Cosmin Andron has published a detailed article in regards to washing the rope and increasing its lifespan. Ii is interesting is that Tendon has actually developed a specific detergent. "Spring is here and it's the best time to check your climbing bag and do some cleaning. Rope is a textile product and it's possible to wash it in the washing machine or by hand. It not only removes all the dirt but it also prolongs the life span of the rope. The water temperature should be set between 30 - 40°C and instead of common washing powder a special rope cleaner should be used for safe washing without changes in rope parameters. The rope should be dried properly in a dark place protected from direct sunshine and away from heaters."

Climb Kalymnos, which just recently reported that Ryan Air will stop flying to Kos in 2017, comes with more bad news. Olympic Airlines will as of tomorrow stop flying from Athens to Kalymnos. It is said that Astra Airlines will take over but reduce to three flights a week until 2020. It seems that the best climbing destination will get even better soon as it will get less crowded but how to get there in the prime season as the charter companies mainly fly from mid May to September? Here are some low price airlines alternatives (as of 2016 but it does not fit Kos airport info): Easy Jet did fly to Kos from Milan, London and Glasgow this year; Vuelving from Rome; Air Berlin. Anyone who have some further tips how to get to Kalymnos in 2017?

In 2004, Dave MacLeod made tha FA of Rhapsody and with 8c and E11 iw was a contendor for the hardest trad route in the world. The fame was also based in the video which really showed his commitment and how dangerous it was. Dave actually said it could be potentially deadly. Later it was repeated by several people, everyone of whom said it was not dangerous if you instead used dynamic belay. The grades were also questioned as well as the fact that it was an elimination. Jacopo stays away from all this and just says that he is so impressed by Dave, who put it up.

Jakob Kronberger, who did his first 9a last year, has done the FA of Die rechte Hand 9a in Salzburger Land. In the new Age & Gender Bonus ranking game, the 15-year-old is #5 overall in the world. "The route is an old project of Klem Loskot. Its a short bouldery route with 10 hard moves on small holds. The route is just a part of a superhard project. After the 9a is over, there is a boulder which is for shure 8B but it should be possible for stronger climbers. There isn't a possibility to rest in the route. It would be very interesting how hard the whole route is. Maybe 9b but I can't really tell how hard it exactly is because I am not even able to do all the moves of the upper boulder. If anyone is interested in the route, feel free to contact me."

Do not miss one of the greatest competition videos ever presented.

Roland Hemetzberger comes with the great news on Instagram that he has repeated Alex Huber's multi-pitch Nirwana, giving a personal grade of 8b+, instead of 8c+.

The first 8C+ suggestion was done by the former World Champion Mauro Calibani for his FA of Tonino 78 in 2004. Later it was downgraded and that is also the case for most of the 20+ boulders which were given 8C+. However, during the last years, it seems that we have gone from grade inflation to grade deflation. As it stands, excluding Traverses and contrived Boulders, only Guillaume Glairon-Mondet and Daniel Woods have put their neck out proposing 8C+s for FAs. Daniel first for The Process in 2015 and later he upgraded Hypnotized Minds from 2010 and yesterday for Creature from a Black Lagoon. Guillaume's has later been given a personal grade. The first and only 8C+ suggested upgrade, after a repeat, was done by Adam Ondra for Gioia in 2011. Talking to several of the best boulderers in the world during the last years, examples of potential upgrades have been forwarded, based on their trying hard without success. Is it not kind of strange that 15 years after the first 8Cs were done, only Daniel Woods, Adam Ondra and Guillaume Glairon-Mondet think they have reached a new level?

In the new Age & Gender Bonus ranking, Chuck Odette (60) is #3 and his partner Maggie (46) is #26. It is very interesting that they both did not start pushing hard until they were 40. Maggie has just done her second 8b+ and Chuck has just done an 8b but his ambition is to get back on 8b+ level. They are both on lookout for the next project to get inspired by. Chuck: "I need more rest and more yoga than I used to. And I have to continue working my weakness, which is power, while focusing on climbs that suit my strength, which is endurance." Maggie: "For training, we spent most of the winter bouldering in Moe's Valley and Marioland, both in southern Utah. We plan to continue that program, taking about 3 months every year to boulder for training power, which is our biggest weakness. In some places we've also been able to hang gymnastic rings or a pull-up bar for reps at the end of climbing days."

Climbskin has helped us out with some skin care advises. Chris Sharma is one of their ambassadors. - "It is a great product, it moisturizes and rebuilts your skin. It is not like the waxy or oily materials, you can actually put it on before you climb which is one of the most amazing things. Climbskin is gonna change people's climbing. It is by far the best product on the market".

Alessandro Marrocchi and Enrico Rogora, the father and trainer of Laura Rogora, have published an open letter to IFSC in regards to Speed climbing. 8a totally agrees with their thoughts and based on discussion here comes with some further considerations and a solution on how to get greater chances to make Combined climbing a success in Tokyo. The number of Speed walls are very limited and actually there are just eleven certified ones, which in fact the World Championship wall in Paris did fail to be. In Europe there are three certified walls but none in the USA. One simple way of increasing interest for Speed climbing among climbers and gyms is of course to allow 12 meter walls and to set different Speed routes for each event and gym. This would make it more interesting for the Lead/Boulder climbers to take the Speed challenge. The biggest obstacle for having a strong interest for climbers to run for the Olympics in Tokyo 2020 is the lack of Speed walls around the globe. On the other hand, why should a commercial gym invest in a certified Speed wall that most probably will not get any big interest whatsoever? If IFSC cannot guarantee several hundred certified Speed walls around by 2017, there will be limited interest in the Combined. It is also immoral to let one company be the only official and certified manufacturer of Speed holds. More critiscs from Climbing Business Journal.