How to Catch a Climbing Fall with Chris Sharma
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Californian climber Chris Sharma, who started climbing at 12 at Pacific Edge Climbing Gym, is one of the world's best climbers. In the below video, he gives tips on how to catch a fall.
At 14, he won the 1996 US Open Bouldering Nationals. A year later, he completed Necessary Evil (5.14c), the hardest sport climb in the US at the time. In 2001, at 20, he made the first ascent of Realization/Biographie in Céüse, France, establishing the world’s first 9a+ (5.15a).
Sharma dominated sport climbing, completing the first 9b (5.15b) with Jumbo Love in 2008 and the second 9b+ (5.15c) with La Dura Dura in 2013, alongside Adam Ondra. He pioneered deep-water soloing with Es Pontàs (9a+) in Mallorca in 2006.
He owns climbing gyms in California and Spain and co-created The Climb, a climbing competition series, with Jason Momoa in 2023. Sharma lives in Barcelona with his wife, Jimena Alarcón, and two children.
His career, spanning over three decades, includes first ascents like The Mandala (V12) and Witness the Fitness (V15). He continues projecting routes.