The news

At the UIAA General Assembly in New Delhi, on 16 October 2004, there were important elections for the term of 2005-2008 for a new President, Board, Council and Commission members.

At the end of September Massimo Farina and Ezio Marlier put up two new routes in the mythical granite Valle dell' Orco (Italy), Tatanka (270m, max 7c, 6c obbl.) and Tomawauk Dance (165m, max 7c, 7a obbl.).

Angela Eiter and Alexandre Chabot have won the seventh stage of the World Cup Difficulty 2004 in Aprica (Italy)

A brief resumè of hard ascents by Markus Bendler, Steve McClure, Gérôme Pouvreau, Martina Cufar, Tomàs Mrazek, Patxi Usobiaga, Ueli Steck and Ines Papert.

Lisa Rands from America becomes the first female climber to ascend gritstone E8 by climbing End Of The Affair (E8 6c) at Curbar, Peak District, England

On 10 October 2004 Monique Forestier climbed "Staring at the Sea" 32 (f8b+) at on Wave Wall, Blue Mountains, Australia.

On 30 September Mauro Bubu Bole made the first free ascent of his "Patrick Berhault" 8a on the 900m SW Face of Torre Trieste, Dolomites.

Americans Jared Ogden and Nathan Martin complete a new free line on Nalumasortoq’s 2,000-foot face, Greenland.

On September 28 Martina Cufar, together with Marko Lukic, made the first female ascent of Hotel Supramonte, Gole di Gorropu, Sardinia.

An interview with Yuji Hirayama after the first ever 8c on-sight: White Zombi in the Baltzola Cave, Spain.

On 6/10/2004 Yuji Hirayama made the first-ever 8c onsight: White Zombie, Baltzola Cave, Spain.

28 September marks the 10th anniversary of Roberto Bassi's death. To remember the Italian climber but also share his masterpieces with those climbers who do not know about him, the Italian Alpin Club Sezione CAI SAT di Mattarello (TN) and...

Jérôme Meyer and Sandrine Levet win the Bouldering event in Huzou, while Tomás Mrázek and Angela Eiter win the Difficulty event in Shanghai. Levet and Daniel Dulac win the 2004 Bouldering World Cup

Serik Kazbekov on-sights Ghegoro 8b+ Covolo and flashes Shalom 8b/+, while Natalia Perlova redpoints Buona notte Fiorellino 7c+ at the same crag.

Maurizio Oviglia and Simone Sarti have made the first ascent of "Enfant de sable" 7a max, 6c obl., on the south face of Jbel Tramazine, High Atlas, Morocco.

In an open letter Yvon Chouinard, mountaineer, surfer, fly fisherman and founder of "Patagonia", the famous American outdoor clothing company explains how urgent and pressing the envirnmental issue is.