The news

In October Charlotte Durif from France carried out the first ascents of two 8c+, Pull Over at the Grotte de Galetas in Verdon and The Wall at Combe La Vielle.

Alessandro Jolly Lamberti has made the first free ascent of "La Morte" 8c at Pietrasecca, bolted 22 years ago by Andrea Di Bari.

Ekaitz Maiz has made the first ascent of Basapiztien eremua 9a at Etxauri, Spain.

Interview with Adam Ondra who on 20/10/2009 made the first ascent of his hardest route ever, Marina Superstar at Bronx at the crag Grotta San Giovanni in Sardinia. The young Czech climber has "suggested" 9a+/b!

On 03/10/2009 Luca Zardini made the frst ascent of "Welcome to the club" at the Campo boulders at Cortina d'Ampezzo which he believes is 9a.

For many the atmospheric Roaches is simply the best gritstone crag in England.

On 03/10/2009 Luca Zardini made the frst ascent of "Welcome to the club" at the Campo boulders at Cortina d'Ampezzo which he believes is 9a.

On 17 October Matteo Gambaro made the first ascent of Azione Diretta 8c+/9a at Borgata Piatta a Montemale, Cuneo, Italy.

A Swiss team comprised of Ivan Tresch, Michi Tresch, Tom Holzhauser and Dominik Angehrn has established Los Tigres del Norte (7c, 1200m) the first free route up Cerro Capicua in Cochamo Valley, Chile.

In summer 2009 Toni Lamprecht, Uli Strunz and Benno Wagner carried out the first ascent of the multi-pitch "Le Vieux et la mer" 8b in the Verdon Gorge, France.

Interview with Jenny Lavarda after the first free ascent of "Solo per vecchi guerrieri" (150m, 8c+/9a, Vette Feltrine, Dolomites), first ascended by Manolo and repeated by Mario Prinoth and Riccardo Scarian. She was accompanied by Marco Ronchi who also managed to redpoint the route that day.

Located on the border between Austria and Germany, the Chinesiche Mauer is one of best and biggest climbing areas in the Tyrol.

Aris Theodoropoulos introduces one of the most important crags on Kalymnos, this island climbing paradise in Greece.

The first international climbing meeting at San Vito lo Capo in Sicily took place from 9 - 11 October

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