The news

The second stage of the Bouldering World Cup 2009 was held in Austria's Hall last weekend. Kilian Fischhuber won the men's event, while Anna Stöhr (AUT) and Akiyo Noguchi (JPN) won female gold.

The sixth Melloblocco starts today in the splendid Val di Mello, Val Masino, Italy. Thousands of climbers gather every year at this international bouldering meeting, which will come to an end on Sunday 10 May.

A fortnight ago Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic on-sighted Italy's first 8c, Nagay at Covolo. The 16-year-old then doubled his takings with Una Vida Nomada the same day.

In February a small American team of climbers carried out a first ascent of Voces en la Noche, (V 5.11 A0) on Pirita Right in the remote Argentian Piritas Valley, Rio Turbio, while a Canadian team produced Todos los Caballos Lindos (5.11-) on Pirita Central.

On 18 April, one of the leading Polish rock climbers Lukasz Dudek climbed the Arco classic - Underground 8c+/9a at Massone, Italy.

On 25 April Maurizio Manolo Zanolla repeated Thin Ice at Terlago.

On 23 April Ricardo Scarian carried out the first ascent of Adidas 8b+ at Ranzo and the first repeat of Thin Ice 8c at Terlago, Italy

On Saturday 25 April the second stage of the Speed Climbing World Cup was won by the Russians Sergey Abdrakhmanov and Anna Stenkovaya. Qixin Zhong from China set a new world record of 7"22. 

40 year old Yuji Hirayama has amde the first ascent of The Fifth Element 9a at Chichibu, Japan.

40 year old Yuji Hirayama has made the first ascent of The Fifth Element 9a at Chichibu, Japan.

Adam Ondra has returned to Italy and carried out the first ascent of "Vento nei Capelli" 8c+/9a at Cornalba and "La grande linea dei sogni"8c+/9a at Erto.

Irrespective behaviour on behalf of climbers may result in access restrictions in Valle Verzasca, Switzerland.

Due to the abundant snowfall this winter, Gerhard Hörhager has launched the following avalanche warning for Austria's Zillertal prior to Easter.

On 17 March Bernd Zangerl carried out the first repeat of "From Dirt Grows The Flowers", the Fb8c problem first climbed by Dave Graham in 2005 at Chironico, Switzerland.

Petrohrad is the best bouldering area in the Czech Republic, situated 50km northwest of Plzen and 80 km west of Prague. Much like Fontainebleau, the area is divided up into many sub-areas in a mysterious forest and offers thousands of problems and an enormous potential for the future.

The Czech Mountaineering Union has passed a bill, still to be accepted by the Ministry of Environment, approving the use of chalk on Czech sandstone.