The news

Martina Cufar has made the 4th ascent of Tom et je ris 8b+, Verdon Gorge, France.

The programme, athletes and all the news in the run up to the 22nd Rock Master and the 3rd edition of the Arco Rock Legends scheduled for 5 - 7 September 2008 in Arco, Italy.

Aleksandra taistra from Poland is currently on form in France and Spain, redpointing Botanics 8b/b+ (Rodellar) and Le Mur de six Clopes 8b/b+ St. Leger du Vetoux.

Interview with the English climber James Pearson, the man responsible for some of the hardest pyscholgical outings on gritstone and flashes of Font 8b boulder problems.

E. Bonfanti, E. Bonino, L. Maspes, R. Roetti and P. Stroppiana have completed 'Diretta allo scudo Le demon du Midì', a new route up the ESE Face of Punta Grassi (3095m) at Rochefort, Val Ferret - Mont Blanc.

On 1 August 2008 Italian mountaineers Simone Moro and Hervè Barmasse reached the hitherto unclimbed summit of Beka Brakai Chhok (6940m) in Pakistan's Karakorum.

From 8 – 24 August a hike around Mont Blanc has been organised in support of the Tibetan people. The march is synchronised with the XXIII Olympic Games in Peking.

On Friday 8 August at 13.00, at the same time as the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Peking, teams worldwide will light flares to demonstrate their solidarity for the Tibetan people and to underline their support for basic human rights.

On 01 August 2008 Valery Babanov and Viktor Afanasiev climbed a new route up the SW Face of Gasherbrum I (8068m). The ascent comes in the wake of the Russian climbers new route on Broad Peak (8047m), carried out on 17 July.

Marco Confortola has descended from Camp 1 together with George Dijmarescu, the American mountaineer who together with two high altitude porters climbed up to join him. He is expected soon in Base Camp, while details about the turn of events which marked the last 4 days on K2 begin to...

Marco Confortola is currently descending to Camp 1 at 5900m in the company of an American mountaineer and a high altitude porter.

Marco Confortola is reputedly still descending from Camp 3 with a high altitude porter. No definitive news as yet from the high camps on K2.

Wilco van Rooijen, Cas Van de Gevel and Pemba Sherpa have reached Base Camp, Marco Confortola is in Camp 2.

12 mountaineers including Marco Confortola have been forced to bivvy above the Bottleneck due to a serac fall which swept away the fixed ropes. They are currently attempting to descend.

On 31/07 the Italian mountaineers Mario Panzeri and Daniele Nardi and Viekka Gustaffson from Finnland reached the summit of Broad Peak, the 12th highest mountain in the world.

On 28/07/2008 Dave Macleod made the first ascent of his project on Echo Wall, Scotland, his hardest lead to date.