The news

Sarah Seeger climbs Steinbock 8c in the Frankenjura, Markus Bock creates his hardest to date, The Man That Follows Hell 9a+, while Adam Ondra makes swift work of two other testpieces in Germany's premier climbing area.

On 8 October French climber Alain Robert scaled the 152m high Tour Ariane, at the Defense quarter in Paris, France

In a mere two months 14 year old Enzo Oddo from France has redpointed four routes 9a or harder, three of which are located at the Gorges du Loup.

At the start of October Lisa Benetti climbed Progetto 8b+ at the Covolo, Italy.

On 26/27/08/2009 Leopoldo Faria and Pedro Nogueira carried out the first repeat of Quinto Imperio (550m 8b) on the Naranjo de Bulnes, Picos de Europa, Spain.

Three new alpine multi-pitch routes by Reinhold Scherer and Dieter Stöhr on the Karwendel, Austria.

In August 2009 Kilian Fischhuber from Austria freed Airstar Fb8b, a long-standing problem at Rocklands, South Africa.

With a fantastic selection of climbs, Diamond Falls is one of the most famous crags in the Blue Mountains, Australia.

All individual pitches of the original climb up the Totem Pole in Tasmania, Australia, were freed in January by Doug McConnell and Dean Rollins.

On 26/09/2009 British climber Miles Gibson made the first ascent of Dangermouse E9 7a at Wimberry, Peak District.

Interview with Japanese climber Yuji Hirayama, who on 15/09/2009 made the sixth ascent of Cobra Crack at Squamish, Canada.

Interview with Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic who on 20/09/2009 made the first ascent of an old Alexander Huber project, Fugu 9a at the Schleierwasserfall in Tyrol, Austria.

Interview with British climber Steve Haston after his recent first ascent of Descente Lolitta at the Grotte de Sabart in Ariege, France.

An introduction to bouldering and rock climbing at Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park, California, USA by guidebook author Chris Summit.

Interview with Andreas Proft, the German climber who has managed to climb up to 8b without climbing shoes.

Robert Jasper from Germany and Roger Schäli from Switzerland have made the first free ascent of the famous "Japanese Diretissima" on the North Face of Eiger. The route now goes free at 8a and is a very serious alpine undertaking indeed.