Paraclimbing World Championships 2025
Seoul, South Korea coaching and climbing debrief -
Shoutout to the Paraclimbing community for being so welcoming and badass! Whether it is cheering on athletes at a competition or exploring the streets of a new city, you all really make this time well spent. So many laughs, cheers, frustrations, and tears that feel more meaningful when shared in community. @paraclimbs
Big thanks for the Korean Alpine Federation @korea_para_climbing @kaf_1962 and the IFSC @ifsclimbing for hosting this World Championship event and welcoming us into Seoul. It is very exciting to be involved in paraclimbing during such a pivotal moment of growth.
Thank you to The Climb for being so welcoming to the paraclimbing community - great atmosphere and fun climbs! @theclimb_seongsu @theclimb_gangnam
A HUGE thank you to the routesetters who worked tirelessly to put up routes that made for an incredible show! We wouldn’t have these experiences without your effort and dedication.
Lastly, thank you to all of the belayers, coordinators, and volunteers who show up and work hard to make the athletes feel safe and supported. It wouldn’t be a successful competition without your efforts!
1. Photo of the USA Paraclimbing team, coaches, and volunteers with the finals wall in the background 🧗♂️@usaclimbing @usaparaclimbing_community
2. Photo of The Thumb and cartoon animal statues at the KSPO Dome in Seoul, with the wall in the back left corner of the picture 🇰🇷
3. The Climb Seongsu written boldly on the wall of the gym.
4. The practice wall at the Gangnam Sports Climbing Center
5. View of Seoul from the 120th floor of Lotte Tower, with the Olympic Park and the KSPO Dome visible in the upper left.
Congratulations Emily on WINNING the Paraclimbing World Championship in RP2!! 🥳💪🥇☝️
Emily is one of the most hardworking people I know, training deliberately and precisely leading up to the World Championships in Seoul, South Korea. We have completed a lot of virtual prep work, yet it was an honor to be there in person to witness this feat of victory and celebrate in real time 😁
Emily - You have worked incredibly hard for this moment and you climbed so well during this competition. I couldn’t be more proud! I know that you have had many podium placements in your long career on the paraclimbing World Cup circuit and this first gold medal, at a World Championship no less, is well deserved! 🐐🎉
@usaparaclimbing_community @paracliffhangers @touchstoneclimbing @paraclimbs @ifsclimbing @usaclimbing #godowskitraining
1. Emily and Malcom smiling for the camera as Emily shows off her gold medal. 🥇
2. Emily cutting feet on her finals climb during the first crux sequence. 📸 by @imtiffanyyu
3. Emily and Malcom smiling and flexing for the camera.
4. Emily looking shredded as she moves into the next crux sequence on her finals route. 📸 by @imtiffanyyu
Congratulations Nat on the second place podium in RP3 at the Paraclimbing World Championships in Seoul, South Korea! 🇰🇷🥳🔥🥈
After an incredible season of gold medal placements in the Paraclimbing World Cup circuit, Nat continued pushing the limits and discovered a whole new world of opportunities beyond the barriers that were demolished. With Nat’s determined approach in Paraclimbing now being applied in Pararowing and Para swimming, there is no stopping what can be accomplished in these competitive atmospheres!
Nat - I am truly impressed with your performance this season. This week you rose to the challenge and fought your hardest on the wall, yet when there is a stacked field of athletes it can be anyone’s game. I am grateful to be along for the ride and looking forward to what’s comes next in your path of success!
@usaparaclimbing_community @usaclimbing @paraclimbs @ifsclimbing @paradoxsports @trangoclimbing #godowskitraining
1. From left to right is Malcom and Nat smiling for the camera in their Team USA jackets, with a silver medal hanging around Nat’s neck.
2. Nat smiling and waving to the crowd on the RP3 finals route while taking a rest. 📸 by @imtiffanyyu
3. Malcom and Nat flex for the camera, standing beside a sign that reads “IFSC Climbing and Para Climbing World Championships Seoul 2025” while Nat sports the second place medal 🥈
4. Nat getting a left foot high step while gripping yellow pinches at the crux sequence of the RP3 finals route. 📸 @calebtimmermanphoto @ifsclimbing
Huge congratulations to Carlie and Mark for their performances at the Paraclimbing World Championships in Seoul, South Korea! 🇰🇷💪🧗🌇
Carlie and Mark - It was such a pleasure to watch you both climb in person after all of the virtual prep work you both have put in over the past season. It was exciting to be able to debrief in real time after each qualifier route and watch you two grow from your experiences. Both of you are incredible climbers and independently unlocked some key components that will bring your climbing to the next level. I am looking forward to digging into the next phase of training and being alongside as you progress toward your next accomplishments!
@usaparaclimbing_community @usaclimbing @paraclimbs @paradoxsports @ifsclimbing #godowskitraining
1. Carlie (left) and Mark (right) climbing on their qualifier routes. 📸 by @calebtimmermanphoto
2. Carlie hanging by one arm on a pinch as she makes her way up her first qualifying route. 📸 by @calebtimmermanphoto
3. Mark giving them thumb up 👍 to the camera as he is lowered down from his qualifying attempt. 📸 by @calebtimmermanphoto
4. Carlie campusing on blue pinches during qualifier route one. 📸 by @imtiffanyyu
5. Mark crimping a yellow hold around the red volume on qualifier route one. 📸 by @imtiffanyyu
6. Carlie sitting on a volume and taking a rest while sequencing the next part of qualifier route two. 📸 by me.
7. Mark in a double gaston on two yellow slopers with a right leg backflag. 📸 by @imtiffanyyu
8. Carlie campusing on green holds around a black volume as she approaches the crux of qualifier climb two. 📸 by me.
9. Mark squeezing onto some turquoise dual tex holds on the overhang crux of qualifier climb two. 📸 by me.
10. Mark caught on the live stream smirking at the camera.
11. Photo of “The Thumb” sculpture in the Seoul Olympic Park. 👍
12. View of the outdoor wall that qualifiers took place on with blue skies in Seoul, South Korea 🇰🇷
Fun boulders, hype music, great vibes! @theclimb_gangnam 🇰🇷
1. Fun compression movement with heel hooks and some hand switching beta that felt necessary and flowed smoothly in the sequence.
2. Interesting toe hook catch and tension movements.
3. A fun little coordination boulder that was seriously fun to do in reverse 🔄
Really fun, creative boulders and welcoming atmosphere! @theclimb_seongsu 🇰🇷
I enjoyed the variety of movement on each boulder problem. As a 5’5” person it felt so nice to do small box moves that required a lot of core tension and critical thinking. It would be good to see more climbs like these in the US, where climbers are mentally challenged more than simply their power and length of their wingspan. It felt especially good to have this much creativity on moderate boulders, where the movements were not too difficult yet my brain felt like a muscle being worked! 🧠💪
1. A small box coordination jump and mantle, which flowed well and was a great intro to this style of movement. I climbed this one many times because it was so fun and engaging!
2. A boulder problem that had a bit of everything - underclings, deadpoint, kneebar, compression, and an arete.
3. A technical boulder problem with dual tex crimps and interesting weight shifting that required a lot of critical thinking about body positioning.
4. Long traversing and a fun mantle mid-climb that made this moderate boulder a fun one to repeat over and over.