Chris Sharma

Chris Sharma is one of the greatest and most influential rock climbers of all time, distinguished by his exceptional athletic ability and visionary first ascents. Continuously setting the standard for world-class climbing, Chris has pushed the boundaries of the sport’s potential across multiple disciplines.

Chris discovered climbing as a child in Santa Cruz, California, at the Pacific Edge Climbing Gym, during a time when the sport was still a relatively new phenomenon. Known as “one of the first climbing-gym-generation kids,” he stood out early on, establishing himself as a prodigy by winning the Adult Open Bouldering Nationals at just 14 years old.

That initial victory marked the start of a career filled with groundbreaking accomplishments. At 15, Chris made the first ascent of Boone Speed’s legendary project Necessary Evil, then the hardest sport climb in North America. But this was only the beginning. In the years that followed, Chris turned heads by freeing Biographie/Realization, the world’s first 5.15a, and completing the first ascent of the 5.15b route Jumbo Love. Decades later, Chris has established over a dozen routes graded 5.15a and higher.

Chris’s relentless pursuit of the most beautiful and difficult rock climbs eventually led him to an unexpected place: water. He became renowned as a pioneer of deep water soloing, or Psicobloc, a discipline where climbers ascend without protection over water to break their falls.  He pushed the sport into the spotlight through his legendary 2007 ascent of El Pontas, 5.15a, which climbs the underbelly of a magnificent arch in the middle of the ocean in Mallorca, Spain. 

Today, Chris owns several Sharma Climbing gyms throughout Spain and continues to put up some of the hardest routes in the world. He is equally passionate about inspiring the next generation of climbers, as demonstrated by his 2023 HBO Max competition series, The Climb, created with his longtime friend Jason Momoa. The groundbreaking show was the first of its kind, showcasing the full spectrum of what sport climbing can offer.

From Santa Cruz to Spain, Chris has spent a lifetime pushing the limits, and he’s not slowing down anytime soon.  He is a climber in a class of his own.