Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou

Robyn with her husband Didier and their daughter Brooke in Hueco 2011.

Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou is the founder, owner, and director of ABC Climbing.  She has been one of the best female climbers in the world for over two decades and is five-time US Champion and four-time World Cup Champion. She began coaching in 1993, retired from competition in 1996, became a mother twice over, and eventually became the head coach for the USA Climbing Team. Robyn has now been working with children for over 15 years as a personal trainer and specializes in coaching junior elite athletes.

In 2005 Robyn created ABC Kids Climbing to combine her passion for working with children in an athletic capacity and her extensive knowledge of and involvement in the sport of climbing. Robyn sees significant value in providing children with the space and tools to make decisions and to learn and develop confidence in their abilities through movement. Robyn’s own children, Shawn and Brooke, have been with ABC since it’s inception and are now part of the ABC Elite Competition Team, aka Team America’s Best Climbers or Team ABC. This site focuses on the adventures of Team ABC, though the ABC program has classes for all abilities and levels of development. For more on the programs ABC offers, please click here: ABC Kids Boulder.

Robyn crushing in the 80's.

Robyn remains very involved in the world climbing infrastructure. She is a current board member for USA Climbing, America’s climbing federation, and a chairperson for the adult USA Climbing, which is responsible for competition information. She continues to specialize in personal training and has given over 4000 private lessons at facilities around the world. Robyn and her husband Didier Raboutou also started a summer camp for children in France called “Planete Grimpe” in which over 100 children participate per week. She has taken members of her team members climbing at national and international outdoor areas and competitions and remains committed to fostering a unified climbing community in which youth athletes stay physically and mentally healthy and are given the support and opportunity to compete fairly and realize their goals and potential.

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Robyn realizing she has a little potential of her own left with a quick ascent of her first V11, Hard Boiled, in Boulder Canyon, Colorado. She also continues to climb 5.14 -- over 15 years after her first 5.14 ascent! | April 2011

Robyn’s Stats

Born: May 1963

First Climbed: Age 18

Climbing Regularly Since: 18. I loved it the first day I tried it.

Height: 5’1″

Ape Index: +2

Favorite Outdoor Areas: Rodellar, Spain; Hueco, Joe’s Valley, Red River Gorge

Robyn in Hueco | November 2011

Favorite Routes/Problems: All of them!

Proudest Ascents:

Bouldering – Sunshine (V11) in 1/2 day

Routes - Silence (hard 8b+) redpointed putting in the draws in a handful of tries 2nd day on it.

(Robyn was the 3rd woman in the world to climb an 8b+/5.14a route)

Robyn sending Sunshine on a cold windy day in Hueco | November 2011

Best Comp Results:

4 World Cup Titles

Winning every competition I entered in 1993

Robyn at a World Cup in Laval, France

Other Sports & Activities: Snowboarding, Light Running, Spending time with my family and Team ABC

Favorite Subject in School: Math

Future Goals: Continue to climb hard without injury

Robyn warming up in Hueco | November 2011

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Robyn’s Sponsors

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Robyn’s Favorite Shoes

La Sportiva Solution

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Robyn’s Links

ABC Home Site – ABC Kids Boulder

Climbfind Heroes – Youth Climbing Article #3 – Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou  |  November 2011

Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou  |  La Sportiva Pro Ambassadors

Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou Climbs Hard Boiled (V11)  |  April 2011  | Deadpoint Magazine

Erbesfield-Raboutou: 5.14a at Age 45  |  2009  |  Climbing.com

8a.nu Forum Topic: 7c+ OS by Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou (47)

Raboutou Family Blog

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Robyn’s Videos

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