The news

On 20/12/2023 Japanese climber Tomoa Narasaki flashed 'Gakido', a boulder problem at Chigobudau previously rated 8C+. After using a slightly different sequence, Narasaki suggested 8B+. He then freed the sitstart project at 8C, calling it 'Ashuradō'.

On 31/12/2023 Marco Cordin and Martino Piva made the first ascent of 'Nunca con prisa, siempre con gana', a new mixed climb on Castello di Vallesinella in the Brenta Dolomites, Italy. Cordin reports.

The video of Adam Ondra onsighting 'El Gran Bellanco' 8c+/9a at Montanejos in Spain.

German rock climber Solveig Korherr has onsighted her first 8b+, 'Humildes pa Casa' at Oliana in Spain.

Europe's best converge next week for the 2024 ISMF European Championships in Flaine / Chamonix, France.

Interview with German climber Alexander Megos who on 4 January 2024 made the first repeat of Sleeping Lion at Siurana in Spain. Established by Chris Sharma in March 2023 and originally graded 9b+, Megos believes the route warrants 9b.

American climber Carlo Traversi has made the first ascent of The Dark Side, an 8C+ boulder problem in Yosemite Valley, USA.

Alexander Megos has made the first repeat of Sleeping Lion, the Siurana testpiece put up by Chris Sharma in March 2023.

On 01/01/2024 Italian climber Luca Bana redpointed his second 9a+, 'Super Crackinette' at Saint Léger du Ventoux in France.

Belgium's Sébastien Berthe has climbed his third 9a+, Beyond at Pic Saint Loup in France.

The video of British climber Mathew Wright making the first ascent of the bold trad climb 'Magical Thinking' E10 7a at Pavey Ark in England.

On 22/12/2023 Davide Galizzi and Daniele Leonardelli established 'Trilly occhi di ghiaccio', a new mixed climb on Cima delle Fontane Fredde in the Brenta Dolomites. Galizzi report.

In December 2023 on Mëisules dala Biesces (Sella Group, Dolomites) Rolando Varesco made the first ascents of the mixed climb 'Alpinewelten' with Martin Sölva and 'Dünnes Wasser' with Emanuele Andreozzi.

From 27 to 29 December 2023 Simon Gietl, Lukas Hinterberger and Michael Wohlleben carried out the first ground-up ascent of 'Ultima perla' on the North Face of Agner in Valle di San Lucano, Dolomites.

From 11 - 14 January 2024 the Ice Park Osttirol will host its 7th Ice Climbing Festival. Open to everyone and located close to the Matreier Tauernhaus in East Tirol, Austria, the meeting will also host the Austrian State Championship.

On 27 December 2023 26-year-old Belgian climber Simon Lorenzi repeated Burden of Dreams at Lappnor in Finland, claiming his third 9A boulder problem after Alphane at Chironico in Switzerland and Soudain Seul at Fontainebleau in France.