Climbing
In a historic week for high-speed alpine ascents, two French athletes have claimed new Fastest Known Times (FKTs) for skiing ascents and descents of Mont Blanc, Western Europe’s highest peak. On May 24, 32-year-old French mountaineer Benjamin Vedrines completed a blistering round-trip from Chamonix to the 4,809-meter (15,777-foot) summit of Mont Blanc and back in 4 hours, 54 minutes, and 41 seconds. His performance beat the previous record by just over three minutes, surpassing Spanish ultrarunner Kilian Jornet’s 2013 mark of 4:57:40.
“I really didn’t believe it at first,” Vedrines said in a statement. “It’s a record that fascinated me, but I never thought I was capable of it.”
Vedrines, who is known for his speed ascents on peaks such as Pakistan’s K2, began his climb just before 9 a.m. from the church in Chamonix at 1,043 meters (3,422 feet), Explorer’s Web reports. His strategy combined trail running and ski mountaineering, a hybrid approach that allowed him to maintain momentum across rapidly changing terrain and conditions. The feat was completed solo but classified as “supported,” in line with guidelines from Skimostats.
Jornet, who is currently preparing for the Western States Endurance Run in California this June, congratulated Vedrines via social media: “Bravo, what a show. The artist,” he wrote.
Elise Poncet Claims Women’s Ski FKT
Just eight days earlier, on May 16, fellow French athlete Elise Poncet set the new women’s ski FKT on the same route, clocking in at 6 hours, 54 minutes, and 47 seconds. Starting at 5 a.m. from Chamonix’s church, the 29-year-old ascended via the Grand Mulet route, enduring winds up to 70 kilometers per hour and summit temperatures near minus 15°C, Explorer’s Web reports.
Poncet reached the summit in 5 hours and 39 minutes and completed the descent in a rapid 1 hour and 15 minutes. Her time shaved approximately 34 minutes off the previous women’s ski record, held by American Anna DeMonte since June 2024.
Supported by a small team including Austrian ski mountaineer Jakob Herrmann and her close friend Hillary Gerardi—the women’s foot FKT holder on Mont Blanc—Poncet emphasized the emotional significance of the effort. “Now, Mont Blanc is something [Gerardi and I] share—her with the foot record, me with the ski. It’s the best way to cement our friendship,” she wrote on social media.
A New Chapter in Mont Blanc’s Speed History
The current round-trip FKTs on Mont Blanc now stand as follows:
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Men’s foot: Benjamin Vedrines – 4:54:41 (May 24, 2025)
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Women’s foot: Hillary Gerardi – 7:25:28 (June 17, 2023)
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Men’s ski: Benjamin Vedrines – 4:54:41 (May 24, 2025)
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Women’s ski: Elise Poncet – 6:54:47 (May 16, 2025)
Both new records are listed as supported climbs. The Grand Mulet route, while classic, is far from easy. Deep crevasses, avalanche-prone slopes, and rapidly changing weather demand expert alpine skill even at high speed. Vedrines’ and Poncet’s ascents mark a thrilling moment for French alpine sport and raise the bar for what’s possible in fast-and-light mountaineering on Europe’s most iconic peak.
