By mid March, Boreal gathered some of its most representative athletes in Albarracín and Chulilla. There we saw first hand how much their new climbing shoes line had improved. We took advantage of this opportunity to have a little chat with some of these climbers (Nacho Sánchez, Raquel Hernández and Edu Marín). Don't miss out on the interviews and the nice pictures shot by David Munilla in this article.

Barbara Raudner, who started climbing when she was 28, has done Los Humildes Pa Casa 8b+ in Oliana. Fotocredit: Flo Murnig. More great pictures at Barbara's blog. "Los Humildes Pa Casa is such an amazing route, for me one of the best lines! It has been bolted by Oscar Jiménez as one of the first lines in Oliana and many people call it as „the line of the sector“. If you arrive at the parking and you see the outstanding long tufa line, you just want to try it. My good friend Roger Schäli and me had a great time climbing in Oliana the past few weeks together with so many nice people." What is the secret of your continous progress and what is next? I am always motivated to try hard, to enjoy climbing and to have fun with my friends. I have a lot of new projects in my mind ... in the near future I am psyched to take part at the San Vito Climbing Festival in Sicily in May together with my best friend Daila Ojeda.

We have seen a great female bouldering the last years and the number of 8A's done around the world are increasing fast. A rough estimate suggest that beside a couple of 8B's, a dozen have done 8A+ and maybe 50 have done 8A. However, in the mecca of bouldering, Fontainebleau, 8A's are still very rare. Why is it like this? Font is said to favor the technical skilled and this is how we normally describe female? A better explanation might be that, relatively, female are best in steep terrain with crimpers and not on slightly overhanging dynamic boulders with slopers and mantel cruxes. What do you think, is it a myth that Font is technically challenging besides the reach dependent vertical and slabby stuff? Katharina Saurwein, fighting a sloper problem in Fontainebleau. "I think it is no secret that most females are a way stronger in crimping than on slopers... maybe because of their smaller hands?"

Derek Powell who started climbing in 1995 has made a great personal best, being 44 years old, by doing Death Sentence 8c in Jailhouse. He did his first 8a in 1998 and his first 8b+ in 2007. "Thanks to Vian for the countdown(s) and the coin(card) toss. Thanks to Ginny and Noah for the support. Greg, I'll call your 17 kneebars and raise you 13. I'll call your volleyball and raise you a weather balloon."

Mateusz Haladaj has done his ninth 9a, out of which five in Santa Linya, Analogica Natural. "The left extension. Think it changes the original grade, took 5 falls from the last move. One of the best and logical lines in the cave. I think harder and better than Fuck the system!

Florian Schmalzl who has had some great progress the last years has done his first 8C, Zunami in Saalachtal which was set up by B Schwaiger in 2003. Florian (22) started to climb when he was 15 and bouldering when he was 18 years old and it took him ten days over three years to do it.

In order to give more credit to FA's we have doubled up the bonus points to 30 for routes and 20 to boulders. The onsight bonus for routes is 145 points and the flash bonus for boulders are 53 points. A second go ascents gives 2 points extra. The annual score is based on the Top-10 ascents. Have fun :)

Mina Leslie-Wujastyk started a crowd funding page two days ago for the GB WC bouldering team as a sponsor had to withdraw. Their target was 8 000 pound and now already 230 backers have raised 9 000 pound. Six backers have paid a total of 1 900 pound for a one hour coaching with either Mina or Shauna Coxsey. As there are many federation and competitors struggling with World Cup finance, this might be the way to go. Last year, Shauna was #4 and Mina #9 in the Bouldering World Cup which starts in less than four weeks in China.

Recently a new bouldering guidebook has been released including 10 lesser known sandstone bouldering areas in France. Those areas are located in the north of France around Reims in the Alsace, and in the south of France near Montpellier and the Rhone valley. 1440 problems are well illustrated and described in four languages for the real, authentic bouldering explorers. If you like bouldering on sandstone, this could just be the alternative you are looking for in the upcoming, overcrowded bank holiday weekends in Fontainebleau. More info and here you buy it for Euro 32.

Based on the recent economical crises in Spain and Greece, the both governments have decided to collect Euro 8 daily climbing tax. The good news is that all 8a members will get a free climbing pass at a value of Euro 88 per year. The climbing tax will be collected at airports and at the immigrants desk. If you have not prepaid the tax and there is a control, you will have to pay Euro 100 or go to jail for one day. The controlling organisation, Lirpa Loof, says: "We will mainly work on the crags with the softest gradings as we know here is where most climbers go. We also know that many top climbers use campus board so we have installed them in some prisons near Oliana and on Kalymnos. Anybody who can do 1-4-7 is free to go.