V15 Climber Ashima Shiraishi Joins Arc’teryx
She holds a number of climbing records, has been pushing the sport since age six and was the first female to send V15
Photo by: ASATO iiDA
Ashima Shiraishi has joined a group of top climbers and skiers on team Arc’teryx. The strong American boulderer, comp and sport climber will also be co-hosting a climbing festival in California in April.
Born in New York City to Japanese artist immigrants, Shiraishi discovered climbing at the age of six at Central Park’s Rat Rock. She quickly caught the attention of the climbing world when she became the youngest person to climb a V10 called Power of Silence at eight years old. At nine, she was the youngest to send a V12 with Martini Right, at 14 she became the youngest female to send a V14 with Golden Shadow and was the first female to climb a V15 with Horizon at 15.
“Even as a teenager, at just over five-foot tall, she has climbed damn near the limit of human capability,” said 5.15 climber Jonathan Siegrist. “Her resume reads like that of a boundary breaking veteran, despite only now reaching the ripe age of 20.” Shiraishi’s titles include six Youth World Championships, the 2017 USA Climbing Sport Open National Champion, and the 2019 USA Climbing Bouldering Open National Champion.
“We’re honoured to welcome Ashima to the Arc’teryx team,” said Justin Sweeny, Arc’teryx global athlete manager. “She brings an abundance of energy and talent to our expanding female athlete team, and we’re looking forward to what we can achieve together.”
Cyrena Lee wrote a story about the evolution of Shiraishi, in which she says: “On the climbing front for 2022, Ashima has her sights set on Hypnotized Minds in Colorado, but sending a V16 is just one item on her bucket list for the upcoming year. Another includes an upcoming trip to Japan to partake in the famed Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage in Japan, located in the islands her father hails from. The route is one of the few circular shaped pilgrimages in the world and is known for self-reflection and to change for the better.”
Currently based in L.A. and balancing her athletic pursuits with studies at UCLA, one of her biggest motivators is to make rock climbing a more inclusive sport. “As I’ve matured as a climber and a person, something I’ve come to appreciate is the community aspect of outdoor activities,” said Shiraishi. “I love that Arc’teryx also shares my ethos of wanting to help make the outdoors more accessible and I’m hoping that together we can amplify the voices of those who’ve historically been left out of the conversation.”
In 2020, Shiraishi founded All Rise with Creative Collective, Braindead and Long Beach Rising climbing gym to increase access and opportunities for youth. On April 2, she’ll will co-host the All Rise climbing festival at the Long Beach Climbing Gym in LA. A day-long celebration of the outdoors, it will feature live-streamed climbing competitions and live music, with proceeds going towards the All Rise program.
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