The news

At the end of December a German team led by Stefan Glowacz and Kurt Albert travelled to Venezuela where it established "Fegefeuer" IX, a new 700m route on Akopan Tepui, 2200m.

Dave MacLeod has climbed his first 8c+, "L’odi Social" at Siurana, Spain to discover how this compares to cutting edge trad routes in Britain, such as his Rhapsody E11 7a.

Valdo Chilese redpoints El sior Favonio 8c at Fonzaso, N. Italy, and together with climbing partner Nicola Pesavento repeats Belfagor 8b+.

Last December four Italian Ragni di Lecco climbers travelled to Mali where they made three new first ascents in the Hombori region of the African republic.

At the end of December 2006 Matej Sova succeeded in the first ascent of his "Ekstaza", at Misja Pec, a 40m 90 move stamina testpiece which he believes to be somewhere in the region of 8c+/9a.

James Pearson makes the first ascent of "The Promise" E10 7a, at Burbage North, Dave McLeod repeats "Blind Vision" at Froggat and Ben Cossey from Australia makes an audacious headtorch repeat of John Dunne's famous The Parthion Shot E9 6c.

Valdo Chilese (17) redpoints Shalom 8b+ at Covolo and Mare Allucinante and La Stangata 8b+ at Lumignano. Silvio Reffo (16) ascends Super Titti 8a+ at Covolo and at Lumignano Classica Boomerang 8a+ and Mare Allucinante 8b+.

The future of one of Austria's oldest and most important crags, the Dschungelbuch just outside of Innsbruck, is currently on the line as 150,000 cubic meters of rock may be given free for quarrying by the local town council.

Martina Cufar from Slovenia has just repeated Bitka s stalaktiti (Battle with Stalactites) 8b+ in the massive cave at Ospo, Slovenia.

Ben Moon adds sit start to Voyager 8b+ at Burbage North, Tyler Landman repeats Dreamtime at Cresciano, Switzerland and Andrew Earl repeats Cypher 8b at the Slipstones and The Ace 8b at Stanage, UK.

Patxi Usobiaga on-sights "Andujar power" at Fataga, Canaries, "Proyect de ricar" at El Rio, Tenerife and "Teken" at Etxauri, Navarra all 8b+ and repeats "Begi puntuan" 9a at Etxauri. Edu Marín Garcia and Chris Sharma make the 2nd and 3rd ascent of La Rambla original 9a+

On 28 November Jorg Verhoeven from Holland completed his first 8c flash - Korrida at Misja Pec, Slovenia.

At the end of September Florian Scheimpflug, Tomáš Sobotka, Ondra Benés and Harald Berger travelled to the Andringitra National Park in Madagascar where they made the first ascent of 'Short Cut' 7c+ 750m and a repeat of 'Bravo les Filles' 8b on the immense Tsaranoro wall.

13 year old Adam Ondra from the Czech Republic has redpointed Martin Krpan 9a at Misja Pec, Slovenia.

On October 26, Andreas Bindhammer carried out the first repeat of Abysse, the 9a first ascended by Alexandre Chabot in Déversé (Gorges du Loup, France).

On 17 October Mario Prinoth carried out the first repeat of "Solo per vecchi guerrieri", the route first ascended by Manolo on the "El Colaz" rock face above Aune in the Feltre Dolomites.