Give To Gain emphasises the power of reciprocity and support. When people, organisations, and communities give generously, opportunities and support for women increase. Giving is not a subtraction, it's intentional multiplication. When women thrive, we all rise.

World Climbing has highlighted women in our sport who fall in to the many categories of the theme as a start of a conversation. We hope you will join in and share with us somebody you want to celebrate and join the conversation on social media.

GIVE ROLE MODELS: CORINNA WIMMER

So many role models to choose from, but we had to pick one to start – Corinna Wimmer.

Corinna is a German climber on the World Climbing Para circuit. She has been competing since 2021 primarily in the AU2 sport class, meaning she has an upper limb deficiency, but has been climbing for a lot longer. Corinna now serves on the World Climbing Athletes Commission having been voted on by her peers in 2025.

Outside of climbing Corinna is a full-time doctor, currently in training within the specialisation of rehabilitative and physical medicine. She is also a part time yoga instructor, and if you needed any more reasons why she is a role model, Corinna puts aside her fear of heights to climb thanks to some exposure therapy when she first started in the sport and all the mental ork she has put in over the years – although it always accompanies her.

We asked Corinna to tell us what she would say to other women in sport, and this is what she said: “Don't let others define who you can be and what you are capable of. Don't let others belittle you. Set your own limits and keep pushing them. Take up space and be courageous to dream big.

“If I would have listened to the voices who told and still tell me what I can or rather cannot do as a woman, as person with a disability, I probably wouldn't have accomplished any of the things that fill my life with purpose and passion.”

GIVE DONATIONS: JANJA GARNBRET

There are so many reasons Janja could be on the list, but we will shout out her charity work.

In 2025 Janja raised over €300,000 as the ambassador for the Slovenian initiative that sees athletes raise funds and awareness for underprivileged children in sport. Botrstvo v Športu – which translates as Godparenting in Sports – is a uniquely Slovenian initiative and Janja was the youngest athlete ever to step into the role. With a charitable 24-hour Climbing marathon she connected sport, charity, and entertainment in order to help as many young athletes as possible.

Speaking about her time as the youngest Godmother of Sports, Janja said: “I see this as a big responsibility. Sport has given me so much: joy, discipline, friendships, purpose. Every child deserves a chance to feel that.”

GIVE CREDIT: RACHEL CARR

GB Climbing coach Rachel Carr could be on the list for many reasons in her own right. A coach on the World Climbing circuit for close to 10 years, Rachel is a role model, giving visibility, giving resources, giving a voice, giving time and mentoring – so many things, but this time she is giving credit, and to a colleague Laura Needham:

“Laura took our team from a place of uncertainty in many aspects, to being one of the teams to watch, where athletes feel valued and are genuinely proud to be part of GB Climbing.”

GIVE RESOURCES, FUNDING, AND GROWTH: LAURA NEEDHAM

Laura is the Performance Director for GB Climbing and has helped put in place a strong team and work ethic that allows climbers to compete on the world stage.

Laura leads her department – all the staff and the athletes – with the aim of supporting the athletes on their performance journeys so they can perform at their best.

Since Laura has been in her role she has put operations in place, restructuring her department to, as she put it herself, "recognise people’s strengths and place them where they best fit."

Laura has taken the GB Climbing team from three funded athletes in January 2025 to eleven by October 2025.

When we talked to Laura, she was modest about her achievements. She explained a little about her approach to success, and it is a life lesson for all of us: “We need to embrace diversity. You have to recognise everyone is different and brings different things to the table, but everyone contributes to the bigger picture to make the team.”

Rachel recognises the contribution to GB Climbing that Laura has made, even if Laura is modest about it herself. Her role will not be seen by so many people, but all of her athletes will be – but both roles are vitally important in elite sport. So next time you see any climber on the wall, think about the people you don’t see behind them that helped them get there, and Laura is definitely one to think about when you see a GB climber.

GIVE SAFETY AND PROTECTION: DR SOPHIA HAGE

Sophia is a medical doctor and sports medicine specialist who serves on the World Climbing Medical & Anti-Doping Commission and as a Medical Delegate at events, as well as looking after the needs of her National Olympic Committee in Indonesia.

The job of the Medical Delegate at World Climbing events is to help ensure the health and safety of all the competitors and officials. They put in place and oversee the planning and execution of any medical related needs so that everyone can perform their roles safe in the knowledge they are covered.

Sophia and all the Medical Delegates are unsung heroes at events as they are very rarely seen, meaning they have done their job properly.

Talking about her work within Climbing Sophia said: "I find joy in supporting the athlete’s well-being so they can perform at their best to achieve the dreams they have worked for their entire lives.

"And in doing so, I am reminded that my contribution, however small it may seem, can create an impact far greater than myself."

GIVE A VOICE: KYRA CONDIE AND ALLISON VEST

Kyra is the Athletes Commission Chair, an Olympian, and came through surgery for severe, idiopathic scoliosis to compete in Climbing. Like so many of the women in our sport Kyra could be a role model, giving visibility, giving knowledge – there are lots.

Canadian climber Allison Vest also fits the bill with her presence in the Climbing world and on social media with her training videos and sewing skills creating unique garments from old tents!

Here we shout out their podcast Circle Up! for giving a voice.

With over 60 episodes, the pair dive into the world of Climbing and tackle topics like motivation, body image, mindset, injury, rules, and more, bringing in guests to give perspectives on the topic in question.

They aren’t afraid to look into any subject and have been doing it since the very first episode in Dec 2022.

Head to social media today and tell us who you would pick for IWD 2026 Give To Gain.