Chris Sharma
Encyclopedia
Chris Omprakash Sharma is an American rock climber
.
, son of Gita Jahn and Bob Sharma. He started rock climbing when he was 12 at the Pacific Edge climbing gym. Sharma went to Mount Madonna school and attended Soquel High School
for one year.
At age 14, Sharma won the Bouldering Nationals. A year later, he completed a 5.14c climb, which was the highest-rated climb in North America at the time.
Sharma then moved to Bishop, California
, where he climbed The Mandala
, a bouldering problem rated V12.
In July 2001, Sharma completed the extension of the established route Biographie in Ceüse
, located in the Hautes-Alpes
Department of France
and renamed it Realization
, ignoring the European tradition that equippers and not climbers name routes outside the US. At the time of the first ascent, Biographie was widely considered to be the first consensus 5.15 (9a+) in the world. He has since established or completed many routes at or above 5.15, including La Rambla
and Es Pontas (a deep water soloing project in Mallorca
). In 2008 Sharma climbed the 250 feet (76.2 m), Jumbo Love, at Clark Mountain
in California, claiming 5.15b for the grade.
He recently moved to Lleida
, in Catalonia, Spain, where he opens new routes regularly.
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
.
History
Chris Omprakash Sharma was raised in Santa Cruz, CaliforniaSanta Cruz, California
Santa Cruz is the county seat and largest city of Santa Cruz County, California in the US. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, Santa Cruz had a total population of 59,946...
, son of Gita Jahn and Bob Sharma. He started rock climbing when he was 12 at the Pacific Edge climbing gym. Sharma went to Mount Madonna school and attended Soquel High School
Soquel High School
Soquel High School is a high school in Soquel, California, located on Old San Jose Road. It currently has 1,200 students and was established in 1962. The school is operated by the Santa Cruz City High School District. The school mascot is the Knight....
for one year.
At age 14, Sharma won the Bouldering Nationals. A year later, he completed a 5.14c climb, which was the highest-rated climb in North America at the time.
Sharma then moved to Bishop, California
Bishop, California
Bishop is a city in Inyo County, California, United States. Though Bishop is the only city and the largest populated place in Inyo County, the county seat is Independence. Bishop is located near the northern end of the Owens Valley, at an elevation of 4147 feet . The population was 3,879 at the...
, where he climbed The Mandala
The Mandala
The Mandala is a boulder problem in The Buttermilks, which is a popular bouldering area near Bishop, California....
, a bouldering problem rated V12.
In July 2001, Sharma completed the extension of the established route Biographie in Ceüse
Ceüse
Céüse is a hamlet in the Hautes-Alpes département of France, part of the commune of Manteyer. The nearby Montagne de Céüse is home to one of France's most important venues for sport climbing....
, located in the Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes is a department in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range.- History :Hautes-Alpes is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
Department of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and renamed it Realization
Realization (climb)
Realization, or Biographie, is a sport climbing route on a crag on the southern face of the 2016-metre Montagne de Céüse near Gap and Céüse, France....
, ignoring the European tradition that equippers and not climbers name routes outside the US. At the time of the first ascent, Biographie was widely considered to be the first consensus 5.15 (9a+) in the world. He has since established or completed many routes at or above 5.15, including La Rambla
La Rambla (climb)
La Rambla is a famously difficult sport climb in Siurana, Catalonia . It's located at the sector of El Pati...
and Es Pontas (a deep water soloing project in Mallorca
Mallorca
Majorca or Mallorca is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the Balearic Islands.The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Cabrera Archipelago is administratively grouped with Majorca...
). In 2008 Sharma climbed the 250 feet (76.2 m), Jumbo Love, at Clark Mountain
Clark Mountain (California)
Clark Mountain is a mountain located in the Clark Mountain Range in the Mojave National Preserve, close to the California-Nevada border.-Geography:...
in California, claiming 5.15b for the grade.
He recently moved to Lleida
Lleida
Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
, in Catalonia, Spain, where he opens new routes regularly.
Notable ascents
- Necessary Evil (5.14c)
- The MandalaThe MandalaThe Mandala is a boulder problem in The Buttermilks, which is a popular bouldering area near Bishop, California....
(V12). First Ascent. Several holds have broken since Chris climbed the Mandala, including the crux holds. These changes have made the problem considerably easier, and it has been widely speculated that when the problem was first climbed, the grade was closer to V14.
- RealizationRealization (climb)Realization, or Biographie, is a sport climbing route on a crag on the southern face of the 2016-metre Montagne de Céüse near Gap and Céüse, France....
(5.15a) / Biographie (9a+). First Ascent 2001. Heralded as the world's first 5.15a upon completion.
- DreamtimeDreamtime boulderDreamtime is a boulder problem in Cresciano, Switzerland.Its first ascent was by Frederic Nicole on 2000-10-28. It was once considered the benchmark V15. Since that time, Dreamtime has allegedly been chipped and is reportedly easier, having been downgraded to 8B+...
(8B+/8C). Fourth ascent. At the time considered benchmark 8C, grade consensus has since dropped to 8B+.
- Witness the Fitness (V15). First ascent. A 40 feet (12.2 m) problem in the Ozarks. Repeated by Fred NicoleFred NicoleFred Nicole is a Swiss rock climber, notable for his numerous cutting edge first ascents. Nicole was the first climber to open a problem with the bouldering grades 8B, 8B+ and 8C....
. (Broken and maybe unclimbable.)
- Practice of the Wild (8C) First Ascent. Repeated by Tyler Landman and Daniel Woods.
- Dreamcatcher (5.14d). First Ascent. A granite route on the Cacodemon boulder in Squamish, British Columbia. The route starts on a technical slab that wedges the climber against the start of the overhang. Then a dyno to a sloping rail leads to a bouldery traverse across slopers and incut crimps. The crux of the route comes at the end with a deadpoint to slopers and a jug. Repeated by Sean McColl in 2009.
- Es Pontas. First ascent, September 26, 2007. A deep water solo in Mallorca, Spain, it features a 7 feet (2.1 m) (dynamic move, or leap) that took Sharma over 50 attempts to stick. This climb, featured prominently in the movie King Lines, remains unrepeated, and is speculated at around 9a+.
- Papichulo (9a+). First ascent. 45m route starting with four-bolt 5.13d to no-hands rest followed by continuous difficult climbing on blue limestone in Oliana, Spain.
- Jumbo Love (5.15b). First Ascent, September 11, 2008. First featured in the film King Lines as an unfinished line at Clark Mountain, this route is 250 ft (76.2 m), and thought to be at least 5.15b. Sharma has called it his hardest ascent to date. In climbing it, he skipped up to three clips in a row due to the difficult sequences, which resulted in falls of 70 ft (21.3 m) or more. Unrepeated.
- Golpe de Estado (9b). First Ascent, December 17, 2008. Golpe de Estado (Siurana, Spain) is a direct version of Estado Critico (5.14c/d), linking a 5.14d start into 5.14c climbing with a poor rest in between. Repeated by Adam OndraAdam OndraAdam Ondra is a Czech rock climber. He also participates in lead climbing and bouldering competitions.-Biography:...
March 2010.
- Demencia Senil (9a+?). First Ascent, February 20, 2009. (Margalef, Spain). Repeated by Iker Pou Jan 2010, Ramon Julian Puigblanque Oct 2010.,
- French Gangster (8c/5.14b). Onsight without chipped hold, possibly harder? Originally named American Gangster but renamed as a reference to Michael Fuselier, the French climber who allegedly chipped the hold. Hardest Route in China at the time.
- Pachamama (9a+/5.15a). First Ascent.
- Neanderthal (9b/5.15b). First Ascent, December 18, 2009.
- First Ley (9a+) in Margalef. First Ascent.
- Era Bella (9a/5.14d) in Margalef. First Ascent.
- Power Inverter (9a+ franz./5.15a). First Ascent, December 2010 (Oliana, Spain)
- Catxasa (9a+ franz./5.15a). First Ascent, January 2011 (Santa Linya, Spain)
- First Round First Minute (9b). First Ascent, April 2011 (Margalef, Spain)
- Fight or Flight (9b). First Ascent, May 2011 (Oliana, Spain)
Awards
- U.S. Bouldering Nationals
- 1997 UIAA World Cup - Kranj
- 1999 X Games - Bouldering - Gold Medal
- 2000 Wasatch Open Bouldering Competition
- 2001 18th Annual Phoenix Bouldering Contest
- 2001 Munich Bouldering World Cup
- 2002 Ford Gorge Games
- 2003 Earth Treks Roc Comp
- 2004 Earth Treks Roc Comp
- 2004 ABS Nationals
- 2007 Mammut Bouldering Championships
- 2008 Mammut Bouldering Championships
- 2009 Ilerbloc Open Internacional
- 2010 Earth Treks Roc Comp
- 2010 Psicobloc, Bilbao, Spain
Sponsorships
- SanukSanukSanuk, a division of Deckers Outdoor Corporation, is a footwear brand based in Southern California. Specializes in manufacturing professional racing footwear for racers, comfortability and complacent are the key to success in winning a competition...
- 1999 - prAnaPranaPrana is the Sanskrit word for "vital life" .It is one of the five organs of vitality or sensation, viz. prana "breath", vac "speech", chakshus "sight", shrotra "hearing", and manas "thought" Prana is the Sanskrit word for "vital life" (from the root "to fill", cognate to Latin plenus...
- Sterling Ropes
- Evolv
- PetzlPetzlPetzl is a world leading manufacturer of climbing gear, caving gear, work-at-height equipment, and headlamps based in Crolles , France. The company was created by the cave explorer Fernand Petzl in the mid-1970s...
- Nutriex
- Entre Prises Climbing Walls
External links
- Chris Sharma featured in new BS Productions film titled "The Players"
- NPR - All Things Considered - Rock Climber Chris Sharma Chases Next 'King Line' - 1 November, 2007
- Chris Sharma’s revealing journal: The beginner’s mind
- His ascents on EuroClimbing.com
- Video interview with Chris Sharma
- Sharma Repeats La Rambla
- Sharma at Eagle Peak - supporting access rights
- Watch and Add Chris Sharma Videos
- Daila Ojeda