It is quite obvious that Bouldering is way ahead when it comes to interest from the climbers, media, organizers and the participants. This goes from the World Cups to the local gym comps. Basically a Lead comp takes longer time to prepare and run, have much fewer exciting moments for the spectators and put more pressure on the participants although they climb very little. Climbers want to climb and the organizers want to simplify it. What if we copy the boulderer competition concept and skip judges /and belayers) in qualifications and let the climbers run it and add the routes in Apps. You score your Top-5 routes based on 8a scoring points and all the routes in the gym are available to try. An 8a = 1 000 points and a 7a onsight = 845 points etc. To spicy it up, at least in the small gyms, you could also score by measuring the number of clips done. Nine clips on a 7a redpoint means 0.9 * 700 = 630 points. For the final, there can be new onsight routes as normal. It should be mentioned that the format has been tested out successfully in a Swedish Cup and in the near future, there will be both holds and also quick draws available on the market, which could mark the results automatically.

France was the best country during the European Youth Championship in Imst, with two golds and one silver and one bronze. Austria did get one medal each but counting points overall, Austria was actually head of France. Among the bigger nations, once again Germany and Great Britain were very long down the list. (c) Reino Horak 99: Nolwenn Arc FRA - Jakub Konecny CZE 01: Sandra Lettner AUT - Alberto Ginés López ESP 03: Nika Potapova UKR - Paul Jenft FRA Complete results.

Shinichiro Nomura, who started bouldering outdoors six months ago, has done two 8C's in Shiobara, Hydrangea and Babel. The 159 cm tall did them on his second day including also an 8B+ and in total he needed 15 tries each. "I am am super happy with these sends. In total, the 21 year old has now done five 8C's and he is #2 in the ranking game. Last year his focus was Lead competitions and his worst result during the five last WCs was #29. (c) Jun Shibanuma, who also did Babel!

The Pongoose is the most advanced and expensive (97 Euro excluding shipping) clip stick out there. Beside putting up the quickdraws and also putting in the rope it can actually retrieve quickdraws as well as attach a brush and a camera on it. The collapsed length is just 720 mm and you can clip it in to your harness if you need it higher up. The extended length is 2.85 m. The big question is of course if it is worth it in comparison to a free natural version or the less advanced and expensive stick clip on the market? Having tested it, we can say that it is marginally better then the others on the market. You will probably save some time putting up and down quick draws but it is also personal which clip stick works best. Have you never used a clip stick but plans to buy one, this should be your best option. On the other hand, if you already have one and have learnt it's tricks, the benefits does not seem to be so big beside the "plastic" ones often get destroyed pretty fast.

alizee dufraisse has done Veritas low left 8A+ in RMNP. "Colorado is amazing!! I learn the process to push in bouldering and explore all those crazy places." Now she sets the bar on Bear Toss 8B before going to Rocklands. Alizée, who has done two 9a's, in #6 in the female boulder ranking game.

Yesterday I managed to send "Veritas low left" V12/8a+ in RMNP. Hope we ll have some good days for "Bear Toss" before Africa

The first female 9a is today considered to be Josune Bereziartu's Bain de Sang from 2000 although also 8c+ have been forwarded. In fact, looking at the female 9a advent statistics, most are today thought to be closer to 8c+/9a. 9a: Josune Bereziartu - Bain de Sang 2000 9a+: Margo Hayes - La Rambla 2017 9b: Angela Eiter - La Planta de Shiva 2017 8c+/9a Statistics (out of which 9a's and harder) 8: Anak Verhoeven (4) 4: Angela Eiter (3), Josune Bereziartu (2), Laura Rogara (1)

Connor Herson is a multi-discipline climber doing it all from big wall trad climbing to competitions. At the same time he has been focusing multiple ascents instead of just some few hard redpoints projects. "In August last year, right after I sent my second 5.14 (8b+), my friend Hobbs and I joked about climbing 14 5.14's before turning 15. I didn't take it seriously at all, but later that trip I sent two more, and it seemed like it could happen. If I averaged one a month, it would be possible. However, between August and December, I was focused on competitions so I didn't even get to try any. After that, I ticked four more in between December and March, and then came my trip to the Red. Beforehand, I thought that if I climbed well, I might be able to pull of two, but I surpassed my expectations by sending Lucifer (8c+), Southern Smoke, and Omaha Beach! I rode the psyche through the rest of April and the beginning of May, and, as well as doing the Nose and Halfdome each in a day, I managed to pull off this goal at a local sport crag called Jailhouse! Looking forward to the future, I think I would like to send one or two more 5.14's before turning 15 in July because one (God's Own Stone) I did while I was 13 so instead of 14 5.14's before turning 15, I could make it 14 5.14's while I am 14 years old, which sounds pretty cool. Beyond that, I am going to be focusing on competitions over the summer, but I'll be doing some climbing in Yosemite beforehand. (c) Andrea Laue - Lolita 5.14a at Jailhouse Rock