Racers: the race to summit all 14 8000ers is getting to a crucial point. Piotr Pustelnik (on Annapurna), Ralf Dujmovits (on Lhotse) and Norbert Joos (on Everest) – were unable to defeat the tricky weather, and were forced back with unfinished quests. The only one to accomplish the race this season was Ecuadorian Ivan Vallejo. He went for his third round on Dhaulagiri and finally reached the highest point, adding his name to the coveted list as the 14th knight to summit all 14 8000ers.
New routs and difficult repetitions: Russian top climbers Valery Babanov and Nikolay Totmjanin gave a try to the West Ridge of Dhaulagiri, but due to bad weather retreated to the normal route that led them to the top.
Swiss Ueli Steck and Simon Antemathen tried a new and difficult line on the South Face of Annapurna.
The UK Navy expedition to Makalu, under leadership of Colin Scott, attempted the SE Ridge. After two summit bids, they were forced back by bad weather.
The seldom climbed East Ridge of Annapurna was attempted by two different expeditions (one Russian, led by Serguey Bogomolov the other International, led by Inaki Ochoa de Olza). The Russians gave up, but not Alexey Bolotov who, after summiting Annapurna East (8.041m) alone on May 8th, joined forces with Inaki and Horia on a second summit bid 10 days later, when he proceeded to the main summit of Annapurna (8.091m), the only success on this mountain in 2008.

Chronicle was composed by Rodrigo Granzotto Peron . To be continued.