Chris Sharma - Climber
Height: 6’ 0”
Born: 4/23/81
Hometown: Santa Cruz, CA
Endorsements: prAna, Evolve, Petzl, Eastern Mountain Sports,
Entre-Prises, Blue Water Ropes
Chris Sharma, an internationally renowned rock climber is at the top of his sport. He is considered to be the best male climber in the United States, possibly even the World. In September 2006 he completed his most difficult project since his 2001 first ascent of “Realization” by completing the first ascent of “Es Pontas” a deep-water solo beneath a 65ft arch shaped rock islet. Chris has ruled the scene since 1996 when at 15, he scored 2nd in his first national sports-climbing championship. He has claimed dozens of national/international titles and completed hundreds of first ascents since that time. He started climbing at age 5, shimmying trees in his backyard. At age 11 he enrolled himself in classes at a local climbing gym using paper-route money. Four years later, he graduated from high school and has been traveling the world, climbing ever since. He has been instrumental in the introduction of climbing to the world of mainstream sports enthusiasts. He has created a fund to assist young climbers in their training as well as runs a series of climbing camps during the summer. Known for his legendary strong hands and upper body, Chris seems to move up the wall like Spider Man. Legends of the sport attribute his success to the spiritual approach to climbing he takes. To Chris climbing is a way of life, a way of being a part of nature.
DEEP WATER SOLOING
Es Pontas (NR) 1st ascent, Mallorca, Spain (Featured on NBC/Jeep World of Adventure Sports 12/06)
Big Mama, (5.13+) 1ST ascent, Mallorca, Spain
Ring of Fire (5.14) Croatia
Loskot and Two smoking barrels (5.13+) Mallorca, Spain
NOTABLE ASCENTS
La Rambla Original (5.15a/9a+) Siurana, Spain
Dreamcatcher (5.14+) 1st ascent, Squamish, British Columbia
Witness the Fitness (V15) 1st ascent, Ozark Mtns, Arkansas
Dream Time (V15), Cresciano, Switzerland
Practice of the Wild (V15), 1st ascent, Magic Wood, Switzerland
Never Ending Story (V14), 1st ascent, Magic Wood, Switzerland
Flamignon (V14), 1st ascent, Hueco Tanks, Texas
Esperanza (V14), Hueco Tanks, Texas
Slashface (V14), Hueco Tanks, Texas
Full Package (V14), 1st ascent, Ozark Mtns, Arkansas
Black Dragon (V14), 1st ascent, Castle Hill, New Zealand
The Dominator Sit down (V14), 1st ascemt. Yosemite Valley, California
Call 911 (V13), 1st ascent, Hueco Tanks, Texas Daiophanous Sea (V13), 1st ascent, Hueco Tanks, Texas
King Lion (V13), 1st ascent, Ozark Mtns, Arkansas
The Zone (V13), 1st ascent, Ozark Mtns, Arkansas
Lee (V13), Hueco Tanks, Texas
MassiveAttack, Magic Wood, Switzerland
DreBlack Lung (V13), Joe’s Valley, UT – 1st one-day ascent.
No Additives (V12/13), Joe’s Valley, UT – 2nd ascent.
Spinal Twist (v13), Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT - 1st ascent.
Realization (5.15c), Ceuse, France – 1st ascent, said to be the hardest route in the World.
Necessary Evil (5.14c), Virgin River Gorge, AZ – 1st ascent. Most likely the hardest route in the US.
The Mandala, (V12) Bishop, CA - a virtually hold-free, house-size rock in Bishop, CA that was previously considered un-climbable.
Just Do It (5.14c), Smith Rocks, OR – 4th ascent. Fastest ascent; first and only American ascent. This was previously the hardest route in the US until Chris claimed that Necessary Evil was more difficult.
Hasta La Vista (5.14c/b), Mt Charleston, NV – 1st ascent. Likely the 4th hardest route in the US.
Facile (5.14b), Mt Charleston, NV – 1st ascent.
The Legend of the Overland (5.14b), Mt Charleston, NV – 1st ascent.
Super Tweak (5.14b), Logan Canyon, UT – 4th ascent.
COMPETITIONS
2004 1st Place - Phoenix Bouldering Contest … Petzl events in Melloblocco, Italy, Targasonnic Italy, Roc Trip Millau
2003 2nd Place – UIAA World Cup, Lecco Italy, 2nd Place – PCA Comp, Salt Lake City, UT
2002 1st Place – PCA Comp, Boulder, CO … 2nd Place – UIAA World Cup, Rovereto, Italy …
1st Place – PCA Comp, Salt Lake City, UT … 1st Place – Ford Gorge Games, Hood River, OR … 1st Place - USCCA Nationals, San Francisco, CA … 1st Place - Phoenix Bouldering Contest, Phoenix, AZ … 1st Place – PCA Comp, Salt Lake City, UT.
2001 1st Place - UIAA World Cup, Stuttgart, Germany … 3rd Place UIAA World Cup, Gap, France 1st Place - Pusher Open, Salt Lake City, UT … 1st Place – Phoenix Bouldering Contest, Phoenix, AZ.
2000 1st Place - Phoenix Bouldering Contest … 3rd Place – Rovereto World Cup, Rovereto, Italy.
1999 1st Place - X-Games, San Francisco, CA … 6th Place - International Masters, Arco, Italy.
1998 1st Place - ASCF Nationals, Denver, CO … 1st Place - Phoenix Bouldering Contest, Phoenix, AZ.
1997 First American male to win a World Cup (Kranj, Slovenia) … 4th Place - International Masters, Arco, Italy … 4th Place - International Masters, Serre Chevalier, France … 3rd Place - ESPN X-Games, San Diego, CA … 1st Place - US Nationals, Pontiac, MI … 1st Place - Phoenix Bouldering Contest, Phoenix, AZ … 2nd Place - World Championships, Paris France.
1996 At 15 ranked #1 Climber in United States by ASCF … 1st Place - US Nationals, Portland, OR 1st Place - Continental Championships, Vancouver, BC … 1st Place - Junior National Championships, Seattle, WA … 1st Place - Midwest ASCF Nationals, Bloomington, IN … 1st Place ASCF Nationals, Pontiac, MI … 1st Place - Phoenix Bouldering Contest, Phoenix, AZ … 7th Place ASCF Nationals, Tucson, AZ … 1st Place - ASCF Nationals, Pontiac, MI … 1st Place - US Nationals, Portland, OR.
1995 1st victory in adult category (age 14) ASCF National Championships, San Francisco, CA …
1st Place -Junior World Championships, Laval, France … 1st Place - ASCF Junior Championships (Youth Division), San Francisco, CA.
MEDIA
Print
Most recently he has been featured in Rolling Stone, Esquire and Men’s Journal and LA Times Magazine; he also continues to be featured in the following publications….. Climbing and Rock & Ice Magazines, ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, GQ Magazine, Men’s Health, and Outside Magazine. He was also named one of Sports Illustrated for Women’s “2002 Sexiest Men in Sports.”
Television/Video
Most recently featured on the December 2, 2006 episode of NBC’s “Jeep World of Adventure Sports”
Oct. 2006 featured in the DVD release of Dosage IV. He has been featured several other climbing videos and in 2003 went on a 12-city promotional tour reaching 10,000 people to promote his DVD “Pilgrimage”.
Featured on NBC Sports, Ford Gorge Games Climbing Competition (1st Place Finish)
Multiple features on Outdoor Life Network
GIVING BACK
Chris runs climbing camps during the summer as well as created The Sharmafund, which assists in sending financially underprivileged kids, ages 11 through 18, to climbing camps. He hopes that introducing them to climbing will help make a positive impact on them.
