December 24

Kilian jornet sets new fastest known time at Aconcagua (12h49m). Report, photos, gear list & split times

Posted by mayayo oxigeno on December 24, 2014 in aconcagua, kilian jornet, kilian jornet aconcagua, salomon running, salomon spain, summits of my life, suunto, trail running, trail running spain | Leave a comment

Kilian Jornet has just set a new fastest known time for the ascent-descent of Mount Aconcagua (6.959m) as part of his project Summits of My Life. Jornet achieved a time of 12h49′ following the normal route, with 60k/D+4.000mm, and Horcones as start-finish

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KILIAN JORNET´S SETS NEW FKT AT ACONCAGUA: REPORT.

With this new achievement, Kilian Jornet has added a new peak in his track record. It was the Aconcagua, where he has set a new ascent and descent speed record. With a time of 12h49′, the athlete has just one more act left to finish the project Summits of My Life by setting a new FKT at the top of the world itself: Mount Everest.

Succes on second attempt: Jornet completed the challenge yesterday after a failed attempt last Friday, when he was forced to turn back at a height of about 6,500 meters due to bad weather, with gusts of wind of more than 90km / h.

kilian jornet returning from first attempt at aconcagua. Photo summits of my life

Stable weather, key to the climb: The weather was favourable yesterday (see below) and so the athlete was able to complete the ascent and descent on Aconcagua, the highest peak in America (6,962m). He took the conventional 59,85km route with a total climb of 3,962m. However, the major challenge Kilian Jornet had to face was altitude, close to 7,000m.

Following the philosophy underlying the other challenges he has attempted in his project, Jornet decided to start the ascent from the last inhabited place, the cabin of the park guards in Horcones (2,900m). He set off at 6 am after having three pieces of toast with dulce de leche, a typical Argentinian sweet, for breakfast.

Ahead were 23km and 1,400m of climb up to Plaza de Mulas (4,300m), the base camp of Mount Aconcagua. That is the place where most expeditions begin the ascent, which gradually climbs up and past some refuge cabins to the top. Kilian Jornet completed that stretch in 3h15′. On arriving at Plaza de Mulas he had a 15-minute stop to have something to eat and drink. From there, the ascent to the summit began.

Kilian set off for the final summit after Plaza de Mulas.

Jornet climbed up to Nido de Cóndores (5,550m), which he reached some five hours after departure. Then he started the last kilometres to reach the summit. To do that, he would have to overcome 1,463m of added altitude difference and, foremost, a height of 6,500 meters.

He was at nearly 6,600 meters at Cueva del Guanaco, and his time was 7h40’. Jornet finally managed to reach the summit (6,962m) after 8h45′ of effort. He remained there for fifteen minutes. Kilian reached Plaza de Mulas back after 10h10′. He still had the last 25km downhill to go and put fast to it.

When he finally got back to Horcones the stopwatch marked 12h49m. Thus, Kilian Jornet has surpassed all records established to date and had become the fastest man ever to complete the journey, lowering the previous time of 13h46m set by spaniard Jorge Egocheaga (see Jorge´s certificate below).

Jorge Egocheaga´s FKT 13h46m certificate

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Declaration from Kilian Jornet: “I’m really happy to have completed this new challenge. It has been tough, especially at 6,500m altitude when I suffered altitude sickness. Anyway, these moments of suffering will always be remembered”

“My idea was to start with a gentle climb trying to preserve my strength for the descent. That’s why I decided to stop, rest and gain forces for the next stage.”

“We spent almost two weeks in the area, but we would have probably needed a few more to be in the best possible condition. I was greatly affected by altitude, especially from 6,500m onwards, when I felt my brain was being compressed and I found it difficult to advance.”

“At around 6.500m, I realized height was beginning to have an effect on me. I wasn’t able to keep my balance and was constantly slipping on the icy snow. So, I decided to move slowly, knowing that I still had a long way ahead.”

“I used some time at the top to regain strength before the descent. The summit was the culmination of the work we had been doing all these days. I could also enjoy the incredible views from the south face of the Aconcagua.”

“I suffered from altitude sickness all the way to Plaza de Mulas. I kept losing my balance, my muscles seemed unwilling to follow my head and made me fall. At Plaza de Mulas I stopped for twenty minutes. I had something to eat, hydrated well and I gradually began to feel a bit better. Ahead was the descent to Horcones, where I was able to run well and ended up making good time.”

Aconcagua area overview, from Puente del Inca to the summit.

KILIAN JORNET´S TEAM AT THE MOUNTAIN: Emelie, Seb, Vivien. Mountain runner Emelie Forsberg and cameramen Seb Montaz and Vivian Bruchez, the latter also being security adviser, accompanied Kilian in this challenge. Emelie Forsberg was present at departure and arrival in Horcones. Meanwhile, Seb Montaz and Vivian Bruchez were located above El Nido del Cóndor (5,500m) to film the ascent.

According to Seb Montaz: ‘I saw Kilian suffering a lot above 6.500m. At the same time, he seemed very conscious and determined to accomplish the challenge. We could not be prouder of how things have turned out.’

Kilian Jornet, meanwhile, explained: ‘This is a team project. I am very happy to have been able to share two weeks with Seb, Vivian and Emelie. We prepared the challenge together and we all coordinated for the shoot. I want to thank the whole team for their great efforts and also all the people who have been following the project from different corners around the world.’

With this new challenge Kilian Jornet completes the third year of his project Summits of My Life, after also setting a new record on McKinley (Alaska) in 2014.

Acclimatization and arrival in Argentina: Kilian Jornet and the rest of the team arrived in Argentina on 8th December. They spent the first few days in Mendoza, the fourth largest city in the country, where a presentation of the film was held.

On December 9th, the journey to Mount Aconcagua base camp started. Upon arrival at Puente del Inca, the team members rode on mules up to Plaza de Mulas base camp at 4,400m. From that day, Jornet’s main goal was to acclimatize as much as possible to assure a successful attempt on the summit. Thus, he made several ascents increasingly higher to get his body used to the altitude. He slept several days in a bivouac. All of this preparation, without pushing it too much, so as to be in shape on the record day.

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KILIAN JORNET AT ACONCAGUA. TECHNICAL DATA.

1. Time & Distance

Distance: 59,85km
Positive slope: 3.962D+
Total Time: 12h49’

Splits:
Horcones-Plaza de Mulas: 23km/1.400mD+ -3h15’
Plaza de Mulas-Nido de Cóndores: 3,6km / 1.100mD+-5h’
Nido de Cóndores-Aconcagua: 3,5km / 1.462mD+-8h45
Aconcagua-Plaza de Mulas: 10h10’
Plaza de Mulas-Horcones: 12h49’

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2. Materials used: Shoes and clothes by Salomon.

Snowcross trainers
Thin socks ( up to Plaza Mulas)
Thick socks (up to the summit)
Shorts
Wind proof leggings
Long-sleeved t-shirt
Midlayer t-shirt
Goretex jacket
Down jacket
Primaloft trousers
Gloves
Overboots
Feathers mittens
Sunglasses
Backpack

Other gear:

Watch gps Suunto Ambit 3 Peak
Videocamera
300cl energy gel
1l water
4 chocolate bars
Folding poles

Last stop: Everest Summits of My Life, Kilian Jornet’s personal project began in 2012. Since then, he has attempted up to seven challenges around the world. The last stop will be in 2015. It will be Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world. Kilian will attempt the ascent and descent of this peak following, once more, the values underlying his project.