21 Ramon Julian Puigblanque, Kilian Fischhuber, Akiyo Noguchi, Alex Chabot 20 Jakob Schubert, Muriel Sarkany 18 Janja Garnbret 17 Francois Legrand 14 Robin Erbesfield, Adam Ondra It should be mentioned that the first Lead World Cup was held in 1989 and the first Boulder W in 1999. Note that in the early years there were normally less events per year meaning that probably that climbers like Chabot, Levet, Legrand, Sarkany and Erbesfield would probably been higher up in the list based on equal competition conditions.

Lukasz Dudek has done another two 9a's, Der Lange Atem in Höllental and Sid Lives in Arco. "Short bouldery route. Looks ugly but it's a good piece of rock with some bad pinches and tiny crimps, 2 days." In total the Pole has now done 18 routes graded 9a, 31 8c+ and 61 8c's, so the base is ready for a 9a+ cherry on the cake.