BURSTShauna Coxsey and Jenya Kazbekova have been crushing on both on rock and plastic. They shared the podium at the last-ever Climbing Works International Festival (CWIF) in Sheffield, UK in March. Shortly after, they kicked off their season on rock by sending À Lay’s Blaise Assis V13 and Assis Gauche V12 in Fontainebleau, France.
“Simply making it to the boulders feels like an accomplishment when you have a little one in tow,” said Coxsey on Instagram of their trip to Fontainebleau. “To then climb hard requires so much more than I ever thought I was capable of. It’s pretty damn cool to do it alongside another mama. Sharing hard moves, parenting tips and the deep level of exhaustion mum life brings.”
“Our first European trip with baby Tai is officially in the books, and my heart is so full,” said Kazbekova. “Fontainebleau has always been magic to me, but sharing it with my little family and closest people made it unforgettable. I didn’t go with a plan, just a desire to enjoy good pastries and touch beautiful sandstone. Somehow that turned into my first V11 postpartum, then my first V12 postpartum, and on the final day… a V12 and my first V13 ever, 8 months after giving birth.
“A huge part of this whole experience was sharing it with another momma who inspires me just as much in motherhood as she does in climbing. Climbing with you [Shauna Coxsey] is always fun, but trying hard side by side as moms hits different. I was told that I “bounced back” from pregnancy, but the truth is – the goal was never to ‘bounce back’. I am building forward, following what excites me, staying consistent and leaning on my support team.”
Kazbekova’s ticklist from Fontainebleau includes À Lay’s Blaise Assis V13 (her first ever V13), Le Mur du Son (assis) V12 (her first V12 postpartum), À Lay’s Blaise (gauche assis) V12, C’Était Demain V11, a second go send of Vague Patatras V11, Big Golden V10, and L’Insoutenable Légèreté de l’Être (debout) V9.
In March, Coxsey walked away from the final CWIF with a gold medal in hand. It was her first time competing since announcing her retirement from competition after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She unretired for the beloved CWIF festival. The event held in Sheffield was one of the largest comps in the UK, and Coxsey couldn’t pass up the chance to compete in the international festival for its final iteration.
“I never imagined I’d stand on an international podium as a mum, let alone alongside another mum. Trying to put into words what this moment meant is hard. Because younger me would never have believed this was possible. It almost feels strange to say it out loud but honestly, it’s so powerful.
“[Jenya Kazbekova], you are incredible. A true force. 7 months postpartum, breastfeeding through isolation and stepping back into competition to take a podium spot in your first event back. That’s beyond inspiring. Unless you’ve lived it, it’s impossible to fully grasp how tough the journey is physically, mentally and emotionally. It’s exhausting, overwhelming and also unbelievably powerful.
“Sharing this experience, being in isolation together with our babies, will forever be one of my most special memories. To our endlessly supportive husbands and to everyone who backs those chasing their dreams while raising little humans, please know you are more incredible than you could ever realise. I always believed becoming a mum didn’t mean the end of my career, but I was scared too. I hope the next generation of women feel a little less fear and a lot more possibility and support.”
This was Kazbekova’s first comp since 2024. In December 2025, less than five months postpartum, she climbed Necessary Evil 5.14c in Virgin River Gorge, Arizona and took the route down in only five sessions.
Coxsey started competing at the age of seven. She podiumed at 30 World Cups and took home 11 eleven gold medals. In 2014, she became the third woman ever to top V14 with her ascent of New Base Line in Magic Wood, Switzerland. She has since sent many more of the grade, including Hazel Grace in Ticino, Switzerland, Fotofobia SDS in La Pedriza, Spain, and Mito SDS in Sintra, Portugal, which she sent in only two sessions.
Kazbekova is a third-generation climber. Her grandmother even won a Soviet Union championship in Crimea. Her mother and father—Nataliia Perlova and Serik Kazebekov—hold several national titles. Jenya has won gold at the Ukrainian National Championships several times. She placed fourth at the Bouldering World Championships in 2019 and won silver in bouldering and lead combined at the 2024 European Championships. On rock, Jenya’s first 5.13b was at age 11 and her first 5.14a was at 13 years old with Parallel’niy mir in Red Stone, Crimea. She has climbed several 5.14+ routes, including Gullich and Mountain Rock Trip, both in Crimea. She’s also an accomplished boulderer with sends like Partage V12 in Fontainebleau to her name.
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