Basque Climber Skips 5.15a and Sends Britain’s Hardest Climb at 5.15b

Eder Lomba is currently based in the U.K. where he's climbed his first 5.14d routes and first 5.15

Gripped May 16, 2022

Basque climber Eder Lomba has made the second ascent of Rainman 5.15b at Malham in the U.K. It’s his first 5.15 and he’d previously only climbed two 5.14d’s. Steve McClure spent 128 days projecting Rainman before making the first ascent in 2017.

Considered the most difficult route in Britain, it’s a link-up of the crux of Rainshadow 5.14d, Batman 5.14d and the finish of Bat Route 5.14b. It took Lomba 46 days to climb Rainman, but he worked on Rainshadow and Batman for over 30 days.

Adam Ondra attempted Rainman in 2017, shortly after making the first ascent of Silence 5.15d, but didn’t have much time to work on it. Watch Lomba, McClure and Ondra on Rainman below.