Chris Sharma

Chris Omprakash Sharma born April 23 1981 in Santa Cruz California is recognized as one of the greatest climbers in the history of modern climbing He discovered climbing at the age of 12 and quickly distinguished himself with his exceptional talent winning the US Open Bouldering Nationals in the adult category at 14 From the very beginning Sharma impressed the international community with his ability to push the boundaries of what was possible both in sport climbing and bouldering In the late 1990s he made the first ascent of Necessary Evil 514c in the Virgin River Gorge then the most difficult route in North America But it was in 2001 that he made history by making the first ascent of Biographie in Céüse France the first route in the world to be graded 9a 515a This success cemented his reputation and placed him at the top of the worlds elite Sharma then went on to make first ascents of extreme routes including Dreamcatcher 9a in Squamish Jumbo Love 9b on Clark Mountain and La Dura Dura 9b in Oliana contributing to the evolution of grades and difficulty standards in sport climbing Alongside his exploits on the cliff Sharma also distinguished himself in bouldering notably completing Dreamtime 8B in Cresciano Practice of the Wild 8C in Magic Wood and Witness the Fitness V158C in Horseshoe Canyon Ranch He also invested in the development of psicobloc a spectacular unroped climbing discipline over water for which he became an ambassador with the first ascent of Es Pontas in Mallorca a natural arch that has become emblematic of the genre Sharma is also a pioneer in the media promotion of climbing A key figure in numerous films and documentaries he has inspired generations of climbers with his aesthetic approach his pursuit of pure lines and his humble attitude For over a decade he was considered the best climber in the world setting records and world firsts while promoting major sites such as Bishop in California and Margalef in Spain Based in Barcelona he now divides his time between opening new routes managing climbing gyms in California and Spain and producing content to promote his sport In 2023 he cocreated the television series The Climb broadcast on HBO Max with his friend Jason Momoa aiming to democratize climbing among the general public Married to Jimena Alarcón he is the father of two and continues to push boundaries as evidenced by his first ascent of Black Pearl in Mallorca in 2023 considered the worlds most difficult psicobloc route Chris Sharma embodies the quest for perfection and aesthetics in climbing combining strength creativity and humility His influence extends far beyond sport making him a living legend and a source of inspiration for the entire contemporary climbing community