The Gender Gap Is Closing in Climbing – And That’s a Win for Everyone
For decades, climbing—like many sports—has seen a clear gap between male and female performance at the top level. But that gap is rapidly narrowing. And this year, something extraordinary happened: elite female climbers aren't just catching up—they're breaking into the highest grades ever established in the sport.
Brooke Raboutou and the Excalibur Moment
Earlier this year, American climber Brooke Raboutou sent Excalibur in Arco, Italy—graded 9b+ (5.15c)—a level that only a small handful of humans, male or female, have ever reached.
This ascent was more than just another tick on the list. It was a historic moment: the first time a woman has completed this route, widely considered one of the hardest in the world. And she did it just months after Olympic gold medalist Janja Garnbret made her own mark on the route with an incredibly close attempt.
Brooke’s success was not a surprise to those following her progress. What’s remarkable is how consistently women are now operating at this level—and how the performance gap is shrinking with each passing season.
What Does This Mean for Climbing?
This shift isn’t just symbolic—it’s changing the entire narrative of what’s possible.
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Equal training methods: The same high-performance strategies, hangboard protocols, and strength programming are now being used across genders with incredible results.
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Shared spotlight: Women are no longer a side category—they are headlining the same routes, competitions, and records.
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Representation: As girls and young climbers look to role models, they’re seeing women tackling the world’s hardest problems—no asterisk required.
Climbing has become one of the few sports where the top women are directly comparable to the top men.