The news

The Italian Valle di Susa is currently in the international spotlight due to strong opposition against the planned construction of the TAV, the high-speed railway line which is to link Turin with Lyon, France.

On Sunday 11 December the fifth Compéticimes Challenge Massimo Farina will take place at the “Mont-Blanc Escalade” climbing wall at Les Houches-Chamonix.

Marcello Cominetti, Thomas Reilly, Alistair Crafword, Andrew Denton, Simon Shercliff, Tania Cotton, Andy Lewitt, Kewin Mulligan, Filippo Beccari have carried out the 1st complete east-west traverse of the Hielo Patagonico Sur, Patagonia.

Ermanno Salvaterra's intervention after his latest ascent on Cerro Torre with Rolando Garibotti and Alessandro Beltrami.

Markus Bendler has made the first ascent of "Das Erbe der Väter" 8c+ at the Schleierwasserfall, Tyrol, Austria.

Denis Burdet, Nicolas Zampetti and Jacques Vouilloz have made the first on-sight of "Sul filo della notte", Taghia, Morocco

Mick Fowler and Chris Watts have made the first ascent of Kajaqiao (6447m) located in the Nyainquentaglia East Range of Tibet.

On 13/11/2005 Ermanno Salvaterra, Alessandro Beltrami and Rolando Garibotti reached the summit of Cerro Torre vie their new route 'El Arca de los Vientos' (The Arc of Winds), Patagonia.

Stefan Glowacz and Robert Jasper have completed their "Vom Winde verweht" up the North Pillar of Murallón, Patagonia.

Sur le fil des 4000 takes film festival Grand Prize, while the book festival is won by Karsten Heuer for his Being Caribou. The Mountain Photography Competition Grand Prize was awarded to Mead Norton for his photo Prayer Offerings on the Shore of Namtso Lake, Tibet.

After establishing Base camp at Cerro Murallón Stefan Glowacz and Robert Jasper are currently waiting for conditions to improve in Patagonia.

On 01/11/2005 Christian Bindhammer made the first ascent of "Big Hammer" 9a at the Pinswang, Austria and "Pandaemonium" 8c.

Harald Berger from Austria becomes the second person to send the Trilogy, comprised of “Silbergeier” 8b+ (Beat Kammerlander), “End of silence” 8b+ (Thomas Huber) and “Kaisers neue Kleider” 8b+ (Stefan Glowacz).

Pietro dal Prà from Italy has made the first repeat of "Unendliche Geschichte" 8b+, climbed by Beat Kammerlander in 1990.

On 10/11/2005 at 19.45 Disney Channel's Scooter program will air a Rock Junior 2005 Arco Special.

Just two weeks after Caldwell's astounding repeat of the Nose, the young American has pushed things further by phenomenally climbing both the Nose and Freerider on El Capitan, Yosemite, in under 24 hours!