Chris Sharma is a god's name among action sports athletes, unanimously, and affectionately, referred to as the perfect poster-boy for extreme rock climbing. Graceful swings, breath-taking barndoor sweeps, and nail-biting crimps are all on the "King of Kings’" resume of excellence. He hails from California, born in Santa Cruz in 1981. His parents are Gita and Bob, respectively a massage therapist and employee at the University of California Santa Cruz. Sharma began his climbing career round the age of twelve at a local climbing gym, winning his first competition only two years later at the U.S. Bouldering Nationals. At fifteen Sharma received his high school diploma, and from then on turned all his focus to his budding career. Still fifteen, he set his first record, a 5.1c climb; it was the highest rating in the U.S. system at that point. The rating system for climbing changes depending on what country and what type of climb. In the U.S. the rating starts at 5.5 and goes to 5.15, the letters following increase based on alphanumerical order; that is, a is lowest up to d, the highest. Not long after, Chris Sharma set his eyes on a route that he at first thought was not scalable which was what motivated him. The Mandala was Sharma's first climb that he had the privilege of naming. (It is common practice that the first person to successfully complete a route reserves the right to name that route). The Mandala was Sharma's first taste at conquering a colossus? that veteran climbers had been defeated by. However, by all accounts from photographers, journalists, and interviewers, Sharma's down-to-earth, humble attitude never swayed. He has a legacy of not letting the spotlight affect his calm demeanor. In his "The King of Kings" interview with Fitz Cahall, Sharma had this to say in response to Cahall's question of how the pressure of being labeled as "the future" as a teenager affected him: "I never really felt pressure. Climbing has always just been fun. It’s playful. Climbing is an expression of being happy."
Chris Sharma's Career Highlights
He certainly has a lot to keep him happy, if his track record has anything to say about it. Sharma has completed over fifteen truly remarkable climbs, fourteen of them being first ascents for him. He has won over ten awards, dating from 1998 up to 2010. Most notably for Sharma has been his ascent of Realization, a 5.15a climb and his later ascent of Jumbo Love (in California), a 5.15b climb. Much of his time has been spent traveling; he has been all over Asia and Europe, as well as other countries, in search of new routes. Which has led to his next great adventure: moving to Spain.
