Intervju med Chris Sharma

Sometimesyou forget that Chris Sharma is only fifteen. Few of us are as completely defined by a singular activity at any age.Despite having climbed only four years, Chis may very well be the best sport climber in the world. Recently, Chris astounded the climbing establishment  with a second place finish at the World Championships, possibly the single most prestigious climbing event in the world. In the month previous to the event, Chris completed the hardest boulder problem on American soil, "Crown of Aragon" (V13),: climbed two 5.14a's in a day (nearly onsighting the first), and onsighted 5.13c/d, .
Simply put, Chis Sharma has amassed a mind blowing resume. Until the summer of 1995, Chis was still a relatively unknown local phenom. All this changed at the National Championships in San Francisco that year where unknown Chris Sharma pulled a stunning upset victory over the countries best-known climbers.  Since then, Chris has warped what everyone called "realistic expectations". Although Chris completed his first 5.14 only last summer, he has already climbed almost all of the hardest climbs in America and has yet to test the limit of his abilities.  In fact, he may not for quite a while. Just when his peers expect him to slow down, Chris punches to new levels of performance.

I sought Chris out in part for selfish reasons, hoping to gleen from him some magic formula for climbing success. Initially, I tried to meet Chris on a climbing trip, a trip he intended to be on.

"Sharma couldn't come," my companions informed me, "He's grounded.
"He cratered? He's not hurt, is he?" I asked.
"No, he's grounded by his dad. As in he can't watch TV or use the phone.
Apparently, Chris hadn't asked his dad if he could go climbing. He just assumed he could go, and for his adolescent insolence he was punished. At least that's the story according to Chris. Like I said, sometimes you forget this kid is fifteen.
Having missed this first opportunity, I later convinced Chris to meet me at his home town climbing gym. There, he revealed to me his top secret training regimen. In the interest of advancing civilization, I've chosen to share it with the public rather than keep it to myself.

Why do you think you're such a good climber?
I don't know. Maybe a different style. I'm kind of intuitive about my movements. I do what feels best. Instead of keeping my feet on and being precise, I use a lot of momentum with my body. I do a lot of swinging on overhangs to get to the next hold. I'm not really powerful, but I'm kind of springy. My biceps are actually kind of weak. (Let's say relatively.) But I do a lot of powerful moves by using a lot of momentum. I've noticed not a lot of people climb like that. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Any climbing heroes?
Hans Florine and Chris Bloch.

Why?
Those guys are fast!

Are you serious?
Yeah right!

Do you have any other hobbies?
I watch TV sometimes.....No, not really.

You surprised a lot of people when you took second in the World Championships this February. What happened?
I qualified second to last for  the finals, so my attitude was I was just there to have a good time.  I was in ninth, so basically, I could only do better.

Did you think you would do that well?
No. I only made it about two thirds up the finals route. But everybody else kept falling quite a bit lower. If it were ASCF (the American governing body) rules, I would have won because Francois Petit just slapped for the next hold with no chance of catching it. Under UIAA rules, he won though because they count that as his high point.

You were at Hueco tanks just before the World Championships, right? What did you climb there?
I did Crown of Aragon. Like V13. Then I did "Shaken not Stirred" in the Martini Roof, a V12. The I did New Map of Hell, V12. Then I did a bunch of V11's. I didn't onsight anything really. I didn't really try.

How did you feel on Crown of Aragon? Was it difficult for you?
It's pretty hard.

Do you think you could crank harder?
Yeah. The crux is moving off a tiny finger tip pocket off a toe hook on an arete. It's kind of technical, and mostly requires coordination.

Did you see Frederic Nicole when you were in Hueco?
I climbed with him a little bit. Just one day.

What were your impressions of him?
He's really strong. Yeah. It was pretty neat.

Then you went to Virgin River Gorge, right? What did you do there?
I did Route of All Evil, 14a/b. Then I did F-dude (.14a) second try. And Horse Latitudes (.14a) third try. I did F-dude and Horse Latitudes in the same day.

What do you mean when you say you did F-dude (14a) second try?
I almost flashed it first try, but I got bad beta and  fell at the top on a 5.11 move.  Then I rested and sent it next try. I should have flashed it.  I onsighted a route there, too. It was rated .13d, but I think its .13c/d.

What's the longest you've spent ona route?
Four days - but that was a long time ago. (he adds with a little embarrassment.) If I went back to that route right now without any knowledge, I could probably do it in a day. That was "Closing Down", 14a at mount Charleston. I wasn't as good a climber then. It was about seven months ago.

What's your diet like?
I eat pretty healthy. I eat at home mostly. I used to be really into fast food, but that stuff's kind of gnarly.

Do you cook for yourself?
I probably could, but my parents cook for me, mostly.

How did you graduate from high schoolso early?
I took the GED as a freshman. I go to Cabrillo, a local community college. I'm taking classes in math, and writing, and computers. So I'm not completely clueless in the future.

Does anybody ever recognize you as a celebrity? Do friends and kids at school think you're anything special?
No, I don't think anybody really every recognizes me as a celebrity. I'm glad it's that way for now. Kids think it's kind of cool I guess. They think it's cool that I make a lot of money. (Ah, innocent youth.)

What do you see yourself doing in the future. Do you think climbing will be your profession?
I hope so. I'd like to live where there's more climbing.

Where? Like Colorado?
I don't know. It's too cold in Colorado. Maybe Utah or Europe or something. Or maybe I'll live in a van and travel around. I've met some climbers who do that and it sounds pretty fun.

Do you plan on competing in next year's World Cup
Yeah. I was originally planning to climb in Europe this summer,but I've decided to go to school this summer.  Then I'm going to takea semester off, and do the World Cup in the fall. It will be the climbing season there, so I'm psyched.

What  are some climbs you'd like to do in Europe?
I'd like to climb Action Direct in Germany. Yeah, it sounds like my kind of style. I heard the handholds OK. Most of them are so-so, but the feet suck and it takes a lot of momentum. In France, I'd also like to do that thing Super Plafond (5.14c) and Bronx (5.14c). There's a climb at Ceuse called Biographie. A lot of the best French climbers have been on it, but it hasn't been sent yet. Then I want to go to Britain and send Hubble (5.14c) and all the 14's there.

So who's going with you to Europe?
>My dad.

He doesn't really climb does he?
No, not really.

He's just taking time off from work?
Yeah. He's not gonna get paid or anything, but he's into it. He doesn't really climb but he's into going with me to climbing places. He likes it. He's into it, I guess.

Wow, that's parental commitment. How's your French?
My dad and I have just started learning from tapes. Comment allez-vous?... Bonjour?.... Tres bien, merci.

That's very good. I can see you are as cultured as you are graceful on the rock.  What kind of music do you like?
I'm into reggae. Bob Marley and Peter Tosh. I like rap, too. Coolio is cool.

Are most of your friends climbers?
Yeah I have a few friends that aren't climbers, but most of the people I hang out with are from around the gym. Most of the people I climb with are older, but I get along with them. Most people my age are, well, kind of immature. You know, into video games and stuff. I know a bunch of other climbers my age from competitions. 

Now that you've competed internationally, how does the European competition look to you? 
Oh, those guys are soft! Soft in the middle. 

Why do you say that? 
No, those guys are strong, but some of those guys would be working on a bouldering problem in warm up at the X-games, and me and a couple other Americans came along and hiked them. So I don't think that they're something incredible. Those guys are strong, but nothing special. 

What's your home life like? Any brothers or sisters?
My parents are divorced. My dad lives about a mile that way from the gym. My mother lives about a mile and a half that way. I don't have any brothers and sisters, and both of my parents are still single.

Any significant other?
No.

Any prospects?
There aren't that many girl climbers that I'm that into. There aren't that many girl climbers my age around here anyway.

Some people think you'll get bigger as you grow older, and your climbing will suffer. What do you think about that?.
I totally disagree with that. Last year these people came into the gym to take all these measurements. Like pull ups and sit ups and stuff. I'm 10 lbs heavier now, but my grip strength to weight ratio is way better. I'm still getting stronger. I'm way stronger than I was a year ago.

Ever injure yourself?
I sprained my wrist once. At the EX-treme games. That was so extreme. Extremely stupid. I was warming up on the warm up wall for the finals and a hold spun on me. I was really disappointed. Other than that, I got a rope burn. I tweaked my finger a little once, but I just laid off of it for a week or so.

You've actually bolted some routes. How many routes have you equipped?
I've bolted three routes. A 14a called Ubermensch (Not "Goobermunch" as I've heard some young competitors say. Literally translated Ubermencsh means "superman"). I've also bolted a 12c and 13a. They were all at Pinnacles.

Do you think you'll bolt more routes in the future?
Yeah, I'd like to. There's a lot great climbs at the Pinnacles. But bolting is really a pain in the butt. Drilling by hand and hooking and everything. It takes so long. It's so much work. Heinous.

What are your favorite climbing places?
Hueco Tanks and Yosemite. 

Why?
They both have good bouldering. That's what I'm into.

Sharmas träningstips
This interview was made by Rock and Groove(Copyright). See linkpage.