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Happy new year!
Belclimb?s editorial staff wishes you a happy 2007. Let your craziest dreams come true: 9b with socks, Everest without oxygen. On our side, we will continue commenting al
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Gear guide Montrail Wasabi: spicy green?
Spice used for the meals of many people of Japan, the Wasabi found its variant as a pair of climbing shoes with a quite spicy taste. This is because the Montrail?s Wasabi
Rock How to manage big colds for your fingers?
During the winter, either you choose the relative comfort of a gym, either you choose to go to your favorite crag to take advantage of the friction given by the cold. You
Alpinisme Cordillera Blanca: Peru por favor!
Quite accessible because of its easy summits, the Cordillera Blanca from Peru is the best place for someone who wants to try trekking at high altitude. Ishinca, Tocllaraj
Rock Climbing Altas
Don?t you think we go too easily to extremely popular crags abroad? One more reason to search for places more calm, but not less beautiful. Lieven proposes us in this rep
Gear guide SteriPen, for a perfectly clean water
Climbers often go in regions where the quality of water is doubtful. To put away all risks, water filters appeared, each with its own qualities and inconvenient. The Ster
Indoor climbing Klimax II, a city?s building site
We?ve been talking about this wall for a moment now. Klimax II, hollywoodian name given to the extension of the existing gym Klimax at Puurs. A huge annex of about 800 m²
Competition Grenoble?s national boulder Open
Chloé Graftiaux follows her road, preparing for he 2007 season in her new town. She took part this Saturday to the A'bloc?s National boulder Open. Second in the end behin
How combinning capitalism and respect of the environment?
Al Gore?s recent film about the short terms effects on our planet can frighten more than one person. Global warming and ecological disasters are the uncontrolled results
Competition Belgians Champions growing
Sébastien Berthe and Mathilde Brumagne know well what training means. They pull on their fingers at least five times a week? Their efforts weren?t in vain, they both ende
Competition Climb Junior 2006: results
The Open Bloc that took place this year at Hungaria will stay in the memories. Alix Graftiaux easily won on the women?s side during the fight for the marches of the podiu
Competition Climb Junior 2006: results
Gecko Tank at Liège was under attack this Saturday, not less than 92 young climbers accompanied with their parents and coaches. The goal: to have fun but also to aim the
Competition Interview with Nicolas Januel and Ludo Laurence
After the Bleau Open 2006, no more doubt. Foreign climbers didn?t hesitate coming to Belgium to pull on their fingers on the boulders witch were challenging. On the two f
Gear guide BCN's Novembre shop - Part 3
It's been a while since we hadn't heard about a harness... In a light and confortable style we found for you the Mammut's New wave. Are we approching the swiss perfection
Competition Great success for the 2006 Bleau Open
Bleau is well named. I love Fontainebleau and this afternoon, it was as if I was there. It?s with these words that the French Nicolas Januel congratulated the Bleau Open.
Competition 2 x 2nd at Kranj!
Waiting during the whole season, Chloé Graftiaux can at last be glad of her efforts. During the last round of the European Youth Cup that took place this weekend at Kranj
Competition European Youth Cup, status at one round of the end
Five of our youngsters will go to Kranj this weekend to defend their place in the European top 10. Kranj is as usual the last round of many famous climbing tours. After t
Indoor climbing Basics of training
Endurance, resistance and maximum strength are the three bases of specific climbing training. Words well known of the most experienced of us but that seem Chinese for tho
On a trip with Jean-Louis Wertz
Press photograph Jean-Louis Wertz is mostly known in our sector for his magnificent pictures. He made of his job a real passion witch brought him for a couple of years to
Competition Boulder Bis 2006 : results
Didier Mottard and Chloé Graftiauxare the winners of the Belgian bouldering championship 2006, 2nd edition bis. Even if there weren?t many people at the gym Blok in Wilri
Gear guide November?s BCN shop - Part 2
It?s getting cold and rainy. Some of us start thinking we won?t go out anymore until the first days of spring. But something new just arrived that should change your mind
Competition The military Belgian team on a trip in Chamonix
Chamonix has a great amount of events each year. During November it?s the International military climbing Open that takes place with more than 7 different nations represe
Alpinisme Ascension of the Dent du Géant
At the border between France and Italy, the Dent du Géant stands there with its 4.013 meters, an arrow pointing towards the sky. Last September, it is with full autonomy
Gear guide November?s BCN shop - Part 1
Brrrr... It?s getting cold! We are starting to feel it, temperatures are decreasing and everything seems like having a walk in the snow will come quickly. About equipment
Competition End of the bouldering world cup in Moscow
Regularity pays. The proof during the last round of the UIAA Worldcup Boulder that took place this Friday in Moscow. The general rankings confirm the superiority of Olga
Competition Full finalists at Annecy
Our youngsters keep on climbing better and better. At Annecy le Vieux this weekend they where even five in the finals of the European Youth Cup placing one Belgian in eve
Gear guide October?s BCN shop, part 3
A quick visit in a climbing shop is enough to see there are more than enough belay devices available. For a few months, the choice is even larger with the ATC Guide of Bl
Alpinisme Ascension of the Khan Tengri 7010m, welcome to Kirgistan
Guido Riemenschneider is part of the addicted alpine climbers for who mountain is a real passion. Last August, he had the chance to experience the Kirgizes? hospitality d
Rock God s(h)ave the Queen on sight by Eric Berthe
My name is Sébastien Berthe, I?m 13 and I want to report you a performance of my dad, Eric Berthe, who is 37. Sunday, we went to Freyr and he made ON SIGHT God save the Q
Rock Bouldering in Bretagne
Ploumanach, Tregastel, Kerlouan, does this mention something to you? These name represent a piece of climbing in Bretagne. For those who like bouldering these spots offer
Rock Véronique Homans does God s(h)ave the Queen!
We had to wait for the performance of Véronique Homans to prove us Friday 13th doesn?t bring only unfortune. After some tough 7c, she does God s(h)ave the Queen at Freyr,
Gear guide BCN?s october shop ? part 2
Synthetic under-gloves have been available for a very a very long time. Wool under-gloves are on their side relatively new. Icebreaker is now specialized in the Glove Lin
Alpinisme Long alpine routes with Chloé Graftiaux
For competitions to long alpine routes, there is only a big step. Chloé Graftiaux, who started a couple of weeks ago her course in order to obtain her ?Brevet d'Etat? at
Competition European Youth Cup Veliko Tarnovo
Each recent European Youth Cup looked like the previous ones. Like at Gdansk 2 months ago, the far away destination - Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria - dissuaded man
Rock Seán Villanueva does Masque à gaz
Between two presentation of Patagonia Dreams, there's not much time left for Seán Villanueva to climb. But he uses it very well by doing Masque à gaz, 8b at Freyr this th
Rock Omblèze, summer climbing?
Hard task to find somewhere cool to climb in summer. Just like Céüse, some spots make the difference by their altitude. Others, in shaded canyons, offer a good alternativ
Rock Freyr?s new guide book
Something we?ve been waiting for long just arrived, the new guide book of Freyr. It could not be found during the past two years, the publisher finally decided to republi
Gear guide Octobre?s BCN shop
Trying trekking sticks, is adopting them. Useful during a walk in the North, in approaches on snow et simply for trekking, you quickly get addicted to them. Black Diamond
Indoor climbing Warming up, stretching and cooling down
Warming up, stretching and cooling down are things we all do during our climbing sessions. Still you have to know how to do it well. As a piece of advice, read what Tijl
cany Knowing everything about canyoning
A good bath from time to time doesn?t hurt. In a canyon, it?s even better! Still you have to know the bases of this intense but risky activity. Our specialist Tijl on a l
Competition Noé Berger, a young Luxemburgish who moves
We often meet Noé Berger in our gyms during climbing competitions. This time this 15 years old Luxemburgish went outdoor to do Hasta la vista gringo, 8b at Berdorf a rout
Rock 8b+ trad for Nicolas Favresse
Father's Day at Donner Summit in California is one of the hardest trad 8b+ at the moment. Knowing the crux is without any bolts and with the risk of a 15 meters fall... i
Gear guide September?s BCN shop - Part 2
Forget the first missed attempts of Mammut in making climbing shoes. It is now another big opponent present in this sector already full. Here, the all new Goblin, scratch
Competition Chloé crushes resistance at Nice
Chloé Graftiaux offered herself her first big international senior victory. This was at the La Colmiane?s international boulder Open where gathered all leaders of the dis
Alpinisme Patagonia Dreams: don?t miss it!
They went all through Patagonia looking for extrem routes and sensations. They came back with full memories and pictures in their head. To share them, nothing such as tak
Rock Nico Favresse lost in translation
After freeing l'Appât last year, it seemed like Nicolas Favresse had fell in love with the Yosemite. On this 30th of august he freed another route this time on El Cap nam
Competition Our juniors victorious in The Netherlands
The third Climbing for Kids meeting took place last weekend in Amsterdam. As usual our juniors were brilliant and got this time a first place (one more) for Loïc Timmerma
Gear guide September BCN shop - Part 1
Amateur of indoor and outdoor climbing, Tijl has recently climbed with the new Boreal Joker Velcro: extra comfortable climbing shoes with a rubber getting better and bett
Chloé, very deserving sportswoman
Two years after Muriel Sarkany, it?s Chloé Graftiaux who was rewarded this Tuesday with the Trophé du Mérite sportif de la Communauté française, a reward granted to deser
Rock Martin Content in good shape!
After doing three 8b?s in three weeks, Martin Content surely regrets not to go more often in Rodellar. His stay in Spain permitted him to do Alter Ego, Gladiator and Bota
Competition Chloé Graftiaux, 8th at the Arco?s Rock Master
It had been quite a while since a Belgian athlete hadn?t had the privilege of competing in one of the world?s finest competition: the Arco?s Rock Master. Chloé Graftiauxr
Rock Female 7c at Freyr
The Freyr?s cliffs count many major routes but only few women managed to conquer them. However, the myth is slowly starting to fade. This week two 7c?s particularly techn
Gear guide BCN shop of August
It is often very important to simplify as many things as you can for the long treks in Chamonix. Alpine style, optimum equipment, maximum speed. At this little game, manu
Competition World Youth Championship at Imst
The amount of young competitors who go to the World Climbing Championship doesn?t impress us anymore. At Imst this weekend 379 competitors took part to the lead contest.
Rock Benjamin Fallet does On s'pète la ruche
A couple of weeks after his climbing mate Jérôme De Boeck, it?s Benjamin Fallet?s turn to do the hardest route in the Gorges d?Omblèze: On s'pète la ruche, 8b+. Good job!
Alpinisme Klimmalaya expedition at KR2?s summit
Gone at the beginning of the month from Belgium, the Klimmalaya 2006 expedition composed of 6 young Belgians reached it?s goal this 14th of August: to climb both of
Alpinisme Alpine climbing around Bourg St Maurice
The good weather in September is generally favorable to accomplish some alpine routes in the splendid Vanoise. Some of them to mention: l'Aiguille de la Nova, the Pierra
Rock Nicolas Favresse reappears
From the Patagonian big walls to the crags of Nevada, there is only one step... Staying a couple of days at Donner Summit, Nicolas Favresse reappears after an absence of
Competition Belgians at World cups
The season being at it?s half, time to check our compatriots? results in Climbing World Cup. Report, the places in the finales are harder and harder to get, like the last
Alpinisme Belgian tops in Spitzbergen
In the far Spitzbergen, Frank Mattens and Peter Meert just stayed more than 3 weeks in total autonomy. The two highest local peaks were at the program: the Newtontop
Rock Saint Antonin Noble-Val, at one step of the spanish Pyrénées
On your way from France to Spain do not hesitate to make a stop at Saint Antonin Noble-Val near Toulouse, a little crag full of climbing possibilities. Read mor
Alpinisme Great Trango Tower?s summit for 4 young Belgians
An Laenen, Hans Mariën, Jasper De Coninck and Stijn Dekeyser, four Youngs from 16 to 25, just conquered the Great Trango Tower within the context of the VBSF Mount Coach
Competition You should have been at Gdansk
No vacations for our youngsters. Fourteen of them made the trip to Gdansk in Poland where stood the second round of the European Youth Cup. With the absence of some leade
Gear guide BCN Shop: July 2006
Did you say hot temperature? Nothing better then than drag a light and breathable pant. But it's still not easy with 30°C. Happy for us, we tested it
Rock Live from Omblèze
The scorching heat doesn?t stop motivated climbers, some even keep climbing with talent. At Omblèze in the Vercors (France) where the daily temperature didn?t pass under
Competition Sarkany 8th in Chamonix
Angela Eiter will not stop to surprise us. In Chamonix during the last lead World Cup round she finished first ten moves after her closest opponent, French Caroline Ciava
Competition Ekaterinburg: to forget as soon as possible
There are things to forget as soon as possible. Days while climbing seems difficult. Even sometimes clouds or storm make climbing impossible. What happens during the Euro
Competition Hall, one week before the Euro
Chloé Graftiaux rocked again during the last round of the UIAA Boulder Climbing World Cup 2006 in Hall Austria. She finished 5th... again. Olga Bibik took
Gear guide BCN Shop: June 2006
Focus on this: simple, light, breathable and resistant... Put a little bit sun into and you get two master pieces of work: the Patagonia Capilene Graphic T and the Mammut
Competition Graftiaux 5th in Fiera di Primiero
Chloé Graftiaux took the 5th place this week-end during the UIAA Boulder Climbing World Cup in Fiera di Primiero. Another good performance but no podium yet. French&
Competition Sarkany 6th in Grindelwald
Surprising invitee during the Boulder Climbing World Cup in Grindelwald Muriel Sarkany did better than expected. As lead climber she finished 6th in final after
Competition UIAA Lead Climbing World Cup Dresden
Storm on Dresden during the last UIAA World Cup Lead Climbing round. First of all the young Austrian David Lama, 15 years old, won his first senior lead climbin
Rock Climbing in Turkey
After living of few months in Turkey Pieterjan De Roo came back in Belgium with a lot of souvenirs and a great report about biggest local climbing area: Geyikbayiri. Read
Competition UIAA Boulder World Cup Rovereto
After her fourth place in Puurs Chloé Graftiaux made another sensational result last weekend during the Boulder World Cup of Rovereto. A new final round for her
Competition UIAA Worldcup Puurs, the results
Angela Eiter and Flavio Crespi are the winners of the first round of the UIAA Worldcup lead, that took place at Klimax this weekend. Chloé Graftiaux was the only Belgian
Rock 8b for 15 years old Yannick Pasquazzo
15 years old Yannick Pasquazzo from Liège sent last thursday his first 8b with Migranya in Siurana, Spain. Well done my friend!
Rock Madrid: climbing Mecca?
Climbing, alpinism, soft trail (NL), you will find everything you need in the neighbourhood of Madrid. Let's get a look there. It seems very interesting. Hendrik de
Alpinisme Patagonia Dreams: it's over!
The Patagonia Dreams expedition comes to end. Nicolas, Olivier Favresse, Seán Villanueva and Mike Lecomte are back in Belgium to take some rest! Let's share a little
BCN forums closed
[update: april fools] Due to the recent complications on the BCN Café, we decided to shut down the forums.
cany After Jura, try the Ain
Discover an other canyoning experience made by Dietger. After Jura, he went to the Ain. Ideal between two weekends full of climbing (FR).
cany Canyoning in the French Jura
Only a few activities give us adrenaline as much as climbing. Canyoning is one of those! Dietger tries it for us in the French Jura (FR).
Indoor climbing The way to Altitude CCM
One of the most extraordinary gym of Belgium is located in Braine l'Alleud, little city next to Brussels. A climbing gym full of history. Maybe one of the first in the wo
Competition UIAA boulder Worldcup Birmingham: Graftiaux 5th
In the Birmingham NEC, 18 years old Chloé Graftiaux surprises everybody during the UIAA Boulder Climbing Worldcup 2006 opening round. She gets an amazing 5th pl
Competition Climb 2006 - the results
The Belgian Championship lead climbing 2006 delivers surprising results. After years of absence, Muriel Sarkany wins the crown again. This time ex-aequo with young M
Gear guide BCN shop: March 2006
We tested for you the best products to go through the latest winter days and easily send your first climbing projects of the year. Read our product reviews (FR)
Gear guide Mallorca in Montrails
Let's see Tijl walking around Mallorca with his brand new Montrail Stratos XCR. An interesting discovery tour of the island best climbing areas. To read (FR)...
Competition UIAA Worldcup Puurs: 28 & 29 april 2006
The UIAA Worldcup Puurs 2006 aka Goldfinger VII is programmed on friday and saturday 28 & 29 april. See you in Klimax for the first round of the UIAA lead climbi
Competition Vertical Event 2006: results
Climbing fans shared a unique experience last saturday during the Vertical Event 2006 in Entre Ciel et Terre. Mix of boulder and difficulty, this Master welcomed thi
Alpinisme They rode on the storm!
They made it! After two weeks without any news the Patagonia Dreams-team (Nicolas and Olivier Favresse, Sean Villanueva and Mike Lecomte) announces through their website
Competition Belgian Boulder Championship 2006
With its totally new structure climbing gym Blok (Wilrijk) welcomed last saturday the Belgian Boulder Championship 2006. Chloé Graftiaux and Jérôme Abraham take the title
Rock Climbing in Mali
Borred of the southern Europe crags? Try then Africa and especially Mali. Xavier Bonjean made this a few months ago: he climbed with Elie Chevieux the 600 meter
Rock Exclusive interview with Fred Rouhling
Fred Rouhling spends 10 minuts with us to speak about his new way of climbing. Back in the good way? Certainly! He surprises us with his undefeated passion for climbing.
cany Canyoning in Mallorca
Ice climbing could be the best climbing activity in winter time. Frozen waterfalls, ice, axes, ... But in the same time Mallorca still offers plenty of non-froz
Alpinisme Patagonia Dreams
They dreamed about it. They did it! Nicolas Favresse and his brother Olivier, Seán Villanueva and Mike Lecomte are currently in Patagonia to try the hardest big walls on
Gear guide BCN shop January 2006
Winter is winter... We tested for you some interesting gear to live the next three months in a confortable way. On this page: our review of the TNF Women's Seamless
Alpinisme Finsteraarhorn, 4273 meters of troubles
There are many ways to reach the top of the Finsteraarhorn, 4273 meters summit in the Berner Oberland (Switzerland). One seams harder than the others: thro