The news

Adam Ondra (12) and Martin Stranik (15) from the Czech Republic make impressive ascents in France and Italy, including Mascherina 8c (Grotta del Aeronauta, Sperlonga, 7PM JP Chaud 8c (Gorges de Loup), Chouca 8a+ onsight (Buoux)

Tomas Mrazek from the Czech Republic has redpointed Martin Krpan 9a, and onsighted Karisma 8b+ and Bastilija 8b+ at Misja Pec, Slovenia

A boulderining meeting at Cresciano and Chironico (Switzerland) will take place on 16-17 April 2005.

Europe's larget bouldering meeting is fast approachiing: on 7-8 May the second edition of the Melloblocco will take place in the splendid Val di Mello, Italy

From 17 to 21 March Patrick Gabarrou, Philippe Batoux and Christophe Dumarest made the first ascent of a new route on the North Face of Punta Margherita (4066m) at the Grandes Jorasses, Mont Blanc.

in February Scott Muir from Scotland managed to make an important first ascent 'Tsunami' M12, at the Mission Impossible Cave in Northern Italy.

On 30/03 Romano Benet, Nives Meroi, Luca Vuerich, Inaki Ochoa, Erri De Luca, Cesare Giuliani, Roberto Alloi, Mario Cedolin, Klemen Gricar, Christan Stangl, Peter Guggemos and Ivan Vallejo depart for Dhaulagiri., then Annapurna.

The Gurschen glacier (Andermatt, Switzerland) will be wrapped in plastic to prevent it from melting due to global warming.

The Bouldering Worldcup 2005 got underway in Birmingham, UK, on 18-20 March and was won by local Mark Croxall and Sandrine Levet.

On 15 March Luca Parisse repeated Karma 8a+ at Fontainebleau, Paris, France.

On 17 March Nicola Tondini and Nicola Sartori carried out the third ascent (and first winter ascent) of “Moulin Rouge” on the red-faced Roda di Vael in the Dolomites, first climbed in June 2002 by Oswald Celva and Christof Hainz.

The American Alpinist Magazine announced today that it has received Print Magazine’s 2004 Regional Design Award for the cover of Alpinist 6

A small Italian Ragni expedition has just returned from a successful 40-day trip to Chile, where it made the most of fantastic weather conditions to climb series of routes in the Azufre and Cochamó valley.

On Sunday 13 May Mirco Mezzanotte and Carlo Battel won the 15th ski mountaineering competition Sci Alpinistica Lagorai Cima d’Asta.

The eigth edition of the Festiglass du Quebec took place in Canada from 18-20 February 2005. The individual competition was won by Evgeny Kryvosheytsev.

On 24 February Massimo Farina died while ice climbing in Val di Rhemes (Italy).