The news

On 28/06 Johanna Ernst from Austria and Tomás Mrázek from the Czech Republic won the first stage of the World Cup Lead 2008 in Qinghai, China.

Climbers are invited to take part in the Clean-up Day at Ceuse, France scheduled for 05-06/07/2008.

A German expedition including Robert Japser and Stefan Glowacz has carried out the first ascent of "Take the long way home" (700m, 21 pitches, A4 10-) on Baffin Island, Canada.

On 13/06/2008 Roberto delle Fratte freed Shangai 8c, an old project at Pietrasecca (Italy) which waited for 20 years prior to the first free ascent.

On 21/06 Daniele Nardi and Mario Panzeri summited Nanga Parbat (8125m), the ninth highest mountain in the world.

On 11 June Iganzio Piuzzi died in Gemona aged 73. He was one of the greatest mountaineers in the period 1950 – 1970. His climbing companion Roberto Sorgato remembers him in the following interview.

Francesco Fazzi from Italy and Santiago Padros have ascended Free Tibet 2065 1500m/V+/80°/M5 on Ama Dablam, Nepal.

The 5th stage of the Bouldering World Cup 2008 took place in Fiera di Primiero (Italy) last weekend and was won by the Austrians David Lama and Anna Stöhr. Kilian Fischhuber (AUT) and Sean Mccoll (CAN) placed second and third respectively in the men's event, while the women's podium was...

Nicolas Favresse and Sean Villanueva have just spent three weeks climbing in Wales, repeating a series of routes on Gogarth, Dinas Cromlech and Cloggy including John Redhead's masterpiece "Authentic desire" E7 6b.

On 07/05/2008 François Damilano carried out the first ascent of Peak Hawley and the traverse to Aiguille Josephine in the Dhaulagiri Group, Nepal.

Luigi Billoro and Daniele de Candido have repeated "Via di testa" max 8b+, 7c obb on Monte Cimo, Italy

Canadian Sonnie Trotter has made the second ascent of Rhapsody, Dave MacLeod's E11 at Dumbarton Rock, Scotland.

The seventh edition of the Arco Rock Junior (European Youth Climbing Days) lived up to its reputation as being the greatest Youth Climbing Festival in Europe.

The third round of the Bouldering World Cup 2008 was won by Dimitry Sharafutdinov and Anna Stöhr in Grindelwald, Switzerland, last weekend.

400 climbers have already pre-registered for the seventh Rock Junior European Youth Climbing Days due to take place from 7 - 8 June 2008 at the Climbing Stadium in Arco, Italy.

Entries for the Zakopane 2008 Fourth Mountain Film Competition and the Second International Mountain Photography ‘Space of Life’ are accepted until 30 June 2008