Ryuichi Murai has done his sixth 8C in the last 12 months and the seventh ascent of Asagimadara in Mizugaki. The 167 cm tall Japanese is the new 8a ranking leader. "Finally I managed to climb "Asagimadara 8C" put up by Tokio Muroi for three days. Yesterday, I tried it for the first time in one year. I could remember my moves soon because Mizugaki is the best season now. I had attempted to deal with crux move (4th hold) by campusing so far. But I couldn't the move. Eventually, I could resolve by leaving right heel on start hold. Actually I wrote this move off by reason of short reach, when I touched Asagimadara at first. So I felt more surprised than happy!!

Marcin Dzienski has won the last four Boulder World Cups and the World Championship in Paris. Last weekend, the Pole competed in the University Championship also in Lead and Boulder, where his results suggest that it will be impossible for him to qualify to the Olympic based on Combined results. In Bouldering he was dead last with no zones even if you have to do four problems just to qualify to the semifinal. In Lead he was third last, only beating two guys who were said to struggle on 7a moves. The only option for Marcin and probably all speed specialists is to win the Speed World Championship as IOC has requested that that person qualify. However, just imagine how strange it would be for him and also the spectators to watch him not being able to move from the marked starting position.

Climb Greece has the latest news about the Leonidio Climbing Festival 10-13/11. Leonidio is located some 3 hours south east from Athens. "Leonidio is on the south east coast of Greece, and it is hands down one of the best winter climbing destinations in Europe. It now features more than 800 sport routes, some of which were rebolted earlier this year, amidst stunning mountain and sea backdrops."

Magnus Midtbø has done Thor's Hammer 9a (+) after some 15 days of work on the 55 metre long upside-down monster in Flatanger. Magnus bolted it in 2011 and then Adam Ondra got the 9a+ FA. Later an easier sequence was found and Magnus has decided to say it is a very hard 9a like Ondra and Seb Bouin. (c) Matthew Moore McMahon "I went to Flatanger two times this summer for working on it. This trip I did it already on the fourth day. I still had the moves dialed from the summer and the friction was much better. This winter I plan to travel to Spain several times. We are just about to open a new climbing center in Oslo and that will take some time. What about competitions and the Olympics? No plan but most probably I will compete some more but just not now. Olympics within four years is absolutely one alternative. Even if I am not a fan of the format I think it is a good start.

Dave Graham, one of the leading climbers of the last 15 years, reports on Instagram that he has done an unexpected FA of Topaz 8C in RMPN/Wild Basin. The first 8C FA by Dave Graham was The Story of 2 Worlds, which has become one of the most famous Boulders in the world. "This boulder is somehow long-winded; it begins with some strange technical footwork and a tedious set up for a punchy frontal divisive move to a pinch, the gateway to the last precarious sequence of foot moves and hand shifts and mini bumps. I had no clue I would end up on the top the try I actually climbed it, in a really rare rock climbing moment, tension and nerves through the final sequemce were toned down as each move I completed, I genuinely thought I was falling and about to slip off every move of the final sequence. AMAZING."

Fred Nicole, the leading boulderer some 20 years ago, has put up Chakija in Rocklands saying it is between 8B and 8C. Here his full story from Instagram. "What a crazy week! The last climbing day in the #Rocklands I managed to climb this line on the beautiful orange wall just left of "Stalker" - I was looking at it more closely since my last visit there in May. It is a beautiful orange wall with quite a few strange moves, that took me a while to figure out. I named it "Chakijana", a Zulu storyteller tells it is a meercat, others a hero of their culture... I just liked the sound of it. As for the grade it is difficult to say as I can imagine it sticks better with really cold conditions; it should be around 8b/c - time will tell! In the meantime I was back in Switzerland for a few days and I am now in China! I hope for a great winter bouldering season when I get back to Zurich!"

Mr Kalymnos, Aris T, has said that Kyparissi, located an hour south of Leonidio, has also the potential to be a new world class destination with very high rock quality. Here you will find some more info and the updated Free Topo including almost 200 routes. After the Leonidio Climbing Festival 10-13/11, climbers are invited to try out Kyparissi.

Jernej Kruder, one of the best all-rounders with his activity ranging from Bouldering comps to multi-pitches, comes with great news on Instagram. © Kerstin Helbach "Baam! Yesterday I stucked the dyno once again :) but this time decided to finish in direct finish named Pontax 8c. @chris_sharma opened this line a year before he sent Es pontas, so it must be a second ascent after 11 years. Luckily I feel more comfortable on dyno now, so I started working on original line. Together with @janhojer we're getting higher now and I think we have equal chances of success. So there is no battle for second ascent, cuz after 10 years, few days wouldn't make any difference. Let's hope the waves calm down and we can be back in the game.

Fanatic Climbing has got some comments from Alex Megos after his FA of Supercrackinette 9a+ in St Leger. "It took me 3 days and I think it's 9a+. About the sends in the East face, I did l'Enfumette but I think it's 8c+ (originally graded 9a by the man who did the first ascent Kevin Aglaé). Took me 4 tries. I did as well too "Concept Extension", 8c+."

The new sector Arginonta Valley, developed mainly by Aris Theodoropoulos and Claude Idoux, has become possibly the most popular sector in Kalymnos. The approach takes five minutes, and the crag is very well protected, both the long vertical easier routes and the short steeper routes around 7a are of high quality and located in the shade. This was the best addition the island could have had and it might be possible to open some shorter and even harder routes to the left. More info and a Left>Right Topo. There are already some 200 ascents in the 8a data base and Diagora 7a has been ticked 20 times.