As you probably know, based on the change in the IFSC bouldering rule, it is possibly to present the results as points. Last year I was part of a Working Group in IFSC invited to a meeting in Munich where I suggested one bonus point for a flash as well as increase to two zones. One reason for this is to make competitions more fair based on how good the athletes did climb. Two zones will also reduce the risk for going home empty handed with zero zones, aka 0 points as happened often for 10 % of the field like in Moscow YWC. Another way, or in a combination, to make the comps more fair and understandable for the spectators could be to give 0.1 point for touching (or controlling) the final hold with one hand. Alternatively, you can define the second zone as controlling the top with one hand. It is simply not fair that one climber who just reaches the zone gets as good score as, or possibly even better, compared to the one who climbs several moves longer and falls matching the final hold. It should be mentioned that such unfairness happens more often for the ones further down the list who do not make several tops.

Japan continues to dominate Bouldering in the Moscow Youth World Championship. In Youth B, they got two golds and two bronzes in great finals with almost perfect route setting were all boulders were done. Complete results (c) Eddie Fowke 1. Rei Kawamata 44 - Natsuki Tanii 34 (6) 2. Thomas Podolan 34 (4) - Naile Meignan 34 (8) 3. Nukui Ryoei 34 (5) - Hana Kudo 24 Rei, who also won last year, did his first 8B+ this summer. He has no trainer and his training is just made of my working and repeating the high class boulders at his gym.

In total, Japan did get three golds and four bronzes. The runner up is France with one medal in each color and a total of five finalists. The big sensation is that Austria has just have had one athlete in the final which can be compared with 12 for Japan. In 2017, Japan got nine youngsters on the podium and a total of ten finalists. The country that has dropped the most in 2018, is USA who got two golds and another two medals in 2017. This year, they just did get two in 6th position.

Stefano Ghisolfi has done his 17th 9a, Pure Dreaming in Arco, which Adam Ondra put up this spring. " It would be a hard 9a if Adam wouldn't find this kneebar after the first section of the route, so it is "just" 9a." (c) Sara Grippo In the Lead World Cup, the Italian is #2 after having won one event out of four. Currently he is training hard often in Innsbruck in order to prepare for the upcoming World Championship next month.

Kind of strange finals for Youth A in bouldering. A bit too easy for the boys and too hard for the girls. All three medalists among the male got almost identical results as they all did four tops in just five tries. The two best did take the four zones in five tries meanwhile the bronze guy needed five tries. For the female, only two of the boulders were done and the winner, Laura Rogara flashed them both. (c) Eddie Fowke Complete results 1. Laura Rogora 23 - Sam Avezou 44 (5/4) 2. Lucka Rakovec 14 (4) - Eneko Carretero 44 (5/4) 3. Futaba Ito 14 (5) - Nathan Martin 44 /5/5) Overall, Japan has been the best country in bouldering with one gold and two bronzes. The big sensation is that Austria has not had one finalists!

Hanna Slaney, who never has stood on a IFSC podium before, won the first bouldering gold in Moscow after having been #12 in the qualification and #4 in the semi. Among the boys, Meichi Narasaki, who was second last year in both Lead and Boulder, arrived on top. It was a perfect start thrilling to end with perfect route setting by Jacky Godoffe and his crew. Complete results (c) Eddie Fowke

Keegan Sullivan started climbing being four years old and did his first 7A being six years old. Now two years later he has done his first 7C+, Freedom Fries in Grayson Highlands State Park. Even more impressive is his grade pyramid made out of 101 recorded ascents. His father Brandon says the family focus is outdoors and just the last year they have traveled 29 times to twelve different locations, also including two younger brothers also pushing hard. “Our family was brand new to climbing just four years ago. Keegan would not be climbing at this level without the amazing support we have received from our local community. His gyms, coaches and teammates keep climbing fun. Our friends, the Collin and Kelly families, introduced us to crags, climbing technique, competitions, and to an even larger community. Perhaps the thing that separates Keegan most from other youth climbers is his mature ability to project challenging problems. When arriving at a boulder, Keegan will set out the pads, clean and brush holds, and work all of the moves. Then he will meticulously link sections of the boulder until he finds a nice flow in the sequence. We routinely see him work problems with intense focus and persistence, sometimes lasting hours and multiple sessions.”

Chaehyun Seo, who last week did her first 9a, has done Wacka Flocka 8c and the two 8b+'in Rifle; Simply redlined and Zulu. In the 8a ranking game, the 14 year old is #2. Chaehyeon's father, Jungkuk was #10 in an Ice WC in 2015 and in 2016 he did an 8b+ in Red River Gorge. Back home in Korea, he is a youth trainer in his own gym in Korea. Her mother, Chigon is also an 8a climber and has participated in some World Cups.