The news

On 23 June the Italian mountaineer Michele Fait lost his life skiing from Camp 2 on the Cesen route on K2.

Andrej Grmovsek from Slovenia has carried out the first repeat in a single day of Donnafugata on Torre Trieste, Civetta, Dolomites.

Stanage Edge is the most famous gritstone crag in England. Located in the Peak District National Park, this 7km outcrop hosts over 1300 climbs of all grades.

On Saturday 20 June Dave Macleod carried out the first ascent of Kolus E8 6c on Torridon, Scotland.

On 14/06/2009 Adam Ondra carried out the first repeat of Om 9a, the route first ascended in 1992 by Alexander Huber at Endstal in Germany.

On a recent trip to Namibia the Americans Majka Burhardt, Peter Doucette and Kate Rutherford carried out the first ascent of two new routes on Brandberg.

The mysterious place that everyone seems to have heard about, but where not many have dared venture! Under-rated and often overlooked, the Picos de Europa is Northern Spain's hidden secret! Consisting of a huge area of wild limestone peaks, it offers rock climbers and mountaineers a wealth of routes in...

On 06/06/2009 Adam Ondra carried out the first repeat of Corona 9a+ in Germany's Frankenjura. The point of view of his photographer Vojtech Vrzba.

On 31 May Luca Zardini carried out the first repeat of La grande linea dei sogni 8c+/9a, the Erto testpiece first ascended by Adam Ondra in April. With this ascent the Cortina based climber takes home the poker of the four hardest routes at this historic crag.

There can be few crags in Wales, and the entire UK, as important as Dinas Cromlech. Situated high above the Llanberis valley this historic cliff, famously shaped like an open-book, boasts some of the best extreme rock climbs anywhere.

The 8th Rock Junior will take place at Arco (Garda Trentino, Italy) on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2009. This great European climbing festival for young climbers is organised for the 8th year running by the Rock Master association.

The latest news from the crags, or rather, when 9a isn't that difficult anymore and 8c approaches a rest... Dani Andrada, Markus Bock, Edu Marin, Adam Ondra, Gérôme Pouvreau, Chris Sharma, Maja Vidmar but also Dino Lagni and Luca Zardini.

In April 2009 Dino Lagni repeated Drumtime at Fonzaso while on 10 May he sent SuperAle 8c+ at Covolo, Italy.

Rock climbing at the splendid limestone crag Plakias on Crete, Greece.

Video of the first ascent of Magic Bus Fb 8a+ by Adam Ondra in Val Masino, during the Melloblocco 2009.

The sixth Melloblocco 2009, the world's most important bouldering meeting, broke all records from 07 - 10 May 2009. At least 2500-3000 climbers gathered in Val Masino and Val di Mello and more than 6000 people visited the valley for this happening which embodies the joy of bouldering.