Steve McClure

Steve McClure (born 25 July 1970) is a British rock climber. He is famous for his hard sport climbing routes in England. In 2007 he made the free ascent of Overshadow, the second 9a+ (5.15a) route in the UK, after John Gaskins' 2004 route 'Violent New Breed' at Giggleswick.

In 2017 McClure completed his long term project, named Rainman, in Malham Cove, giving Britain its first 9b (5.15b) sport route.

McClure started climbing when he was a child with his parents. Initially he practiced trad climbing and started sport climbing only when he was 24. In 1998 he made the first ascent of Mutation, at Raven Tor, his first 9a (5.14d) and second 9a of UK in history.

In 2000 he made the first ascent of another 9a, Northern Lights, in Kilnsey. The route was an old project of Ben Moon. In 2003 he realized his third 9a, with the first ascent of Rainshadow, in Malham Cove.

From 2000 to 2004 he competed in some stages of the Lead Climbing World Cup and in European Championships.

On 23 May 2007 he made the first ascent of the route, Overshadow in Malham Cove. This route is an extension to the 8a+ (5.13c) Overnite Sensation and as of 2013 it represented the UK's hardest sport route. The free ascent took McClure about 30 days of work in three years. On 16 May 2011 Adam Ondra made the first and only repetition, and confirmed the grade as a hard 9a+.

On 4 June 2017 he completed his long term project Rainman in Malham Cove (Malham, GBR), which is considered to be the first 9b (5.15b) sport route in UK.. He proposed a grade of 9b (5.15b). The grade is not confirmed, but Adam Ondra suggested 9b was warranted after a failed attempt in December 2017.