James Pearson and his flash ascent of Something's Burning E9 at Pembroke

In September 2014 James Pearson realised a lifelong ambition, to ascend an E9 trad climb first try. Onsight therefore or flash, i.e. knowing something about the route prior to attempting it. No one before him had managed such a feat and this is why Pearson’s flash ascent of Something's Burning at Stennis Ford in Pembroke, Wales, is considered so important for British trad climbing. In the recently released video it’s easy to comprehend the demands - both physical and mental - of this route freed in in 2012 by Charlie Woodburn.

09/09/2014 - British trad: great Pembroke climbs by Caroline Ciavaldini, Yuji Hirayama and James Pearson
At Pembroke in Wales Caroline Ciavaldini has climbed Mercia Wall E8, Yuji Hirayama has climbed The Big Issue E9 while James Pearson has made a flash ascent of Something's Burning E9. Caroline Ciavaldini talks us through these three difficult trad climbs.