Jorge Díaz-Rullo Climbs the World’s First 5.15c
His repeat of Adam Ondra's Change 5.15c comes days after Alex Megos' ascent of the route
Spanish climber Jorge Díaz-Rullo just announced that he sent Change 5.15c (9b+) in the Hanshelleren cave in Flatanger, Norway. Established by Adam Ondra in October 2012, the route was the world’s first route graded 5.15c. The line is broken up into two distinct halves. Change P1 5.15a features a shoulder-wrecking crux that has shut down many climbers over the years. The full-length Change takes Change P1 and adds a 5.14d pitch on top, upping the total grade to 5.15c.
Stefano Ghisolfi made the second ascent of Change in September 2020. Seb Bouin then repeated the line in August 2022, suggesting a grade of 5.15b/c. It’s important to note that both Ghisolfi and Bouin used kneepads, which Ondra did not. Alex Megos repeated the line last week, calling the route 5.15c. He used one kneepad on his right leg– a rare tactic for him as he famously hates climbing with kneepads.
“I still can’t believe it happened,” said Díaz-Rullo on Instagram after his send. “Being able to pass the boulder problem at the beginning from the ground for the first time and then climbing the 50 meter complete line was a physical and mental fight that I will never forget. I gave everything I had, my arms and body couldn’t do more, but in the end I managed to clip the chain.
“Climbing this line, which is a piece of climbing history, means a lot to me. Traveling to Norway to try to repeat this route which became the world’s first [5.15c] in 2012 by [Adam Ondra], who is the climber I admire the most, was always a dream, one of those that you think you will never ever fulfill…”
Díaz-Rullo arrived in Flatanger in late July and has spent the last month projecting both Change 5.15c and another of Ondra’s first ascents, Move 5.15b/c. Unlike Megos, Díaz-Rullo sent the upper 5.14d half of Change before sending the whole route in one piece. Like all climbers who have repeated the route after Ondra’s FA, he used kneepads in his ascent.
Change is Díaz-Rullo’s third route of the grade. In 2023, he had the best climbing year of his life, making the first ascent of his first-ever 5.15c, Mejorando la Samfaina in Margalef in February and repeating Alex Megos’ Bibliographie in Céüse in October. He has many 5.15b routes to his name, including a repeat of Chris Sharma’s Sleeping Lion, which he completed in February 2024.
Adam Ondra’s FA of Change 5.15c
Stefano Ghisolfi sending Change 5.15c
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