The Fall Guy

British climber James Pearson battled slippery rocks and thundering spray to conquer the highest waterfall in Japan. He talks to MF about the unique sport of Sawanobori (‘stream climbing’) and reveals how to steel your body and mind for vertical adventures

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On his epic climbing expeditions around the world, from the sandstone towers of Chad to the overhanging cliffs of Borneo, James Pearson instinctively avoids the one element all climbers fear: water. This life-giving liquid can be lethal for climbers: rain fatally loosens climbing holds, rivers silently erode the stability of rocks, freak storms wash away fixed ropes, and even a trickle of sweat can cause strained fingers to slip from stone. But in August 2018 the 33-year-old professional climber from Matlock rewrote the rulebook by ascending the booming, spray-soaked Shomyo Falls – at 1,148ft, the tallest waterfall in Japan. Accompanied by his French wife and fellow climber Caroline Ciavaldini, plus elite wall-crawlers Toru Nakajima and Yuji Hirayama from Japan, and Matty Hong from America, Pearson was experimenting with Sawanobori (‘stream climbing’) – a niche Japanese adventure in which climbers ascend a mountain river and climb every obstacle along the way, from trickling gullies to crashing cataracts. Here he speaks to MF about the thrills and challenges of becoming a waterfall warrior.

Men’s Fitness: How would you describe the sensation of climbing a thundering 1,000ft waterfall?

James Pearson: “Climbing waterfalls is a real sensory overload. It was very intimidating even to start some of the climbs in Japan, just because of the power of the water. And then when you go into the waterfall for the first time and feel its physical power on you, you feel so small and helpless.