Latest news with #Jornet
France 24
4 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Olson wins Western States 100 in California, Jornet third
Billed as one of the most competitive editions in the race's 52-year history, this year's running of the 100-mile (161-kilometer) event lived up to the hype. Around 15 elite runners crested the course's high point around 2,600 meters (8,600 feet) above sea level just after sunrise following a 5:00 am (1200 GMT) start at Olympic Valley. After weaving through chilly snowfields of the Sierra Nevada mountains, runners then faced the brutal heat of canyons where temperatures neared 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). The unforgiving combination of extreme heat and rugged terrain -- coupled with around 5,500 meters of climbing -- took its usual toll on the field. Maintaining an average pace of nearly 12 kilometers per hour, Olson, 29, surged to the front midway through the race and never looked back. He broke the tape at the finishing point at Auburn High School in 14 hours, 11 minutes and 25 seconds -- just two minutes shy of Jim Walmsley's course record (14:09:28). Walmsley, a three-time winner, withdrew from this year's race. After placing fifth in 2024, Olson's victory cements his place among the elite of ultra-trail running. The Salt Lake City native had previously earned top-20 finishes at the "CCC", the 100-km sister race to the famous Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix. Restricted entry Chris Myers claimed second after going shoulder-to-shoulder with Olson for much of the race. Spaniard Jornet was third, in a repeat of his finish at the Western States in 2010. Jornet, 37, returned to take part in this year's event 14 years after his lone victory in the race, determined to test himself against a new generation of athletes on the fast, exposed trails of California. Despite his renowned mental toughness, Jornet was unable to close the gap during the hottest parts of the race. Over the past 15 years, he has helped boost the profile of trail running, broadening the appeal of the niche endurance pursuit. Even with elite preparation and cutting-edge cooling strategies, no one is immune to the challenges posed by the Western States. Simply earning a bib to race in the event -- which is limited to 369 entrants -- is a feat in itself. Elite runners may qualify through one of the 30 "Golden Tickets" awarded at select races. For everyone else, entry depends on a livestreamed annual lottery that draws nearly 10,000 hopefuls, some of whom wait a decade for their name to be called. For first-time applicants, the odds hover around 0.04 percent, improving only with years of patience and additional qualifying ultras. Even after overcoming the hurdles to entry, some runners fail to last the course. Among those who were forced to withdraw this year was American runner David Roche, a rising star of the sport who had won both of his previous 100-milers. Greeted with loud cheers at the Foresthill aid station at mile 62, Roche appeared visibly shaken and was eventually forced to withdraw. © 2025 AFP
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Olson wins Western States 100 in California, Jornet third
American ultra-trail runner Caleb Olson was a surprise winner of California's grueling Western States Endurance Run on Saturday, emerging from the scorching canyons of Northern California to claim victory ahead of Spanish star Kilian Jornet, who finished third. HT Image Billed as one of the most competitive editions in the race's 52-year history, this year's running of the 100-mile event lived up to the hype. Around 15 elite runners crested the course's high point around 2,600 meters above sea level just after sunrise following a 5:00 am start at Olympic Valley. After weaving through chilly snowfields of the Sierra Nevada mountains, runners then faced the brutal heat of canyons where temperatures neared 104 degrees Fahrenheit . The unforgiving combination of extreme heat and rugged terrain coupled with around 5,500 meters of climbing took its usual toll on the field. Maintaining an average pace of nearly 12 kilometers per hour, Olson, 29, surged to the front midway through the race and never looked back. He broke the tape at the finishing point at Auburn High School in 14 hours, 11 minutes and 25 seconds just two minutes shy of Jim Walmsley's course record . Walmsley, a three-time winner, withdrew from this year's race. After placing fifth in 2024, Olson's victory cements his place among the elite of ultra-trail running. The Salt Lake City native had previously earned top-20 finishes at the "CCC", the 100-km sister race to the famous Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc in Chamonix. Chris Myers claimed second after going shoulder-to-shoulder with Olson for much of the race. Spaniard Jornet was third, in a repeat of his finish at the Western States in 2010. Jornet, 37, returned to take part in this year's event 14 years after his lone victory in the race, determined to test himself against a new generation of athletes on the fast, exposed trails of California. Despite his renowned mental toughness, Jornet was unable to close the gap during the hottest parts of the race. Over the past 15 years, he has helped boost the profile of trail running, broadening the appeal of the niche endurance pursuit. Even with elite preparation and cutting-edge cooling strategies, no one is immune to the challenges posed by the Western States. Simply earning a bib to race in the event which is limited to 369 entrants is a feat in itself. Elite runners may qualify through one of the 30 "Golden Tickets" awarded at select races. For everyone else, entry depends on a livestreamed annual lottery that draws nearly 10,000 hopefuls, some of whom wait a decade for their name to be called. For first-time applicants, the odds hover around 0.04 percent, improving only with years of patience and additional qualifying ultras. Even after overcoming the hurdles to entry, some runners fail to last the course. Among those who were forced to withdraw this year was American runner David Roche, a rising star of the sport who had won both of his previous 100-milers. Greeted with loud cheers at the Foresthill aid station at mile 62, Roche appeared visibly shaken and was eventually forced to withdraw. "I'm worried about David," his father, Michael Roche, told AFP. "I've never seen him in that kind of state." rg/rcw/sco ROCHE HOLDING This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
NDTV
25-05-2025
- Sport
- NDTV
French Mountaineer Benjamin Vedrines Sets New Mont Blanc Speed Climb Record
Paris: Rising French mountaineering star Benjamin Vedrines broke the record for the fastest ascent and descent of western Europe's highest mountain Mont Blanc, beating a mark that had stood for over a decade, his team said Sunday. Vedrines' effort on Saturday to reach the 4,809 (15,777 feet) metre peak from Chamonix and then return to the resort was three minutes faster than that set by the Spanish ultra-running icon Kilian Jornet in 2013. Having set out just before 9:00 am, Vedrines, 32, a specialist in rapid alpine-style ascents, completed the round trip from the church in Chamonix at 1,043 meters (3,422 feet) to the summit of Mont Blanc in a whirlwind 4 hours, 54 minutes, and 41 seconds. "I really didn't believe it at first. It's a record that fascinated me, but I never thought I was capable of it, I really lacked the confidence to attempt it," the climber said in a statement sent to AFP. Jornet ran to the summit while Vedrines, who also holds the record for a speed ascent of K2 in Pakistan, mixed trail-running and skiing. "Bravo, what a show. The artist," Jornet, currently preparing for the prestigious US Western States race in June, wrote in tribute on social media.
France 24
25-05-2025
- Sport
- France 24
French mountaineer sets new Mont Blanc speed climb record
Vedrines' effort on Saturday to reach the 4,809 (15,777 feet) metre peak from Chamonix and then return to the resort was three minutes faster than that set by the Spanish ultra-running icon Kilian Jornet in 2013. Having set out just before 9:00 am, Vedrines, 32, a specialist in rapid alpine-style ascents, completed the round trip from the church in Chamonix at 1,043 meters (3,422 feet) to the summit of Mont Blanc in a whirlwind 4 hours, 54 minutes, and 41 seconds. "I really didn't believe it at first. It's a record that fascinated me, but I never thought I was capable of it, I really lacked the confidence to attempt it," the climber said in a statement sent to AFP. Jornet ran to the summit while Vedrines, who also holds the record for a speed ascent of K2 in Pakistan, mixed trail-running and skiing. "Bravo, what a show. The artist," Jornet, currently preparing for the prestigious US Western States race in June, wrote in tribute on social media.
The Independent
13-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
World's best long-distance runner Kilian Jornet shares his top training and recovery tips
Kilian Jornet is one of the most awarded athletes I've ever spoken with. He's also among the most laid back, shrugging and smiling when I ask him about his record-breaking feats. Though one assumes you'd have to be able to keep a clear head if you're the kind of person who takes on ultramarathons and speedy mountain ascents for fun – these challenges are not for the average runner or mountaineer. Jornet holds the fastest known time speed record for the ascent and descent of major mountains including Mont Blanc and Matterhorn, as well as the 24-hour uphill skiing record – 23,864-meters. He's also won plenty of the world's most challenging ultramarathons. Having started climbing at the age of three, he now does things that most would consider unfathomable displays of endurance, running for days at a time across wild trails and mountains. He explains to me that mindset and mental fortitude are vital components in a long-distance race, regardless of the length or the terrain. 'The passion, the happiness and the activity provide me with a high every day. I think that's the key to being consistent over the weeks and the months of training. Last year I did a long project in the Alps that lasted for almost 20 days, and it was a lot of days without any sleep. For some days we were running and climbing for like 40 hours without stopping, and then just sleeping for one hour and continuing,' says Jornet. 'So I could feel tired, I could feel destroyed but then I'd think, 'anyway, I'm up here. It's something that I choose to do and it's just beautiful. Look at the sunrise, the sunset.' As professional athletes, it's our job, but if we want things to work and we want to be consistent week after week, day after day, we need to really remind ourselves why we do it, and it's because we love it.' To do what Jornet does, you'd have to love it but the way he so fondly describes mountain trails entreats you to love them, too. His optimism and laid-back demeanour almost make me believe I could run an ultramarathon, until he refers to his gym as 'the pain cave' and then I'm right back in the realm of the mortals fearing for my life and legs. He explains that due to the varied nature of his races, his training varies, too. No two training periods are exactly the same. However, the cross trainer, exercise bike, treadmill and Strava remain staple pieces of kit. The outdoor training is where sessions can really vary from race to race. 'One thing I like to do is a range of activities in the mountains. So some races are 20 or 30 kilometres, so like two hours. Some can last for 19 or 20 days, with 20 hours of activity per day, so those are very different. The preparation needs to meet the demands of each activity,' he explains. 'In training I raise the aerobic capacity, so basically do a lot of volume, and then focus a bit more on all the technical aspects of the sport. We have different systems to train. So let's say, metabolism – I'm looking at the oxygen, the temperature, the substrate, all the food I have. Or neuromuscular, so all the muscles and technique, and then, the cognitive, so all the mental aspects. So when I'm doing a session, it's for one of these systems.' Jornet adds: 'If I'm training metabolism, it doesn't matter if I do it on the bike or running or because the mitochondria knows if we are running or we are skiing or we are doing other activities. It's the intensity of volume that I'm changing. 'Then, of course, if I want to train my muscles to be able to sustain the running or to climb, that's much more specific. I do try to plan the training in a way that simulates what I will be doing. It's a lot to consider, but it can be as complicated as you want or as simple as you want.' Training for a 20-day race can destroy your body as much as the race itself can, so getting familiar with your limits and prioritising recovery is just as important as pushing yourself. There's a fine balance with any extreme sport and Jornet seems to have mastered the balancing act. 'Recovery? It's very simple, which means that it's very difficult to do.' he says. 'The key is to have a low stress life, because that means that you are not adding more stress to your stress and creating more inflammation.' Jornet adds: 'Most of that stress comes from your job, comes from your family. You can buy your machine to massage every muscle, but it's more difficult to change your job or family. So you need to find the balance between your job and your training and do what feels good. Sometimes I do very little training at the weekends because I want to be with my kids. 'And then sleep is key for tissue recovery and a healthy diet and eating very well to recover all the nutrients that you lose after training and races – that's the focus. It's stress management, sleep and food. It's very simple, but very hard because you can't buy that balance.' Striking and maintaining this balance is an issue that we can all struggle with and any endurance athlete will tell you that sports like ultra running take an additional toll on you mentally and emotionally. Jornet describes gruelling periods of training and competitive events which leave him in a state that he likens to 'a sort of depression', which it takes time to bounce back from. 'For a period of time I was eating 8,300 calories every day. I didn't see many people and my mind was so concentrated every day on 'do not die'. It's hard to go back to normal life after that. The muscles are what we feel the most – sure, my legs are hurting but in two or three days they won't. Mentally, you have to find new goals and get back to routine,' he explains. This drive to set goals and chase the next hit of endorphins is perhaps what separates an ultra runner from a hobbyist. The desire to run across vast distances and challenging landscapes doesn't come naturally to all of us, but Jornet believes the experience of running a trail can profoundly benefit everyone. 'When you explore and see new things, those things can be both outside and inside ourselves.' says Jornet. 'I love to see new landscapes and when you are running, you are travelling with your feet, and that's beautiful somehow. The long distance – it brings you into a place where you need to face yourself somehow, like you are facing a mirror. It's not a place where you can hide, but you need to to look into your fears and into yourself. I think it's a beautiful way to unmask yourself and explore who you are at the same time as exploring the outdoors.' Jornet believes that anyone can access the sense of balance and gratitude that he experiences when running outdoors, but we all have to start from somewhere. His best advice is to be patient and to learn to adapt, in life and on the trail. 'Things won't happen tomorrow. It's a long way, and it's a way that's not straight, it's always up and downs. So don't lose the motivation, because your year is not going well. We are usually doing something because we like it, so see it as a game,' he says. 'Then I would say it's good to be ambitious as well as being humble – they go together. Ambition, it's about showing up, it's about trying things. It's about saying, 'why not', but having the humility of knowing our limits and our capacities. It's knowing when to take care, especially when you are doing sports in the outdoors, where sometimes risk can be high. And if you don't have the knowledge, to be humble enough to to ask people to mentor you, to give you advice.' Jornet concludes by stressing the importance of failure and learning to adapt as often necessary parts of the process. 'Some days we are better, and some other days we fail,' he says. 'I think it's important to understand that if seasons ago something worked, maybe today our body is different because we are older, or because our life situation has changed, and we need to adapt. Mentally, I love what I do. I don't make it a constraint. I remind myself, 'okay, I'm just going out doing something that I love to do', and that's not an obligation. It's a chance and I'm lucky to do it.'
