The first IFSC Para Climbing World Cup begins on Tuesday with over 170 athletes from 24 nations set to compete in Salt Lake City, USA.

In the first of three World Cup events for the Para Climbers in 2025, anticipation is high in the first major international competition since it was announced that climbing would be part of the Paralympic Games LA28.

Fittingly, climbers from around the world will touch down to win a medal in the country that is set to debut the sport – USA. One climber that is excited for the season to start is American Caroline Winstel who is set to compete in the women’s RP2.“I’m really looking forward to Salt Lake City”, said Winstel, “It always has a nice feel to it, kind of like a family reunion. It’s great to catch up with friends you haven’t seen in a while and see how everyone’s progressed in their climbing across the categories.”

“With LA28 in the back of people’s minds, you can tell a lot of folks are pushing their training to a new level, so I’m expecting it to be a really good competition.”

Back after a long World Cup off-season, Winstel is raring to go: “My training has been pretty focused this past block.

“Working with USA Coach Emmett Cookson has been great; he’s helped refine my training plan. We’ve really been concentrating on building power and working on my weaknesses and also learning to utilise rests more.”

With both Salt Lake City and LA in her home country, what is it like to compete so close to home?

“Climbing at home is great. I train in the gym about four times a week, splitting my time between two local gyms and a new climbing-specific training facility.

“I feel really lucky because the climbing community in Cincinnati, Ohio, is fantastic and incredibly supportive of Para Climbing. I often have people offering to help with catches or joining in on training sessions, which really helps keep the motivation up, especially on tougher days.”

Thinking about the season ahead Winstel said: “This year, I’ll be competing at Salt Lake City, the World Champs [in Seoul in November], and then Laval [in October]. I ended last season feeling good with a fourth-place finish at Arco, so I’m hoping to build on that.”

And for the season opener: “My goals for Salt Lake City and the season are pretty straightforward, really. I want to go out there, give it my all, and climb in a way that feels authentic to me.

“Obviously, I have some personal performance goals, but a big focus for me this season is about staying present during climbs, making smart decisions, using rests effectively, and enjoying the process of pushing myself on challenging moves.

“A lot of my journey in Para Climbing has been about understanding my body and figuring out the best ways for me to climb with my specific limitations in muscle power and endurance, so I really want to bring that understanding to the wall.”

Winstel, and all the Para Climbers in attendance will get a chance to ‘understand’ the IFSC Para Climbing World Cup wall for the first time in 2025 when the Lead qualifications begin on Tuesday 20 May. The finals will the take place a day later on Wednesday 21 May.

News and updates about all IFSC events will be available on the IFSC website, and on the Federation’s digital channels: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and exclusively for the Chinese audience, Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu.