The news

On 24/03/2013 Alexander Megos on-sighted Estado Critico at Siurana in Spain, becoming the first climber in the world to climb a 9a onsight.

On 23/03/3013 Davide Capozzi and Julien Herry made the first descent of Cadeau d'anniversaire located on Brèche NW des Deux Aigles (Mont Blanc). Davide Capozzi provides the details.

Anna Stöhr and Dmitrii Sharafutdinov won the first stage of the IFSC Bouldering World Cup 2013 in Chongqing, China.

American climber Chris Sharma has made the first repeat of La Dura Dura 9b+ at Oliana, Spain.

In February 2013 Matthias Scherer and Tanja Schmitt repeated Kjerrskredkvelven, the enormous ice climb in Gudvangen, Norway.

The Jury motivation for the special mention assigned to Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk, David Lama and Peter Ortner which will be awarded during the 21st Piolet d'Or, scheduled to take place from 3 - 6 April 2013 at Courmayeur and Chamonix at the foot of Mont Blanc.

The second edition of the International Master Course in Mountain Medicine will start on May 2013 to end on June 2014 and will be held at the Italian Insubria University in collaboration with the University of Turin and the Bolzano EURAC. The introduction by Doctor Luigi Festi.

Video by OpenCircle of Matteo Della Bordella and David Bacci climbing the route Freerider in Yosemite.

Elio Bonfanti and Claudio Casalegno present the icefalls Sabotørfossen, Fossekjerringa e Grabeinsisen close to Rijukan in Norway.

British climber Mina Leslie-Wujastyk has made the first female ascent of the gritstone boulder problem Careless Torque, first climbed in 1987 by Ron Fawcett at Stanage Edge.

At Varazze in Italy Niccolò Ceria has repeated Gandalf il grigio, a great 8B+ boulder problem.

On 16 and 17 March 2013 the highly experienced Austrian alpinists Hansjörg Auer, David Lama and Peter Ortner made the first winter ascent of the Sagwand via the route Schiefer Riss first climbed by Mathias Rebitsch and Roland Berger in 1947.

Official press release from Climbing Technology concering their rope friction based Via Ferrata Sets.

Leopoldo Faria introduces Corgas at Sagres, the sea cliff famous for hosting the first 9a sport climb in Portugal.

Video of Steph Davis on the rock climb Glad to be trad 5.13- first ascended by Steve Hong in the Mineral Canyon, USA.

Two new winter climbs have been added to Ben Nevis in Scotland: Deadly Presence (VIII,7, Iain Small, Doug Hawthorn) and Shooting Star (VI,6, Robin Clothier, Richard Bentley).