The news

In a thrilling final Jenny Lavarda and Markus Bendler have won the first stage of the Ice Climbing World Cup 2007 in Valle di Daone, Italy.

Markus Bendler (Aut), Mario Prinot (Ita), Alkexey Tomilov (Rus) and Albert Leichtfried (Aut) lead the provisional results.

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+.

From Friday 19 January to Sunday 21 January the most famous international ice climbing competition in the world, the Ice Master World Cup, will take place in Italy's Valle di Daone.

An extremely strong and experienced Polish team led by none other than Krzysztof Wielicki is currently engaged in a taxing and dangerous winter attemtp of Nanga Parbat, at 8125m the 9th highest mountain in the world.

According to Dr. Masaru Emoto from Japan, the formation of ice crystals and snow flakes is influenced by different environmental conditions, pollution, human thought and even music.

On 27 December the body of Charlie Fowler was found at circa 5300m on the slopes of Mount Genyen, Sichuan, China.

On 26 December Luca Vuerich and Michele Martina made the first ascent of "Kiss or Kill" 800m, M6 up the NF of Cima Castrein (2502m) in the Jof Fuart mountain range.

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.

Polar bears, icebergs, a sailing boat, whales and a plethora of unclimbed rock and thousands of new routes to be climbed...In mid August 2006 the Italian Mountain Guides Michele Maggioni and Marco Zaninetti set off with Cristina, Giovanni and the Arctic Guide Kim to the remote Baffin Island in search...

At 14.15 on 20 December Harald Berger, the three times Ice Climbing World Champion, winner of numerous competitions and extremely talented rock climber, died beneath an immense quantity of ice which collapsed while he was climbing on the overhanging Eiskapelle cave close to Hintersee (Flachgau), Salzburg, Austria.

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

Simple, functional, lightweight and robust Gore-tex Paclite jacket.

Andrej Magajne from Slovenia reports of his August 2006 and 2005 expeditions to Kyrgyzstan, which resulted in four new routes in the Karakol valley in the Terskey Ala Too range.

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.