ROCK prodigy James Pearson has stunned the climbing world by completing the first ascent of a dangerous new super-route that he claims is the hardest in the world.
The 22-year-old, who lived in Nether Edge, Sheffield, risked death on moves of the utmost difficulty to ascend 'The Walk of Life' a 150ft climb on a blank sea cliff called Dyer's Lookout in North Devon.
His grade of E12 is the first given to a route anywhere and has sparked intense debate.
But it comes after he notched up an impressive tally of first ascents of world class new routes in the Peak District.
James, from Matlock, who has just moved to Manchester from Nether Edge, spent up to 30 days over four years practising every move on 'The Walk of Life' before going for glory.
The climb starts with 45ft of supremely difficult climbing in positions where a fall would be fatal, before the first piece of protection can be fiddled into a thin crack.
Above this, the difficulty eases only slightly and although protection can be placed, the rock is softer. This raises the terrifying possibility of a climber falling due to fatigue or a broken hold - and hitting the ground when all the safety gear rips out.
On his first attempt, James fell 60ft on to a device wedged into a 1cm crack. He said he was 'surprised but pleased' when it held.
And on his second go he said the pressure of re-climbing the initial section and then pushing on past the point where he fell made it even more difficult.
He said: "I was so nervous I nearly fell again and for one moment I thought I was off. Then it started to rain as I was recovering. That almost broke my heart, but as quickly as it started it stopped and from being at such a low point everything felt much easier.
"I'm very pleased and proud, it feels like a great weight is off my shoulders. It may come as a shock to people but having been on routes previ-ously stated as the hardest it feels like mine is a step up."
James burst on to the climbing scene in 2005 aged 19 with the third ascent - after just four years' climbing - of the former 'world's hardest route', Equilibrium, an E10 at Burbage South rocks in Derbyshire.
In 2007 he climbed his own E10, The Promise, at nearby Burbage North. Earlier this year he was the first up a line on Cratcliffe Tor near Bakewell which had long been known at the 'last great problem' of the Peak.
He gave it E10, but now he thinks 'The Groove' is in fact E11 after trying the moves on the only other E11 in Britain and declaring them 'straightforward'.
James, who is paid to climb by three firms including Derbyshire-based Wild Country, said he may now look abroad for his next new route.
"Ascents like this one show me that climbing is still as exciting for me as it was the first time I put on rock shoes. I will continue to search for new challenges and push myself to the limit."
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