Sasha DiGiulian

Sasha DiGiulian (born October 23, 1992) is a professional rock climber who in 2012 became the first American woman to climb grade 9a (5.14d). She has climbed over 30 First Female Ascents as well as 8 significant First Ascents, including "Rolihlahla" in South Africa, a Big Wall in Brazil in 2016 and The Misty Wall in Yosemite in 2017. In 2011 she redpointed 5.14c (8c+), onsighted two of 5.14a (8b+) and four of 5.13d (8b). In 2015, she became the first woman to free climb Magic Mushroom (7c+), one of the most difficult routes on the north face of the Eiger. In 2017 she did the first female ascent of Big Wall in Madagascar, Mora Mora (5.14b/8c), climbing it with Edu Marin in what was also the second free ascent of Mora Mora.

DiGiulian started her climbing career at the age of 6 and began competing at age 7. At age 11 she climbed her first 5.13b (8a). She attended the Potomac School, a K-12 near Washington, D.C. In March 2011, just before graduating from high school, she redpointed Southern Smoke (5.14c) and Lucifer (5.14c) in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky.

After leaving high school, DiGiulian took a gap year to travel and rock climb, concentrating on international competition and outdoor climbing. She won the Gold Medal in the Female Overall World Championships in Arco, Italy, as well as the Silver Medal in bouldering. She returned to the Red River Gorge in October 2011 where she redpointed Pure Imagination, a route considered 5.14d at the time, otherwise known as 9a. On April 25, 2012 she became the first North American female, and third woman of all time (after Spain’s Josune Bereziartu and Charlotte Durif of France), to climb 9a (5.14d) by ascendingEra Vella in Margalef. DiGiulian is a three-time National Champion in Female Open and was the undefeated Female Open panAmerican Champion from 2010 - 2018. From 2004 until the end of her Junior career, 2010, she was the undefeated junior Panamerican Champion. In 2011 she redpointed 5.14c (8c+), onsighted two 5.14a (8b+) and four 5.13d (8b) routes. In 2012 DiGiulian earned three gold medals at the Panamerican Championships for Female Sport Climbing, Bouldering, and Overall Champion. In 2015, she became the first woman to free climb Magic Mushroom (7c+), one of the most difficult routes on the north face of the Eiger. She has climbed over 30 First Female Ascents as well as 8 significant First Ascents, including a Big Wall in Brazil in 2016 and The Misty Wall in Yosemite in 2017. In 2017 she did the first female free ascent of Mora Mora, climbing it with Edu Marin in what was also the second free ascent of Mora Mora.

In 2014, DiGiulian's father, reportedly in healthy conditions, had a stroke and was rushed to the hospital. According to interviews with DiGiulian, he was perfectly healthy up until that point. He was put in a medically-induced coma and eventually passed away.

DiGiulian graduated Columbia University in 2016. She studied non-fiction creative writing and business, was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and an athlete representative on the board of the International Federation of Sport Climbing. DiGiulian serves as a Board Member of the Women's Sports Foundation and as an Athlete Ambassador for Right to Play, Up2Us Sports, Access Fund, American Alpine Club, and was the recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including GLAMOUR Magazine's Top College Women of the Year, 2016, the Cutting Edge Athlete Award for 2014 performance, presented by the American Alpine Club, The Golden Piton Award, and the Arco Rock Legend Award for Outstanding Achievements in the Outdoors.

As of January 2017, DiGiulian appears to be living in Boulder, Colorado. In March 2017 a rock climber emoji was approved and the sample image published by Emojipedia was based on DiGiulian's likeness.

DiGiulian produced a film, The Trilogy, about how she became the first female and second person to climb three Canadian Rocky Mountain big walls in a single season.The Trilogy was the first film she produced. It premiered in Banff.DiGiulian--who is based in Boulder, Colorado-has become a vocal spokesperson on climate change and has lobbied in Washington, DC for protections.