Isabelle Case '28 to Compete in World Climbing World Series
CSW junior Isabelle Case ‘28 will compete at World Climbing’s elite World Series event in Santiago, Chile, October 23 through 25, 2026. She is one of four women representing the United States in lead climbing, against competitors from more than twenty countries.
The lead event involves climbing progressively challenging routes on a 15-meter (49-foot) wall with a 38-degree overhang.
“I’m beyond excited — and a little nervous — to climb on the same routes as incredibly talented women that I’ve looked up to for years,” Isabelle said. Among the competitors will be ten-time world champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist Janja Garnbret. “I know that whatever happens, it’s going to be such an inspiring experience, and I hope to put everything I learn towards helping me improve for the future.”
Isabelle qualified for the World Cup by finishing tenth in the US after a multi-stage National Team qualifying process. At 16, she is the youngest member of the U.S. Lead Elite National Development Team. She has been climbing since she was four, and competed at the Youth World Championship in Helsinki, Finland in 2025. She trains at Central Rock Gym in Watertown, MA.
CSW — a gender-inclusive day and boarding school for grades 9-12 and PG — is a national leader in progressive education. We live out our values of inquiry-based learning, student agency, and embracing diverse perspectives in every aspect of our student experience. Young people come to CSW to learn how to learn and then put what they learn into action—essential skills they carry into their futures as doers, makers, innovators, leaders, and exceptional humans who do meaningful work in the world.