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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 (5.14c) 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+ (5.15a). This success cemented his reputation and placed him at the top of the world's 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 (V15/8C) 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.