The grade of 5.15c, or 9b+, is at present the second hardest problem in sport climbing. There are 9 acknowledged 5.15c routes on the earth. 4 of those have been repeated and had their grades confirmed. 5 have but to see a repeat. The world’s hardest sport grade is 5.15d (9c). There are solely three 5.15d routes at present in existence – Adam Ondra’s Silence, Seb Bouin’s DNA, and Jakob Schubert’s B.I.G. None have seen a repeat.
Eight climbers have climbed a number of 5.15c routes: Adam Ondra, Chris Sharma, Alex Megos, Stefano Ghisolfi, Jakob Schubert, Seb Bouin, Sean Bailey, and Jorge Díaz-Rullo. Will Bosi also needs to be talked about alongside this group as he’s climbed 5.15b/c.
These 9 climbers have carried out on the highest ranges of sport climbing. Making the group much more spectacular is the truth that every climber has had success in outside bouldering as effectively. They every have diversified of their historic curiosity and contributions to bouldering, however all have had bouldering achievements price discussing. So, how arduous have every of those 9 climbers bouldered? Listed here are some fast stats:
- Bosi and Schubert have climbed V17, the best bouldering grade on the earth
- Ondra, Bailey, and Díaz-Rullo have climbed V16
- Sharma, Megos and Bouin have climbed V15
- Ghisolfi has despatched a V14 boulder, though it’s vital to notice that he’s climbed the crux of Silence, which clocks in round V15
Beneath, we dive into the bouldering accomplishments of every of those 5.15c (or d) climbers. We set up climbers by their hardest V-grade, however keep in mind that there’s a lot extra complexity to every climber’s bouldering historical past than simply their max grade. Main sport climbing sends are briefly talked about for every climber as all. For a extra in-depth historical past on 5.15c and 5.15d achievements in sport climbing – the routes, the primary ascensionists, the repeats – learn our earlier article right here.
Jakob Schubert
Schubert is a singular case amongst these 9 climbers. So far, he hasn’t climbed any V16 boulders however he has climbed V17 (in addition to a number of V15s). In December final 12 months, he despatched Shawn Raboutou’s Alphane, probably the most repeated V17 on the earth.
In sport climbing, Schubert climbed one 5.15c – a repeat of Alex Megos’ Perfecto Mundo – and one 5.15d, a primary ascent of B.I.G. in Flatanger, Norway. Together with his Alphane ascent, he turned the primary climber in historical past to climb each 5.15d and V17.
Will Bosi
Bosi is arguably the least achieved sport climber on this record, however he’s inarguably one of many strongest boulderers on the planet proper now. He was the primary climber ever to ship three V17s, ticking Alphane in 2022, Burden of Goals in 2023, and Return of the Sleepwalker in 2024. He has climbed two V16s – an FA of Honey Badger within the Peak District and a repeat of Ephyra in Chironico, Switzerland. On prime of those V16 and V17 sends, he’s topped over 20 V15s and over 30 V14s.
In early 2021, he made the primary ascent of King Capella in Spain, grading the route 5.15c. In November that 12 months, Megos went on to repeat the route however didn’t touch upon the grade, though he did say he discovered a unique sequence. Schubert made the third ascent the next month and instructed a grade of 5.15b.
Adam Ondra
Ondra is the one climber on this record to ship V16 earlier than sending 5.15c. His first of the grade was an FA of Terranova in November 2011. Positioned in Czechia’s Holštejn, the road stays unrepeated regardless of some strong makes an attempt from prime climbers. The next month that very same 12 months, Ondra made the second ascent of Gioia V16 in Varazze, Italy. In 2020, he climbed two different V16s in Czechia, Ledoborec and Brutal Rider. He has climbed 17 V15s and practically 40 V14s.
Ondra was the primary climber in historical past to ship 5.15c along with his FA of Change in Flatanger in October 2012. He now has 4 of the grade to his title – all first ascents – plus an FA of the first-ever 5.15d, Silence.
Sean Bailey
Bailey climbed his first V16 in 2020, making the second ascent of Nathaniel Coleman’s Grand Phantasm in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah. He climbed his second earlier this 12 months, making the historic first ascent of Devilution within the Buttermilks. He has a number of V15s to his title, together with the FA of The Doorways of Notion. He despatched his first and solely 5.15c route in 2021 – a repeat of Megos’ Bibliographie at Céüse.
Jorge Díaz-Rullo
Final month, Díaz-Rullo made the second ascent of Muerte por Asfixia V16 in La Pedriza, Spain, his first boulder of the grade. The climb was opened in January this 12 months, and being fairly new, hasn’t seen a lot motion from different prime boulderers. Previous to Muerte por Asfixia, he had climbed seven V15s and 15 V14s, all in Spain.
Recognized extra for his sport climbing, Díaz-Rullo has accomplished a number of the hardest routes on the earth together with a primary ascent of Mejorando la Samfaina 5.15c and a repeat of Megos’ Bibliographie 5.15c.
Chris Sharma
At 43 years of age, Sharma is the oldest climber on this record by a decade. Extensively thought-about as one of the best sport climber of his era, Sharma made vital contributions to each bouldering and sport climbing at completely different factors in his profession. He has climbed a number of V15 (or V14/15) boulder issues, together with first ascents of Observe of the Wild (2004), Witness the Health (2005), and Catalan Witness the Health (2016).
His record of sport climbing accomplishments is lengthy, however highlights embrace the second ascent of La Dura Dura 5.15c in 2013 and the primary ascent of Sleeping Lion 5.15b/c ten years later in 2023. He additionally FA’d the first-, second-, and third-ever 5.15b routes – Jumbo Love, Golpe de Estado, and Neanderthal respectively – in addition to the primary consensus 5.15a, Realization (also called Biographie).
Alex Megos
Megos’ prime bouldering grade is at present V15. He’s despatched many issues at that stage of problem, some effectively earlier than he climbed 5.15c. His most up-to-date V15 was a primary ascent of Improve U in Frankenjura. His prime sport climbing achievements embrace FAs of Perfecto Mundo in Margalef and Bibliographie at Céüse, each graded 5.15c.
Seb Bouin
In comparison with the opposite climbers on this record, Bouin is maybe least identified for his bouldering. He’s climbed one V15, a second ascent of Quoi de Neuf in Orsay, France.
His top-end sport climbing accomplishments, nevertheless, are lots and even rival Ondra’s biggest hits. Since 2019, he’s climbed one 5.15d (D.N.A.), three 5.15c’s (Change, Suprême Jumbo Love, and Bibliographie), and 4 5.15b/c’s (Transfer, La Rage d’Adam, Past Integral, and Nordic Marathon).
Stefano Ghisolfi
Ghisolfi is certainly higher identified for his sport climbing than his bouldering. That being mentioned, he has made enhancements in his bouldering expertise lately. He’s despatched three V14 boulders, the newest being Goldfish Trombone in Bishop, California.
Extra curiously, he’s the one climber moreover Ondra to efficiently climb the wildly distinctive full crux of Silence 5.15d. The sequence sits someplace round V15, making it the toughest set of strikes Ghisolfi has ever finished. He’s additionally finished the notoriously troublesome first transfer of Burden of Goals V17, which has been estimated to be V13/14.
Ghisolfi has climbed 4 well-established 5.15c routes. These embrace repeats of Change, Perfecto Mundo, and Bibliographie and a primary accent of Excalibur close to Arco, Italy.
