The news

On 23 August Maurizio "Manolo" Zanolla and Riccardo "Sky" Scarian both made the first free ascent of "Cani morti", their 2003 testpiece on the north face of Campanile Basso di Lastei, Pale di San Martino, Dolomites.

On 16 August 2004 at 24.00, Jordi Cormoinas, the leader of the Catalan "Tarragona Magic Line Expedition 2004", made the first repeat of K2's Magic Line. Manuel de la Matta died during the descent.

From 12 -14/08/2004 Silvestro Stucchi, Elena Davila, Anna Lazzarini and Enea Colnago made the first ascent of "Hasta la vista David" (VI+, A1), a new 750m route up the SW Face of Brakk Zang (Baltistan-Pakistan).

On 1 July Josune Bereziartu and Rikar Otegi made the first free ascent of Yeah man on the north face of the Gran Pfad, in the Swiss Gastlosen mountain range.

In July Mauro Bubu Bole made the first free ascent of Italia 61, Piz Ciavaces, Dolomites

The Italian Cristian Brenna sends at Cresciano, Zillertal, Millau and Grotta dell'Areonauta

On 29/07/2004 Patxi Usobiaga made the third ascent of Realization / Biographie, 9a+ at Céüse.

At 9.45 local time on 28 July 2004, Mario Lacedelli and Luciano Zardini reached the summit of K2, 8611m. They reached the top together with the Swiss Mountain Guide Michel Andre Wirdt, a Sherpa and and the Pakistani high altitude porter Mohamed Sanap Akam.

At 13,30 CET Silvio Mondinelli and Karl Unterchirker reached the summit of K2, followed by Walter Nones, Michele Compagnoni and Ugo Giacomelli at 14.15 (17.15 local time). At roughly 17.50 (local time) four members of the Spanish "Al filo de lo imposible” expedition, Edurne Pasaban, Juanito Oiarzabal, Juan Vallejo...

On 11 June 2004, Mauro Florit, Massimo Sacchi and Marco Sterni reached the previously unclimbed summit of Amahuagaychu 5134m, in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, via their new route (500m, VII, A2).

Chabot and Sarkany win the third stage of the World Cup Difficulty 2004 in Chamonix, France.

In June 2004 a small Polish team comprised of David Kaszlikowski, Eliza Kubarska and Borek Szybinski freed the new multi-pitch “Barracuda” (600m, 7c+ max. 7a+ obligatory) on Mount Oujdad (2695m), Taghia Gorge in June 2004

On 17 June Thomas and Alexander Huber climbed the Zodiac, Yosemite, in 1 hour 51 minutes and 34 seconds

On Wednesday 30 June sixteen-year-old Simone Rive sent Francesca 8a+ at Mandello, N. Italy.

Ramon Julien Puigblanque from Spain and Bettina Schopf from Austria are the new European Champions. The two held off strong competition, in the form of Alexandre Chabot and Francois Auclair, and Natalija Gross and Katharina Saurvein, second and third respectively

Olga Bibik beats Anna Stöhr and Corinne Theroux to win the European Bouldering Championship 2004