If Combined climbing had mad it to the Olympics 15 years ago, we would have had a mega star with some gold medals hanging around his neck. We are talking winning different disciplines the same day? Now he works anonymously as an IFSC route setter. An interesting interview is coming up also explaining how to train for Tokyo 2020. The background for the interview is that his kid has just set some new records. Who is it?

Lair Thibault has done his third 9a FA, La minute de rési, 9a in Lourdes. In the 8a ranking game, the French man is #14. "This is a 3-route connection, 40 movements of pure endurance. It took me about 15 sessions. Evening after work sessions were necessary to do the route. Even if it is not a king line, still very happy to do this big chunk of endurance!"

Jimmy Webb reports on Instagram that he has done Daniel Woods' problem Creature from the Black Lagoon, a RMNP 8C+ boulder repeated previously by Dave Graham. (C) Hannah Donnelly "One of my main goals of the trip is complete with the 3rd ascent of the ultra sick @dawoods89 test piece 'Creature from the Black Lagoon' V16. After 6 days of work gaining the necessary power, power endurance, and alpine fitness I was finally able to take it down. Feels so damn good to climb such a stunner!! Still got plenty of time left in the alpine and there's tons more to do." Jimmy probably is the best flash climber ever and was #1 in the ranking game for a while and now he is #3 in the world ranking game.

Spanish youngster Jorge Diaz-Rullo did his first 9a+ Ali Hulk Extension in Rodellar. It is the 3rd repeat of Dani Andrada's route since 2007. In the picture onsighting Detectives 8a. (c) Carlos Padilla "I can't believe it yet! So happy! After 10 days working on the cave I could do it today. Thanks to all my friends for supporting me and specially to Octavio, who was pulling me up to try the moves. So nice, then celebrating and kept saying "don't stop!" Not too many references about the grade, Andrada said at first as well as Danilo Pereyra and Magnus Midtbø in the 9a/+ and 9a+ range." Jorge is in holidays right there in Rodellar with a nice list in just a month. Seven routes from 8c to 9a+.

Jan Hojer, competing against five guys from Asia, put on an amazing show in the Boulder World Cup final in Munich. Some 3 000 spectators got crazy for each top and when he also topped the last boulder and secured the victory, it was an epic thunder and lightening moment. Jan got emotional and after the event he took the microphone and explained how much their support meant. Among the females, Janja Garnbret who has won the three first Lead WCs this year, won her third Bouldering WC. Once again she did it by showing spectacular technique using all of her body from the toes to the head continuing and stopping big pendelum swings. The young Slovenian also saved the show for the route setters, together with Stasa Gejo, as the other four climbers basically could not establish the start or doing the first move on two consecutive boulders. (c) Eddie Fowke Complete results 1. Jan Hojer GER 4t10 4b6 - Janja Garnbret SLO 3t10 3b6 2. Tomoa Narasaki JPN 3t6 3b3 - Shauna Coxsey 2t2 2b2 3. Taisei Ishimatsu JPN 3t7 3b4 - Akiyo Noguchi 1t1 2b4 4. Jongwon Chon KOR 2t3 3b4 - Stasa Gejo 1t3 3b9 5. Yoshiyuki Ogata JPN 2t3 3b4 - Alex Puccio 1t3 2b4 6. Kokoro Fujii JPN 2t9 2b6 - Petra Klingler 0 1b4 Follow up article where the Japanese, Chon and Hojer, explain their recipe for success is coming up.

1. Jongwon Chon KOR 453 - Shauna Coxsey GBR 560 2. Tomoa Narasaki JPN 404 - Janja Garnbret SLO 470 3. Alexsey Rubtsov RUS 399 - Akiyo Noguchi JPN 380 4. Keita Watabe JPN 372 - Miho Nonaka JPN 377 5. Kokoro Fujii JPN 327 - Petra Klingler SUI 290 6. Rei Sugimoto JPN 278 - Stasa Gejo SRB 234 7. Jan Hojer GER 235 - Katja Kadic SLO 227 8. Yoshiyuki Ogata JPN 232 - Michaela Tracey GBR 190 Five Japanese male in Top-8!

Having talked to most of the top male WC boulderers and many of the coaches, it seems like everyone is going for the Olympics. Nobody, besides the French guys, have started any serious Speed training but many say they will start this winter. In one way, it is good for the athletes that most give low priority for Speed which makes it feel less hard to become a very good Speed climber. On the other hand, the French guys did perform relatively bad in Munich which could be explained their broader focus already. Alexey Rubtsov said specifically that he plans to not train Lead but just Boulder and Speed as it is not a problem to be weak in one discipline if you are good in the other two. The Combined result is calculated by multiplication.

Janja Garnbret and Stasa Gejo both scored 4t6 4b6 in the semifinal of the Munich Boulder World Cup which made the route setter have to rebuild one of the male problems. After both had failed to do the first move and dyno twice, Stasa made it and reached one more hold putting pressure on Janja, who missed the dyno again. Among the males Jan Hojer won ahead of Alex Megos creating some unfairness for Jan as he has to stay waiting for the cermony. Jan was not so happy about the new rule having the European Champion during the semi. At the same time the Japanese and Jongwon Chon left the venue directly after the semifinal getting some food and rest at the hote, Jan is still here waiting for the medal cermony. The unfairness was even worse for the females having to do one more boulder. The World Cup final starts 18:00.

Fixed quick draws are potential death traps as the lower carabiner can get so worn down that it becomes like a knife cutting off a rope. This is something that is quite easy to check. A death trap which is much harder to observe is the webbing being worn down on the back side due to friction against the rock. In Sweden a climber broke the webbing on a fixed quick draw on a popular crag some weeks ago. Earlier this spring another climber broke the webbing after just many side falls over a lip. Check also the backside of the webbing the next time you see fixed quick draws especially if it has contact with the rock. A bolter should also have this in mind to never place a bolt which might put the webbing in friction danger. It might also be wise to check your quick draws including the webbing once in a while to check that they are in good shape.

The qualification has started and here you have the Updated results. Live-streaming on IFSC starts with semifinal at 10:00 and Final 18:00. Shauna Coxsey has already secured the title and among the male, Jongwon Chon is #1. If Alexey Rubtsov wins the last event, Chon needs to be #3 to secure the title. The Russian could also win if he is third in Munich and Chon is #12 or worse. In theory, Keita Watabee could also win overall.