News & Notes - 4/27/2011

News...

• Nik Berry reports on his blog that he did the FFA of Lunar X in Zion at a proposed grade of 5.13.  The post initially included some great photos from Jeremiah Watt, but it looks like we're going to have to wait for an upcoming issue of Climbing before we can see those again.
• The Mother-Son team of Robyn (age 47) & Shawn (age 12) Raboutou both found success on Boulder Canyon's Hard Boiled (V11).
• According to his 8a scorecard Dave Graham did the FA of Ali Nomad (5.14b), a short hybrid boulder-route at Colorado's Clear Creek Canyon.
• Writing for DPM, Daniel Woods shares more on his recent sending spree in Switzerland.
• Writing for Black Diamond, Adam Ondra shares more on his recent sending spree in Spain.  Plenty of cool pictures to look at as well so be sure to check that one out.
• It's been really interesting and informative to follow Dave MacLeod as he's worked on his latest bouldering project, sharing his insights along the way.  After a prolonged effort he managed to send the line, dubbed Seven of Nine, at a proposed grade of V14.

And Notes...

• The IFSC has suspended the membership of Brazil's sport climbing governing body, effectively barring climbers from that country from competing in IFSC sanctioned events like the World Cup and the upcoming World Championship in Arco, Italy.
• B3Bouldering explores some of the different reasons a boulder problem like Daniel Woods' The Game can change over time which can result in the perceived grade of the problem changing.
• Dani Andrada reports (in Spanish) that preparations for the October 2011 Petzl Roc Trip in China are just about complete.  They've prepped somewhere in the neighborhood of 230 routes on some "amazing" walls.
• Similar to their guidebook for the Red River Gorge, Wolverine Publishing recently released an iPhone version of their new guidebook for the climbing in Joshua Tree.  In addition, they will be releasing guidebook apps for the climbing at Summersivlle Lake/Gauley River, WV and the climbing at the New River Gorge/Meadow River Gorge, WV in short order.
• Bouldering in Pakistan??
• Even pro climbers like Paul Robinson need a vacation...
• Vote for free climbing shirts!
• Joe Kinder checks in with some photos from a Sterling Rope shoot with Chris Sharma