Chris Sharma frees his Sleeping Lion (9b+) at Siurana in Spain

American rock climber Chris Sharma has made the first ascent of Sleeping Lion at Siurana in Spain. The stunning 40m route follows a completely independent line in the El Pati sector, close therefore to highend classics such as La Rambla and La Reina Mora, and in keeping with almost all of his hard climbs, was bolted by Sharma himself.

The 41-year-old worked the route extensively last spring and autumn but success on what he described as "one of the best routes I’ve ever put up" eluded him until Tuesday. With its grade of 9b+ Sleeping Lion is now the hardest sport climb at this classic crag, half a grade harder than Golpe de Estado which Sharma freed in 2008 and which, to date, has only been repeated by Adam Ondra.

If the grade is confirmed then Sleeping Lion will settle in as Sharma's hardest first ascent ever and one of only a handful of climbs graded 9b+. It follows in the wake of his 9b's Jumbo Love at Clark Mountain (2008), Golpe de Estado at Siurana (2008), Neanderthal at Santa Linya (2009), First Round first Minute at Margalef (2011), Fight or Flight at Oliana (2011), Stoking the Fire at Santa Linya (2013) and El Bon Combat at Cova de Ocell (2015). Furthermore, in March 2013 Sharma made the first repeat of La Dura Dura at Oliana, freed a month earlier by Ondra and, at the time, only the second 9b+ in the world.

Link: Chris Sharma Instagram, Petzl

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Chris Sharma (@chris_sharma)