Vertical-Life
16 January 2013
Master mind projecting progress by Chris Sharma
Chris
Sharma won the Youth World Champion at 15, shortly after sending his first 8c+ in 1996. Still 15 years old, he placed #2 at the World Lead Champion and later won the first WC he attended. He is most famous for the quality lines he has been projecting and put up around the world the last ten years.
Which projects have you been working lately and how is the progress?
"Adam and I have been working together to try and send La Dura Dura in Oliana. Its been an amazing process. We've both gotten really close to getting through the bottom part of the route (I actually climbed past the crux but then slipped and got really pumped and was out of there!)
Since then I havnt reached that same highpoint so there has been a mixture of excitement and frustration. But its important to remember to be patient and humble and if you forget, the route will remind you very quickly. Its such a short bouldery section down low (its only 13 moves from the ground) so its really specific and low percentage. Feels like the send could come very soon or maybe never. I just try and keep an open mind, keep trying and not worry about the rest.
When trying such a hard long term project its really important to find and enjoy the small successes along the way. Maybe its just a certain feeling of lightness or a small bit of new beta, but if you can find ways to keep progressing than it can continue to be interesting and motivating. Ive spent the last years without sending so many routes, yet at the same time I feel like Ive progressed quite a lot in my climbing. A year ago I thought La Dura Dura was impossible for me. Progress isnt always measurable on paper, it can be more of a personal feeling and sensation than just clipping the chain of the next number grade.
I also bolted a new project just to the right of La Dura Dura which is of similar style and difficulty. For me its actually an even better climb, its a lot more fluid. Ive been working on this one and La Dura simultaneously as its a great way to get in shape for the other and vice versa and at the same time keep things fresh.
Since Ive spent so much time in the last years developing new routes, Ive got a bunch of projects here at the moment. Here in Catalunya its easy to bolt oneself into a black hole of never ending projects so Ive tried to not bolt so many new lines this year and focus.
Another really cool route that Ive been working on in Santa Linya is a route that Thomas Mrazek started bolting several years ago. Up to where he stopped its about 9b and very powerful and continuous. I bolted an extension which is probably solid 9a on top of that. The big issue is that there is not so much rest in between the two sections so its a very overwhelming undertaking. For now its a good goal to just do the first part, but its great that there is an epic futuristic line like that out there and open for anyone to try.
| La Dura Dura, (9b+?), (c) Daila Ojeda |
Which projects have you been working lately and how is the progress?
"Adam and I have been working together to try and send La Dura Dura in Oliana. Its been an amazing process. We've both gotten really close to getting through the bottom part of the route (I actually climbed past the crux but then slipped and got really pumped and was out of there!)
Since then I havnt reached that same highpoint so there has been a mixture of excitement and frustration. But its important to remember to be patient and humble and if you forget, the route will remind you very quickly. Its such a short bouldery section down low (its only 13 moves from the ground) so its really specific and low percentage. Feels like the send could come very soon or maybe never. I just try and keep an open mind, keep trying and not worry about the rest.
When trying such a hard long term project its really important to find and enjoy the small successes along the way. Maybe its just a certain feeling of lightness or a small bit of new beta, but if you can find ways to keep progressing than it can continue to be interesting and motivating. Ive spent the last years without sending so many routes, yet at the same time I feel like Ive progressed quite a lot in my climbing. A year ago I thought La Dura Dura was impossible for me. Progress isnt always measurable on paper, it can be more of a personal feeling and sensation than just clipping the chain of the next number grade.
I also bolted a new project just to the right of La Dura Dura which is of similar style and difficulty. For me its actually an even better climb, its a lot more fluid. Ive been working on this one and La Dura simultaneously as its a great way to get in shape for the other and vice versa and at the same time keep things fresh.
Since Ive spent so much time in the last years developing new routes, Ive got a bunch of projects here at the moment. Here in Catalunya its easy to bolt oneself into a black hole of never ending projects so Ive tried to not bolt so many new lines this year and focus.
Another really cool route that Ive been working on in Santa Linya is a route that Thomas Mrazek started bolting several years ago. Up to where he stopped its about 9b and very powerful and continuous. I bolted an extension which is probably solid 9a on top of that. The big issue is that there is not so much rest in between the two sections so its a very overwhelming undertaking. For now its a good goal to just do the first part, but its great that there is an epic futuristic line like that out there and open for anyone to try.
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