Adam Ondra shares some great tips on his Instagram including also a indoor replica of his 9c project in Flatanger, where he is going next.

Klättercentret in Stockholm created The Project and invited several top climbers to go for the challenge topping out the "world's hardest route" getting Euro 5 000 or having the yearly record getting Euro 1 000. It was a great media success and Adam Ondra has the high point but in reality the route has already been abandoned. "As the route is permanent it will now for the first time in climbing history be possible to have a World record which everyone can try to beat. It will of course be possible to have all sorts of records based on countries, regions, cities, gender, age and so on." It just might be that Alex Megos, who often spends time in Stockholm, will project it a bit in order to get the Euro 1 000 but other than that the upper 3/4' will just collect dust. The idea was to start with 6A boulder moves and continue with a "mighty 8C at the top". Anybody can understand that doing an 8C boulder after having climbed a 30 meter progressively harder route for about 30 meters is impossible for human mankind, i.e the Euro 5 000 was well looked in the bank valve. Further more, it seems to be a route setting mistake as it did turn out to be too hard too early. Ondra's highpoint, which we must assume should be at least 9a involving at least an 8A+ boulder sequence, is about ten meters and 20 moves from the top! Very few gym climbers can actually do more than 15 moves. The best solution now should be to give Ondra his Euro 1 000 and either add many holds or to make a new, more progressive Project route that is at most 8a half way up. A female variation should also be created by adding holds, because as it stands now, the Project also discriminates female climbers.

Alexey Rubtsov started climbing at 17 years old and three years later he was the 2009 Boulder World Champion. This is the first year the Russian has been a full time climber due to more support from his federation, prize money and better sponsor deals with Mad Rock, Nihil and Russia Climbing. He started the season by doing his first 8C and he is #2 in the Boulder World Cup after he won the last event in Tokyo. He has no coach and most of the time he trains by himself. "I climb mostly my boulders. I train 4-5 times in gym in week, 3 hours a day. More than last year. Sometimes I do body power training after climbing but mostly just bouldering, I like it. Yoga can kill you, running did not work. This is my opinion." Talking about advantage of any starting positions and the new trend with slabs in the World Cup, he is equally outspoken. "Starting 1st in final and in semi are best. No pressure and better friction. So many slabs this year. It seems like best climber is the one who can walk better along the wall. Slab and jump and jump on slab that is so far from rocks. I don't like it. I like more power boulders. Slopers and crimps on steep walls :) I hope we will see it this year! This is the first year when I am a professional climber. I almost did not work, just trained. I spent more time thinking about the training process, I found several interesting techniques. Last year there was a new strongest team in bouldering (the Japanese), and I took it into account. I am very pleased with the strong rivals, they do not allow me to relax but to push for progress. I'm training alone and making programs, but it's even more interesting, no one tells me what to do and I decide what's good for me. Honestly, going out for the season I did not know what to expect from myself this year I was more aiming for the whole season, and not for the first positions, as in the past. As a result, now I feel better than a year ago in the middle of the season." (c) Eddie Fowke - The Circuit Climbing

Everything ready for today in Melloblocco celebrating also the Italian Bouldering Cup.(C)Talo Martín/Muérdago Films More than 2.000 pre-registered climbers and more tomorrow will take part in one of the biggest bouldering events in the world. The forecast will be rainy but just in the evenings during 4 days of competition, party and live music. The organization also has covered with big canvass a bunch of boulders to avoid the rain. Vertical-Life have been invited and like last year they will run a Zlagboard and a scorecard contest, through their App. If you break the 2.44 world record by Ramonet you get 1 500 Euro.

Luis Gerhardt has had an amazing long weekend in Fontainebleau having done one 8B, and two 8B+', Mecanique Elementaire and Jour de chasse which many think is 8C. (c) Markus Ixmeier - Boulderclassics "Well... I don't know how to grade it ... If you climb it like Jan it's harder for sure!! But with the heelhook at the beginning, Giuliano could also be right ... Anyways a sick boulder!!!" What is your plan and ambition in 2017? Wow that's a hard question... The first stop is Céûse for sure in the end of may. Wanna try Baa Baa Black sheep because it looks pretty good! After that I have no plans I guess.. trying Action Directe probably and in winter The Island ... But I will see! I'm just psyched for all the nice stuff!! And travel as much as possible to see all the nice places I wanna go.

Many young climbers find it hard to combine their sport with studies, once they go to university and have to move to another city. The good news is, there are a few renowned universities in alpine regions. One excellent example is the Free university of Bozen-Bolzano, located in South Tyrol, Northern Italy. It particularly supports students from abroad, as lectures are held in three languages: English, German and Italian. The Dolomites within reach, the region of South Tyrol is a good choice for those who love rock climbing and with an hour you reach most of the crags in the Arco region. Just around Bolzano there are some 15 crags really close and some are possible to climb also during the winter. Also, you find several big, well-equipped gyms, many sports facilities and hundreds of ski lifts. Student jobs are easy to get, and startup companies in the outdoor sector are constantly looking for young talents. Please feel free to suggest other European climbing cities where you could study in English.

Cathy Wagner, who did her first 8a in 1994, has done El bicho in Rodellar in just three tries, suggesting a personal grade of 8a+. "For me, a fantastic impressive line offering both physical AND technical climbing up there, over two roofs. But the official grade (8b) doesn't reflect the difficulty of that route, 8a+ is closer to reality - and honestly I've done harder ones. Have been on it three times altogether." It total the 51 year old has done almost 600 routes 8a and harder out of which 45 only the last year. This means in fact, that her last year should be considered as one of her best years ever. Bear in mind also that she frequently suggests personal down grades. Interesting is that she previously has said that she warms up less and less and instead just does some tai-chi movements.

Vertical-Life is part of a great exhibition in Berlin featuring 129 Climbing Gardens of the World with stunning pictures. In the website presentation, there is a link to the 8a Tick List and some 8a statistics about each crag. It is truly a must to look at the pictures and get inspired planning your next trip. They have also transported big rocks of all stone qualities that we are climbing on around the globe. You can also take a selfie where you climb in any of the most beautiful places in the world. Just after five days of the exhibition, almost 2 000 have taken the picture and overall, the estimate is for a couple million visitors.