Title IX was passed in 1972, finally giving women equal opportunities in sports and education. However, as is true with most things, even long after legislation passes, it can take a while for changes to take effect. Women, especially in sports, are still pushing the limits and breaking barriers, realizing their full potential. But on Tuesday, the first female climber made it up a 5.15a route, making climbing history. What’s more? She’s thirteen.
New York City native, Ashima Shiraishi, is the daughter of Japanese immigrants. Growing up in the city, she used to go to Central Park and started taking an interest in bouldering at 6 years old. In 2013, she won the American Boulder Series Youth National Championship. Naturally gifted, she spends most of her free time honing her skills at Brooklyn Boulders in Brooklyn, NY.
However, this past week she spent her spring break attempting to climb Open Your Mind Direct, a route in Santa Linya, Spain. To give you an idea of what a 5.15 looks like, here’s a photograph from her Instagram.
There are a multitude of factors that go in to deriving a grade for a climb, and there are distinctions between the types of climbing that take place – bouldering, sport climbing, etc. Grade, texture, length between holds, as well as incredibly small factors, such as shave rocks, broken handholds, general changes in the earth can also alter the rating of a climb. For example, the Open Your Mind Direct route Shiraishi just climbed was originally rated a 5.14d when the first climber, Tom Bolger, ascended in 2010. However, because a handhold near the top broke off, the rating has since been increased.
The young star, who is no longer rising but has seemingly already made a name for herself, is already sponsored by major climbing sponsors – Evolv, The North Face, Clif Bar, and Petzl. She seems to pass hallmarks every year, setting age records, and now gender records, and it will be interesting to see what else is in store.
