On October 15 2011, Sasha DiGiulian became the first American women to climb the grade 5.14d with her historic ascent of Pure Imagination in Kentucky's Red River Gorge. Says DiGiulian about being the third woman behind Josune Bereziartu and Charlotte Durif to climb 5.14d: “I’m glad to be the first American woman to do 5.14d,” she says. “The men were progressing so much quicker than women, but there’s no reason for that. Women are training just as hard. I think a lot of it is just intimidation by numbers. I think it’s just a matter of pushing yourself, and not limiting yourself mentally.”
