Shauna Coxsey

{{Infobox climber

| honorific_suffix = MBE

| image = Shauna Coxsey GBR 2017-08-19 2214.jpg

| caption = Coxsey in August 2017

| image_size =

| name = Shauna Coxsey

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1993|01|27}}

| birth_place = Runcorn, England

| height = 164 cm

| weight = 58 kg{{cite web|title=Shauna Coxsey|publisher=International Federation of Sport Climbing|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117075758/https://www.ifsc-climbing.org/index.php?option=com_ifsc&view=athlete&id=8247| archive-date=2017-11-17| url=https://www.ifsc-climbing.org/index.php?option=com_ifsc&view=athlete&id=8247}}

| spouse = {{marriage|Ned Feehally|2021}}

| typeofclimber = Bouldering

| apeindex = +8.5 cm

| highestgrade =

| highestboulder = {{Boulder grade|8B+}}

| highestonsight =

| firstascents =

| namedroutes =

| majorascents =

| website =

| retired = 2021

| updated = 13 August 2019

|medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{GBR2}} }}

}}

Shauna Coxsey {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|MBE}} (born 27 January 1993) is an English professional rock climber. She is the most successful competition climber in the UK, having won the IFSC Bouldering World Cup Season in both 2016 and 2017. She retired from competition after competing in the 2020 Olympics, and continues to climb at a high level outdoors.

Early life

Coxsey was born in Runcorn on 27 January 1993. She began climbing in 1997 at the age of four, inspired by a television broadcast of Catherine Destivelle climbing in Mali.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180105140021/http://www.shaunacoxsey.co.uk/2017/04/the-paywall/|archive-date=2018-01-05|url=http://www.shaunacoxsey.co.uk/2017/04/the-paywall/|title=The Paywall|first=Shauna|last=Coxsey|date=10 April 2017|work=Shauna Coxsey's blog}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.climbing.com/people/podium-dreams-two-time-bouldering-world-champ-shauna-coxsey-guns-for-the-olympics/|title=Podium Dreams: Two-Time Bouldering World Champ Shauna Coxsey Guns for the Olympics|last=Anderson|first=Maria|website=Climbing Magazine|date=24 April 2019 |language=en-us|access-date=2019-08-06}} Although she was not tall enough to be allowed to climb, she continued to insist and was eventually allowed on the wall a few months later.{{Cite web |title=Shauna Coxsey – Climbing – Official Athlete Page |url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/athlete/shauna-coxsey-profile-red-bull |access-date=2024-08-05 |website=Red Bull |language=en}}

Climbing Career

File:Shauna Coxsey GBR 2017-08-19 2220.jpg

Coxsey was mainly active in competition climbing and has participated in several international competitions in bouldering. She has won the British Bouldering Championships on multiple occasions.{{Cite web|url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/athlete/shauna-coxsey-profile-red-bull|title=Shauna Coxsey|website=Red Bull|language=en|access-date=2019-08-06}} In 2012, she won the 9th edition of the Melloblocco and placed 2nd in the World Cup stages in Log-Dragomer and Innsbruck. She finished third in the 2012 Bouldering World Cup. In 2013, she cleanly ascended her first problem graded {{Boulder grade|8B (V13)}} when she climbed Nuthin' But Sunshine in Rocky Mountain National Park. In November, she was appointed one of the UK's first British Mountaineering Council Ambassadors.

In 2014, Coxsey placed second overall in the IFSC Bouldering World Cup, and fourth at the Bouldering World Championships in Munich. The same year, she became the third woman ever to boulder {{Boulder grade|8B+}} when she topped New Baseline in Magic Wood near the Swiss town of Chur. In 2015, she won the British Bouldering Championships in Sheffield and took first place at the Bouldering World Cup in Munich.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810093118/https://www.thebmc.co.uk/landman-and-coxsey-crowned-new-british-bouldering-champs | url=https://www.thebmc.co.uk/landman-and-coxsey-crowned-new-british-bouldering-champs | title=Landman and Coxsey crowned new British bouldering champions | archive-date=10 August 2019 | publisher=The British Mountaineering Council}}{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810092735/https://www.thebmc.co.uk/media/files/Comps/bbc15.pdf|url=https://www.thebmc.co.uk/media/files/Comps/bbc15.pdf|title=BMC British Bouldering Championships - results|publisher=The British Mountaineering Council|archive-date=10 August 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://onbouldering.com/2015-munich-bouldering-world-cup-results/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190810093735/https://onbouldering.com/2015-munich-bouldering-world-cup-results/| title=2015 Munich Bouldering World Cup – Results | publisher=OnBouldering.com | archive-date=10 August 2019}}

In late 2016, Coxsey suffered a shoulder injury which prevented her from competing in that year's Bouldering World Championships, despite topping the overall rankings in the Bouldering World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://www.verticalgear.co.uk/ondra-retains-crown-at-2016-paris-world-championships/|work=Vertical Gear|title=Ondra Retains Crown at 2016 Paris World Championships|first=Steven|last=McCracken|date=26 September 2016}} She won four IFSC Climbing World Cups in Meiringen (SUI), Kazo (JPN), Innsbruck (AUT) and Sheffield (UK). At the World Cup in Munich (GER) she placed second. In 2017, she again won four Bouldering World Cup stages, in Meiringen (SUI), Kazo (JPN), Mumbai (IND) and Vail (USA). In Munich (GER) she again placed second and secured the overall 2017 title.{{Cite web|url=https://amuse.vice.com/en_us/article/3k97yn/shauna-coxsey-interview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181208144138/https://amuse.vice.com/en_us/article/3k97yn/shauna-coxsey-interview|url-status=dead|archive-date=8 December 2018|title=I Never Leave Without... My Pillow from Home {{!}} Shauna Coxsey, Professional Climber|last1=Coxsey|first1=Shauna|last2=Fiell|first2=Clem|date=2018-12-07|website=Amuse|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-06|last3=Kenny|first3=Stuart}} Despite being primarily a boulderer, she began training in lead and speed as part of her bid for the 2020 Olympics, which would feature rockclimbing for the first time as a combined discipline.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/41540755 |title=Tokyo 2020 Olympics: British climber Shauna Coxsey confirms bid to compete at Games |date=8 October 2017 |accessdate=8 October 2017 |work=BBC Sport}}

In August 2019, Coxsey won two bronze medals at the 2019 IFSC Climbing World Championships in Hachioji, in bouldering and the combined event. During the finals of the combined event, she set a British women's speed climbing record of 9.141 seconds, securing second place in the speed component of the combined ranking by winning races against Futaba Ito and Miho Nonaka before losing to Aleksandra Miroslaw. Her record lasted until August 2024 when it was finally broken by Ava Hamilton at the European Championships.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCxZ2i5rxhQ|title=Speed finals: Villars 2024|publisher=IFSC|date=29 August 2024}} See 2:08 for an announcement of Hamilton's new British record and beginning at 1:21:00 for an interview with Hamilton. Additionally, by reaching the finals of the combined event, Coxsey secured a qualification spot for Tokyo's 2020 Summer Olympics, the first to include competitive climbing.{{citation|url=https://www.thebmc.co.uk/shauna-coxsey-bronze-combined-event-ifsc-world-championships|title=Dream week for Shauna Coxsey: two bronze medals and Olympic quota place|publisher=The British Mountaineering Council|date=20 August 2019}} When the Olympics was finally in 2021, she was recovering from a back injury, surgical treatment and rehabilitation. She came 10th in the competition,{{Cite web |last=Majendie |first=Matt |date=19 May 2021 |title=Shauna Coxsey's basement is a slice of climbing heaven and we want in |website=Red Bull |url=https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/shauna-coxsey-home-climbing-setup}} noting that even though she wasn't at peak fitness, she "kind of did a lot better than [she] thought [she] would.".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/olympics/58077533 |publisher=BBC |title=Tokyo Olympics: Shauna Coxsey says she was 'not in the shape I wanted to be' |date=2021-08-04}} She retired from competitive climbing after the Olympics, while continuing as an elite-level rock climber with a focus on outdoor bouldering.{{Cite web|date=2021-06-14|title=Shauna Coxsey Retiring from Comps after Olympics|url=https://gripped.com/indoor-climbing/shauna-coxsey-retiring-from-comps-after-olympics/|access-date=2021-08-26|website=Gripped Magazine|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=Shauna Coxsey Retirement|url=https://www.eurosport.com/climbing/tokyo-2020/2021/tokyo-2020-im-still-so-emotional-about-it-all-shauna-coxsey-after-post-olympics-under-the-radar-reti_sto8375585/story.shtml}}{{Cite web|title=Shauna Coxsey retires after failing to qualify for Olympic final|url=https://www.runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk/news/19491576.shauna-coxsey-retires-failing-reach-olympic-final/|access-date=2021-08-26|website=Runcorn and Widnes World|date=4 August 2021 |language=en}}

In 2022, Coxsey continued climbing on indoor climbing walls whilst pregnant with her first child; she worked with a specialist physiotherapist and her husband, who is also a climber, to assess the routes as her body shape changed.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-18 |title='I'm a pregnant woman making choices': Shauna Coxsey on climbing – and the 'bullies' who want her to stop |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/may/18/im-a-pregnant-woman-making-choices-shauna-coxsey-on-climbing-and-the-bullies-who-want-her-to-stop |access-date=2022-05-18 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} Upon returning to outdoor climbing, after having her first child, she has climbed at a high level, including sending three 8B+ (V14) climbs in 2024,{{cite web|url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2024/03/8b+_and_two_8bs_for_shauna_coxsey-73606 |publisher=UK Climbing |date=4 March 2024 |access-date=10 January 2025 |first=Xa |last=White |title=8B+ and two 8B's for Shauna Coxsey}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2024/05/shauna_coxsey_climbs_the_boss_8b+-73667 |publisher=UK Climbing |access-date=10 January 2025 |title=Shauna Coxsey climbs The Boss, 8B+ |first=Xa |last=White |date=2 May 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.climber.co.uk/news/shauna-coxsey-climbs-her-third-font-8b-of-2024/ |title=Shauna Coxsey climbs her third Font 8B+ of 2024 |publisher=Climber |access-date=10 January 2025 |date=4 June 2024}} and another in 2025.{{cite web|url=https://gripped.com/news/shauna-coxsey-tops-her-fifth-v14/ |publisher=Gripped |access-date=2025-03-03 |date=2025-02-10|title=Shauna Coxsey Tops Her Fifth V14 |first1=Aaron |last1=Pardy}}

Commentating

Coxsey commentated for the 2023 IFSC Climbing World Championships in Bern, and in the lead up to the Paris Olympics,https://www.tntsports.co.uk/climbing/olympic-games-paris-2024/2024/two-time-world-cup-winner-shauna-coxsey-to-bring-olympic-insight-to-ifcs-and-eurosport-broadcasts-on_sto9721258/story.shtml and as a pundit for Eurosport/Discovery broadcast of the Olympics.https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/olympics-pundits-and-commentators-for-bbc-and-discovery-from-gabby-logan-to-laura-woods/ar-BB1qtjJl

Personal life

Coxsey was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2016 Birthday Honours for services to climbing.{{London Gazette|issue=61608|supp=y|page=B17|date=11 June 2016}}{{citation|title=The Queen's Birthday Honours 2016|date=10 June 2016|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-queens-birthday-honours-2016|publisher=Cabinet Office|access-date=10 June 2016}} She married fellow climber Ned Feehally in 2021. They reside in Sheffield.

She has a daughter called Frankie.

Rankings

= World Cup<ref name="IFSC Worldcups" />=

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | Discipline

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2010

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2011

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2012

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2013

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2014

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2015

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2016

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2017

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2018

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2019

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2021

align="left" | Lead

| -

| 30

| -

align="left" | Bouldering

| 38

| 19

| style="background: #cc9966" | 3

| 4

| style="background: silver" | 2

| style="background: gold" | 1

| 9

|10

|61

align="left" | Speed

| -

align="left" | Combined

| -

| style="background: #cc9966" | 3

| -

= World Championships =

Youth

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"

! style="background: #b0e0e6;" | Discipline

! style="background: #b0e0e6;" | 2008
Youth B

! style="background: #b0e0e6;" | 2009
Youth A

align="left" | Lead

| 9

| 19

Adult

class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | Discipline

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2011

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2012

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2014

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2016

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2018

! style="background: #b0e0e6" | 2019

align="left" | Bouldering

| 16

| -

| 4

| -

| style="background: #cc9966" | 3

align="left" | Lead

| -

| 17

align="left" | Speed

| -

| 41

alight="left" | Combined

| -

| style="background: #cc9966" | 3

World Cup podiums

= Bouldering<ref name="IFSC profile" /> =

width = "55" \| Season ! width = "55" style="background: gold;" \| Gold ! width = "55" style="background: silver;"\| Silver ! width = "55" style="background: #cc9966;"\| Bronze ! width = "55" \| Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
2012		3		3
2013		1	2	3
2014	2	3	1	6
2015	1		3	4
2016	4	2		6
2017	4	2		6
2018				0
2019		1	1	2
Total	11	12	7	30

Outdoor bouldering

Coxsey is the first British woman to climb the V12, V13, and V14 grades.

{{Boulder grade|V14}}:

:* New Base Line – Magic Wood (Switzerland) – 12 July 2014 – First female ascent of Bernd Zangerl's Boulder (2002){{Cite web|url=http://onbouldering.com/shauna-coxsey-climbs-new-base-line-third-female-v14-ever/|title=Shauna Coxsey climbs New Base Line, third female V14 ever|publisher=OnBouldering.com|date=12 July 2014|accessdate=2 May 2016}}

:* Fotofobia - La Pedriza, Spain - March 2024

:* The Boss - Yarncliff Edge, Peak District - May 2024 - 8th ascent, first female ascent.

:* Hazel Grace - Gotthard Pass, Switzerland - June 2024

:* Mito - Sintra, Portugal - February 2025 - first female ascent.

{{Boulder grade|V13}}:

:* Ropes of Maui – Dinas Mot (United Kingdom) – 5 April 2016 – First female ascent (first ascent by Pete Robins, 2014){{Cite web|url=http://onbouldering.com/shauna-coxsey-climbs-ropes-of-maui-8b-v13/|title=Shauna Coxsey climbs Ropes of Maui|publisher=OnBouldering.com|date=7 April 2016|accessdate=2 May 2016}}

:* One Summer in Paradise – Magic Wood (Switzerland) – 3 July 2014 – Second female ascent (first ascent by Martin Keller, 2005){{Cite web|url=http://onbouldering.com/one-summer-in-paradise-another-8b-for-coxsey/|title=One Summer in Paradise, another 8B for Coxsey|publisher=OnBouldering.com|date=4 July 2014|accessdate=2 May 2016}}

:* Zarzaparrilla – Albarracin (Spain) – 31 March 2014 – First female ascent{{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=68822|title=Shauna Coxsey Climbs 2nd 8B|author=Duncan Campbell|publisher=UKClimbing.com|date=April 2014|accessdate=2 May 2016}}

:* Nuthin But Sunshine – Lower Chaos (Rocky Mountain National Park, United States) – 26 June 2013 – First female ascent (first ascent by Dave Graham, 2000){{Cite web|url=http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=68169|title=VIDEO: Shauna Coxsey climbs Nuthin' but sunshine, 8B|author=Björn Pohl|publisher=UKClimbing.com|date=June 2013|accessdate=2 May 2016}}

:* Wild Wild West - La Pedriza, Spain - March 2024

:* Pin y Pon - La Pedriza, Spain - March 2024

:* Fat Lip - Raven Tor, UK - April 2024{{cite web|url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2024/04/shauna_coxsey_climbs_fat_lip_8b-73653 |title=Shauna Coxsey climbs Fat Lip, 8B |first1=Xa |last1=White |access-date=2025-03-04 |date=2024-04-16 |publisher=UK Climbing}}

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite web|url=https://www.ifsc-climbing.org/index.php/world-competition/ranking|title=World Cup Rankings|editor=IFSC|editor-link=International Federation of Sport Climbing|date=August 20, 2019|access-date=August 20, 2019}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.ifsc-climbing.org/index.php/component/ifsc/?view=athlete&id=8247|title=Coxsey's profile and rankings|editor=IFSC|editor-link=International Federation of Sport Climbing|date=August 20, 2019|access-date=August 20, 2019}}

{{Cite web|url=http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/shauna-coxsey-cranks-first-female-ascent-of-nuthin-but-sunshine-v13|title=Shauna Coxsey Cranks First Female Ascent of Nuthin' But Sunshine – V13|author=Chris Parker|publisher=rockandice.com|date=27 June 2013|accessdate=27 June 2013}}

{{Cite web|url=http://www.ifsc-climbing.org/index.php/world-competition#!type=ranking&cat=5&cup=131|title=Shauna Coxsey Runner-up in IFSC Climbing World Cup|publisher=ifsc-climbing.org}}

{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebmc.co.uk/shauna-coxsey-sets-a-new-baseline|title=Shauna Coxsey sets a New Baseline for Britain|publisher=thebmc.co.uk}}

{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebmc.co.uk/inspirational-climbers-become-bmc-ambassadors|title=Inspirational climbers become BMC Ambassadors|publisher=thebmc.co.uk}}

{{Cite web|url=http://www.ifsc-climbing.org/index.php/news/latest-news/item/509-results-of-the-ifsc-world-championships-munich-2014-boulder|title=Results of the IFSC World Championships Munich 2014 – Boulder |publisher=ifsc-climbing.org}}

}}