Kilian Jornet´s “Summits of my life Project”: Skyrunning from Mont Blanc 2012 to Everest 2015. And Bruno Brunod.

Posted by mayayo oxigeno on May 30, 2012 in kilian jornet, kilian jornet aconcagua, kilian jornet elbrus, kilian jornet everest, kilian jornet matterhorn, kilian jornet mont blanc, kilian jornet summit, kilian jornet summits, kilian jornet summits of my life, salomon running, seb montaz, skyrunning, skyrunning videos, SMOL, trail running, trail running spain, trail running spain 2012 | 6 Comments

Kilian Jornet has just unveiled his “Summits of My Life” project. A personal challenge that shall take him running from the summit of Mont-Blanc in 2012 to that of Mount Everest by 2015. In between, mystic mountains such as Matterhorn, Elbrus, Aconcagua and Mc Kinley. In doing so, he treads in the footsteps of ilustrous pioneers, most notably the italian legend Bruno Brunod.

Kilian Jornet Summits of my life photos

KILIAN JORNET´S SUMMITS OF MY LIFE PROJECT: THE CHALLENGE

Summits of My Life (SMOL) official web clearly states the aim and philosophy of this multi year project. As it goes in Kilian Jornet´s own words:

Today I am here to put forward a new project I have had in mind for some time. When I was a child, I had a photo of Cervino on my bedroom wall, I read Mesner´s books and I used to flick through my parents´ photos searching for mountains to dream about. This project has its roots in that time but it has been dormant until today. Summits of my Life is a 4-year project, in which we intend to run the length of the world´s greatest mountain ranges, trying to climb and descend some of the most spectacular mountains in the world as quickly as possible.

Kilian Jornet Summits of my life cover

I am a competitor. I like to compete, to go beyond, to search for my limits. This is the reason why this project is based on striving to break records and to do fast ascents of those mountains that mean most to me. But records and times should only be important whilst running. Once back at the bottom, they should vanish. They serve to stimulate you, to find the limits inside yourself; they should be a mere intrinsic motivation.
This is why this project is not only about breaking records or climbing up and down mountains fast and with little equipment. It is also about transmitting values. I don´t mean to say they are the right values, the ones to follow, but they are the ones I was given and those I want to pass on. Violoncello player Lluís Claret once told me some words I will never forget. The voice of many people is in your sound. Our sound, our voice, is also the testimony of those we have admired and loved, those who have influenced and taught us.

Mountains have taught me a great deal, I owe them who I am, and also those who showed me the way to know the mountains, those who took me there and those I took there. They all filled my life with certain values, and it wouldn´t make sense to break records without them.

KILIAN JORNET´S SUMMITS OF MY LIFE PROJECT: THE CHARACTERS

It shall basically be a two-man team, but what a talented pair Kilian Jornet and Seb Montaz make. Let us go a bit over who they are and why they got into this.

Kilian Jornet & Seb Montaz Summits of My life photos

Kilian Jornet & Seb Montaz in the first Summits of My life video

KILIAN JORNET Skyrunner (www.kilianjornet.com)

Born in Spain, at the Catalonian Pyrenees in 1987. He grew up in a mountain refuge over 2,000 meters high and started competing in ski mountaneering back in 2001; then in 2006 moved on to include trail running as well. He excelled in both. 🙂

Kilian Jornet on his way to victory at UTMB 2011. Photo: Kataverno.com

Philosophy: “I love to be in the mountains, where I feel accompanied even when alone. I love simple thinks, a training with friends, see a nice sunshine from one peak. I love endurance sports because I can burn kilometers and discover new places. I love racing and feeling fast to push my limits. I love exploring different places and also myself. Thus I like all kind of races, from a short sprint in ski mountaineering to an ultra trail of 160km at 40º to a very technical mountain race…”

Kilian´s track record over the last years puts him at the top of both sports, in history: Skimountaineering: Multiple World Champion, World Cup, PierraMenta, Mezzalama, Patrouille des Glaciers. Trailrunning: Multiple winner of UTMB, WS100, Sierre Zinal, Zegama, Skyrunning world Champion…

SEB MONTAZ cameraman (www.sebmontaz.com)

He grew up in the French Alps, and has spent most of his life playing and working in the mountains. Skiing, snowboarding and climbing as a child led him to qualify as a mountain guide & as a ski instructor. It also allowed him to share his passion and enthusiasm for the mountains with clients. Taking photos and filming clients gradually developed his interest in film, and eventually ended up turning a passion for images into a full time obsession. Having earnt awards in film festivals such as Barcelona and worked for premium brands such as Salomon and Evian, nowadays Seb Montaz is considered as among the most talented image makers in the mountains. His mountain prowess, coupled with his creativity and innovation as a filmmaker allow him to bring out new and surprinsing angles of men and nature mingling into thin air.

Seb Montaz photo

Philosophy: “I haven’t had any formal training in film at all, but am always keen to learn in everything I do. As I started filming I scoured the internet for information on how to get the effects I wanted… There are lots of ways to create and film effects, without needing lots of complicated equipment. I think making a good film is much more about the story you tell, and the connection you make between your subjects and your audience… Passion, curiosity and patience are as valuable & useful tools as the cameras I film with. I like to find ways to get a reaction from the audience, and to challenge people’s perceptions in whatever way I can.”

KILIAN JORNET AND SKYRUNNING CURRENT SPEED RECORDS

Although the last officially available list of skyrunning records certified by the ISF was only updated back in OCT 2010, Kilian Jornet already held three of them by then (Dome de Neige, Kima and Cavalls del Vent) Now, as he sets into this “Summits of my life” 2012-15 challenge, the main incumbent for those new targets he has set himself against is none other than italian Bruno Brunod. A living legend in the history of adventure running up and down the mountains.

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KILIAN JORNET´S ASSAULT ON BRUNO BRUNOD´S RECORDS.

Kilian´s assault Current ISF official record

Elbrus 2013 None acknowledged

Matterhorn 2013 1995. Bruno Brunod: 2h10m up. 3h14 total.

Aconcagua 2013 1999. Brunod-Meraldi-Pellisier: 3h40m20s up. 5h57m tot.

Mc Kinley 2014 None acknowledged

Everest 2015 2003. Bruno Brunod. Retired 8.300m