By searching the highest star rating of the popular routes up to 6a in the world, we can see that all the Top-4 are trad routes found in the Bohuslän, Sweden. The #1 in the world is Villskudd followed by Prismaster, Mallorol and Bergkirstis Polska which are located in four different crags, creating the Bohuslän classics. The granite in the area is world class and it has actually been shipped all over the world. By checking the Tick List of Bohuslän, we can also see that there are several harder trad routes that score high on the quality star rating. Beside trad routes, there are some high class sport crags including two new family crags and Granitgrottan with routes up to 8c+ (FA Ondra), as well as bouldering in the area. Bohuslän is located one hour north of Göteborg and two hours south of Norway. (c) Hampus Ivert

The problems with doing dead hangs is that the hard core climber can hang 10 seconds on so small edges that it is painful and destroys the skin. One option is of course carrying weights but that is not so convenient. An alternative could be swinging dead hangs, on campus boards, meaning that you start hanging with your feet as long away from the edge as possible. Once you let go, you get a hard pendulum swing to handle, increasing the load on your fingers. Tackling the swing will also mean that you challenge different angles of your crimp position, body and arm muscles as well as train technically. Start by recruit your maximum finger strength by doing several one second dead hangs which can be combined with some campus moves. Experiment on how much swing you can take to be able to hang for 10 seconds. For the very advanced climbers like Hannes Puman on the picture, European Youth Champion in 2013, you can push to increase every swing. To make it even more advanced you should try to finish of by doing one move or just dyno as high as possible. Rest for one minute which should be increased to two minutes if you do more than 10 sessions. Once you feel you get weaker you should stop the exercise.

Here is a list of the best rated popular boulders up to 6A and actually, all but one in Sweden, are found in USA. Search the Tick List in order to find the best climbs in the world. Stars (Ascents) 2.7 (20) Jedi Mind Tricks 6A - Bishop (c) John Rockway 2.5 (35) Slashface 6A - Joshua Tree 2.3 (21) The Maiden 5A - Hueco Tanks 2.3 (20) White Flight 6A - Tramway 2.2 (36) Once upon a time 6A - Yosemite 2.2 (35) Hershey's symphony 5A - Hueco Tanks 2.2 (32) Fettot har vita jeans 6A - Hönö SWEDEN 2.2 (22) Nobody gets out of here alive 5C - Hueco Tanks 2.1 (76) White Rastafarian 6A - Joshua Tree 2.1 (54) Indian Ladder 5C - Mt Evan 2.1 (34) Lidija's Mouth 6A - Bishop 2.1 (30) The Pork Chop 6A - Red Rocks 2.1 (21) Emerald City 5A - Tramway

Chris Zehani who did his first 8a in 1995, and now has done 1 700 up to 9a, has done the FA of Love long Distance 8c+ in Cevennes. It is a 35m long and 80 moves link up bolted by Jean-Marc Oberli. Chris has previously put up like 20 routes 8c+ and harder.

Ramon Julian has made the FA of Bi Herri, Borroka Bat 9a in La Cova de'locell which is his 35th 9a and harder, out of which 11 FA, since 2002. During the last year, he has done seven 9a's and two 9a+' making it his best year ever for the 33 year old. The 159 cm Spaniard has been the best Lead Competition climber in the world during the last ten years.

Nalle Hukkataival has done the third ascent of Christian Core's Gioia 8C in Varazze from 2008 which later Adam Ondra has suggested 8C+ for in 2011. If Nalle also goes for 8C+ it will be the hardest repeated boulder in the world. Core has said it might be 8C+ as some guys have speculated but he did choose to put a hard grade in order to avoid the risk of down grading. Nalle has been of the leading boulderer in the world for ten years and in 2007 he was #2 in the European Championship. Since 2009, he has not done any WC's but set up several Amazing FAs up to 8C. What does this mean to you and what is next? "Gioia was definitely a big milestone in my climbing! Happy everything came together with conditions, skin and everything and I got to finish it! I think we're moving on to Switzerland tomorrow and Font in a couple weeks.Scott Noy

Katharina Posch has done her first 8A+, Diaphanous sea in Hueco Tanks. "I tried it for 2 days and it was all about one far move into a jug." Katharina is part of the Austrian competition story and she has eleven Euro youth cup victories and in 2011, she was #5 in the world championship being only 17 years old. In 2014, she will do all Lead WC's and the boulder event in Innsbruck.

Piotr Schab has finished his trip to Margalef in good style onsighting Súper Vixens 8b (+) and redpointing Pal norte 8c+. The 17 year old has making head lines since he did Era Vella being 15 years old.

Daniel Woods took his 8th straight win in the USA Boulder Championships and he won all three rounds. " The comp was good! Didn't really prepare for it (climbed outside for the last 2 months) but felt motivated. The problems were fun to climb on. Still deciding if I do WCs this year. Might do the world championships." #2 was Vasya Vorotnikov followed by Andy Lamb. Among the female, Juliane Wurm from Germany won ahead of Alex Puccio, USA Champ fo the 8th time, followed by Megan Mascarenas and Margo Hayes, both being 16 years old. From the complete results, we can see that all the Top-10 male and Top-4 female are 8a members :)

Two weeks ago, Giuliano Cameroni (16) became the youngest to have done an 8C through The Story of Two Worlds. Since then and despite bad conditions, he has done six 8A's and harder including the flash of The arete with the pocket 8A. In total, he has done 62 boulders and harder the last year which probably just puts him on the Top-10 list in the world. Not bad for being 16 years old.