The news

Due to the earthquake which hit the Abruzzo region of Italy, the Vertigo sports club has decided to cancel the International Lead Master at Penne, scheduled for 18 and 19 April 2009.

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.

On 23 March Fabrizio Pina, Alessandro Lafranconi and Alberto Marazzi skied the route "Cittadini della galassia" (V/4) on the NW Face of Monte Legnone. In doing so they made the first ski descent of this long gully high above Collico, Italy.

An advertising campaign concerning Switzerland's efforts to clean its mountains, promoted by the Swiss Tourist Board.

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.

On 14/03/2009 Luca Zardini carried out the first ascent of "La linea dei Sogni" (8c+), the extension to the legendary "Sogni di Gloria" at Erto (Italy).

On 13 and 14 March Luca Vuerich and Massimo Laurencig carried out the first winter ascent of the difficult Fessura Lomasti (400m, VI, pass. di VIII-) on the pre-summit of Cima Grande della Scala (Val Riofreddo, Julian Alps, Italy).

Fabio Salini and Emanuel Panizza have carried out the first ascent of Stalattica (60m, IV,5,X), a beautiful ice fall in the Livingo area, Italy.

On 21 March Luca Maspes, Emanuel Panizza and Christian Turk carried out the first ascent of the ESE Face of Morteratsch (3751m) in the Bernina mountain range.

This too is what rock climbing and the Melloblocco is all about: a normal story about a happy day climbing with Patxi Usobiaga and Curt Marazzi.

Interview with Paolo Rabbia who from 29/12/2008 to 28/02/2009 carried out the first ski mountaineering traverse of the Alps in winter without the help of mechanical transport.

On 20 March 16 year old Adam Ondra made the first ascents of Riti Tribali 8c+ and Nonono 8c at Angelone, while on 21 March at Cornalba he repeated Les Sindacalistes 8c+ second go before onsighting Outsider (8a+). Adam Ondra's full report and thoughts about his Italian holiday.

On 19 March Andrea Oberbacher and Francesco Tremolada carried out the first ski descent of the long and much-eyed Conturines south gully. On 15 March Tremolada had also carried the probable first repeat of the south gully on Piz Ciavazes, first skied by Tone Valeruz.

The sixth edition of the Melloblocco will take place in Val di Mello (Val Masino, Sondrio, Italy). This annual international bouldering meeting attracts thousands of boulderers and climbers from all over the world.