The Hardest Sport Climb in Portugal is Now 5.15a/b
Séb Bouin just had a successful trip where he established the country's hardest routes
French climber Séb Bouin has established Portugal’s two most difficult sport climbs. At the sea cliff crag Meio Mango at Cabo Espichel, the 29-year-old established Rei de Bering at 5.15a/b, the hardest route in the country.
He spent most of January exploring the area around Cabo Espichel overlooking the Atlantic Ocean 45 minutes drive outside of Lisbon. During his three-week trip he repeated Filipinos, the 5.14d at Meio Mango first climbed in 2019 André Neres and formerly the hardest route in the country, then established two harder: Mar de Bering 5.15a and Rei de Bering.
Bouin said, “This is one of my favourite trips and the rock is really good, some of the best limestone I’ve seen. After sending the new routes, I had two more days. I decided to find an even more futuristic line for my next trip. I found a cave with a good potential and bolted a line straight through it. The quality of the holds are amazing. It looks a bit like Flatanger rock, but it’s limestone.”
In November, Bouin made the first ascent of Suprême Jumbo Love in California as America’s first 5.15c. Read about the historic send here. About his new Portugal project, he said, “I tried the route briefly during my last day. I was tired, but I figured out almost all of the moves. I am really psyched to come back here again soon.”
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