Kyra

Kyra is a 25 year old professional climber and University of Minnesota alumni. Kyra was born and raised in Shoreview, Minnesota, but currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. She started climbing when she was 11 years old at her original home gym, Vertical Endeavors in St. Paul, MN. After she had completely fallen in love with the sport of climbing, she discovered that she had severe, idiopathic scoliosis. It was devastating news, but she wouldn't let her condition hold her back. On March 12, 2010 she had a spinal fusion surgery to correct her more than 70 degree curvature and took several months to recover. Though she started competitive climbing before her surgery, she didn't win her first major competition until after her time off. Since then, she has qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, become a Bouldering World Cup finalist, and is a regular at pro competitions around the US.

Kyra has a very aggressive and quick climbing style that has been described by commentators as having "reckless abandon" on the wall. She attributes her style to the wall she started training on when she first started climbing—a 45-60 degree overhanging bouldering wall named B2. One of the things that Kyra is most proud of in her climbing career is her part in helping build the wall that she trains on when in Minneapolis called "The A." 

When Kyra isn’t training or competing, she spends her time as a board member on the Board of Directors of USA Climbing, hanging with her two cats Pika and Pepper, watching Netflix, doing jigsaw puzzles, and finding new coffee shops. She hopes to one day attend veterinary school and work as a small animal veterinarian. She’s currently getting her Master’s Degree in Shelter Medicine from the University of Florida (online).