New 5.15b Is Half Boulder Problem, Half Sport Route
Tom Bolger recently made the first ascent of E.L.L.I.E 5.15b in Spain
British climber Tom Bolger recently made the first ascent of E.L.L.I.E 5.15b (9b), a unique line in Margalef, Spain. The route name stands for “every lesson learned is evolution.” It’s also the name of Bolger’s pet dog. E.L.L.I.E starts with two back-to-back boulder problems through a very steep cave not high off the ground – a V12/13 and a V10/11. Crash pads are needed to protect this section of the climb. The line then continues up bolts to the anchor at a grade of 5.14c.
“This route made me learn to trust the process, to maintain positive no matter what and embrace a beginner mindset willing to learn and improve wherever possible,” said Bolger about E.L.L.I.E on Instagram. “It brought emotions of excitement, confidence and pride but not without doubts, nervousness and frustration. It tested me to the point of injury. It broke me but it also made me stronger. I learnt my lessons.”
The line is Bolger’s hardest to date. “It was a full circle process from the seedling of bolting the very first line in this unique cave to the fruition of this mega pitch,” he said. “One that at first I thought I would never climb.”
Bolger lives in Spain and has made many hard first ascents in the country. In 2022, he established The Journey 5.15a, and earlier this year he put up Witch Hunter 5.14d. He made repeats of Maya 5.15a in 2023 and Pink Patatas 5.15a the year prior. That same year, he made the FA of three 5.14d routes: Wild West, Frenesi, and Mr. Big.
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