Ashima Shiraishi facts for kids
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Shiraishi at the Climbing World Championships 2018
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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| Born | April 3, 2001 New York City, U.S. |
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| Occupation | Student, rock climber, sport climber | |||||||||||||
| Height | 154 cm | |||||||||||||
| Climbing career | ||||||||||||||
| Type of climber | Bouldering, Lead climbing | |||||||||||||
| Highest grade |
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| Known for | Youngest person to climb a 5.14d/5.15a (9a/+) route, and first female to climb a V15 (8C) boulder | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| Updated on October 31, 2017. | ||||||||||||||
Ashima Shiraishi (born April 3, 2001) is an amazing American rock climber. She started climbing when she was just six years old. Her dad took her to Rat Rock in Central Park, New York City. Soon, she became one of the best climbers in the world.
Ashima has won many international competitions. She was often the first girl or youngest person to climb very hard routes. When she was 13, she became the youngest person ever to climb a sport route graded 5.14d/5.15a. In 2016, she was the first girl to climb a V15 boulder problem. These are some of the hardest climbs in the world!
Contents
Ashima's Early Life and Climbing Journey
Ashima Shiraishi was born in New York City on April 3, 2001. Her parents, Tsuya and Hisatoshi Shiraishi, moved to New York from Japan in 1978. Her father, Hisatoshi "Poppo" Shiraishi, was a dancer.
Ashima grew up in Chelsea, Manhattan. When she was six, her parents took her to Central Park. That's where she first started climbing at Rat Rock. Later, she also climbed at Brooklyn Boulders in Gowanus, Brooklyn.
Starting Competitive Climbing
Ashima began competing in climbing when she was seven years old, in 2008. She worked with a coach named Obe Carrion. Their partnership ended in 2012. After that, her father became her main coach.
Ashima quickly showed how talented she was. When she was eight, she climbed a famous boulder problem called Power of Silence (V10) in Hueco Tanks, Texas. At nine, she climbed Chablanke (V11/12) and Roger in the Shower (V11).
When she was ten, she climbed Crown of Aragorn (V13). This was also in Hueco Tanks. She was the youngest person ever to climb a route of this difficulty.
Excelling in Lead Climbing
Ashima also became very good at lead climbing. This is where climbers use ropes and clips to go up tall walls. In October 2012, when she was 11, she climbed Southern Smoke (5.14c) at the Red River Gorge. She was the youngest person to climb a route this hard.
In 2013, Ashima kept getting better at both bouldering and lead climbing. She climbed more V13 boulder problems. She also completed two more 5.14c sport routes. In 2014, she might have climbed her first V14 boulder, Golden Shadow. She was the second girl ever to climb a V14. On the first day of 2015, she climbed The Swarm, another V14. She was the first girl to reach the top of that problem.
Reaching New Heights
When Ashima was 13, she climbed her first 5.14d (9a) route. It was called Open Your Mind Direct R1 in Santa Linya, Spain. A part of the route had broken off, making it even harder.
On the same trip, Ashima climbed Ciudad de Dios. This made her the youngest athlete to climb a 5.14d/5.15a (9a/9a+) route. She was also only the second girl to climb at this super high level.
In 2015, 2016, and 2017, Ashima won the IFSC World Youth Championships. She won for both Lead and Bouldering in her age group. In March 2016, at 14 years old, she climbed the boulder problem Horizon (V15) in Mount Hiei, Japan. She was the first girl and, at that time, the youngest climber to achieve this.
In 2017, she won the USA Climbing Sport & Speed Open National Championships. She also placed second at the USA Climbing Bouldering Nationals. That same year, she started competing against adults in the Climbing World Cup.
Life Beyond Climbing
In 2020, Ashima Shiraishi wrote a children's book. It is called How To Solve A Problem. Yao Xiao drew the pictures for the book.
Ashima is supported by many companies. These include Evolv, Arc’teryx, Clif Bar, Petzl, Coca-Cola Japan, All Nippon Airways and Nikon.
In 2021, Ashima started college at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is studying neuroscience and environmental science.
People have called her a "bouldering phenom" by the New York Times. The New Yorker even called her the "Gretzky of the granite," comparing her to a famous hockey player.
Ashima's Climbing Achievements
Ashima has achieved many impressive climbs. Here are some of her most notable ones.
Hardest Boulder Problems
- Horizon (V15) - Mount Hiei, Japan - 2015
- Sleepy Rave (V15) - Grampians National Park, Australia - 2016
- Jade (V14) - Rocky Mountain National Park, USA - 2021
- Phenomena (V14) - Hinokage, Japan - 2015
- Nuclear War (V14) - New York City, USA - 2015
- Golden Shadow (V14) - Rocklands (South Africa), South Africa - 2014
- The Swarm (V13/V14) - Bishop, USA - 2015
- Crown of Aragorn (V13) - Hueco Tanks, USA - 2012 (Youngest person to climb this grade)
Hardest Sport Routes
- Ciudad de Dios (5.14d or 5.15a) - Santa Linya, Spain - 2015 (First female ascent)
- Open Your Mind Direct R1 (5.14d) - Santa Linya, Spain - 2015 (First female ascent)
- Southern Smoke (5.14c) - Red River Gorge, USA - 2012
- Lucifer (5.14c) - Red River Gorge, USA - 2012
- La Fabela (5.14c) - Santa Linya, Spain - 2014 (First female ascent)
See also
In Spanish: Ashima Shiraishi para niños
