Kilian Jornet

Kílian Jornet Burgada (; born 27 October 1987) is a Spanish professional long-distance trail runner and ski mountaineer. Jornet has won some of the most prestigious ultramarathons, including the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc multiple times, Grand Raid, Western States and Hardrock.

Jornet holds the fastest known time speed record for the ascent and descent of the Matterhorn (Lion ridge) and the speed record for Mont Blanc on foot. In addition, he holds the 24-hour uphill skiing record: 23,864-meters (78,274 ft).

Early life and education

Jornet was born in Sabadell, Catalonia, Spain near Barcelona. He grew up in Refugi de Cap de Rec, a mountain hut at 2000 meters in the Pyrenees at the cross-country Lles ski resort in Lles de Cerdanya, where his father was a hut keeper and mountain guide.

Jornet studied at the University of Perpignan Via Domitia.

Career Jornet has been recognised as an elite athlete since 2004 In 2005 he set a course record of 2:30:57 for the race to the summit of the Dôme de Neige des Écrins. He was World Champion in the Buff SkyRunner World Series in 2007, 2008 and 2009 becoming the youngest athlete to win this honour.

On 7 September 2013 Jornet and Forsberg had to be rescued by the "Peloton de Gendarmerie de haute montagne" (PGHM, alpine rescue squad) at 3,800 meters of altitude (ésperon Frendo) while attempting to climb the north face of the Aiguille du Midi in the Mont Blanc massif, wearing trail running shoes with crampons and a body stocking.

Since February 2016 Jornet and Forsberg have been living in Måndalen in Rauma Municipality, Norway.

Jornet and Forsberg have three children, born in March 2019, April 2021, and early 2025.

"Summits of My Life" Project Jornet supposedly climbed Everest twice in 2017 without the use of supplemental oxygen, although his claims have been widely contested. Summits of My Life was a project, trying to set ascent and descent records for some of the world's major mountains: Kilimanjaro . On 29 September 2010, Jornet ascended and descended Kilimanjaro in a record time of 7 hours, 14 minutes. This record was broken on 13 August 2014, when the Ecuadorian mountain guide Karl Egloff ran up and down in 6 hours and 42 minutes. Mont Blanc traverse. In September 2012, Jornet completed the Innominata, a route linking Courmayeur and Chamonix, in 8 hours and 42 minutes. A previous attempt at ski crossing the Mont Blanc massif from Les Contamines to Champex in June 2012 resulted in the death of the French mountaineer Stéphane Brosse when a snow cornice collapsed under him. Mont Blanc. In July 2013, Jornet achieved the fastest known time for the ascent and descent from Chamonix in 4 hours and 57 minutes. Matterhorn. In August 2013, Jornet achieved the fastest known time for the ascent and descent from Breuil-Cervinia in 2 hours and 52 minutes. He improved the previous fastest known time set by Bruno Brunod in 1995 by more than 20 minutes. He started climbing up the 4,478 m (14,692 ft) peak during mid-afternoon local time, reaching the summit in 1 hour 56 minutes via the Lion Ridge from the Italian side. Denali. In June 2014 Jornet completed the fastest known time for the ascent and descent with a time of 11 hours and 48 minutes using both skis and crampons, breaking the previous record by 5 hours and 6 minutes. Karl Eggloff broke this record by running up and down Denali in 11 hours 44 minutes, on 20 June 2019. Eggloff did not use skis during the descent. Aconcagua. In December 2014 Jornet set a record for climbing and descending Aconcagua from Horcones (the nearest road, at Puente del Inca) and back, in 12 hours and 49 minutes. Jornet's record was broken in February 2015, again by Karl Egloff, who completed the route in 11 hours and 52 minutes. Elbrus. Jornet made an attempt in 2013 to set the fastest known time for the ascent and descent from Azau but was forced to turn back by bad weather. The fastest known time for the ascent is 3:23:37 set in 2010 by Andrzej Bargiel, while the record time for ascent and descent is 4:20:45, set on 7 May 2017 by Karl Egloff. Mount Everest. Jornet has claimed that he summited Mount Everest at midnight (local time) on 22 May 2017. Climbing without supplemental oxygen, he supposedly reached the top in 26 hours from base camp, again reaching the summit on May 29 from advanced base camp in 17 hours, about 15–20 minutes slower than the records from this camp set by Hans Kammerlander and Christian Stangl in 1996 and 2006, respectively. Jornet provided no evidence of this feat, and his claims have been widely disputed by other mountain runners.

"Alpine Connections" Project

Selected results

Mountain running / skyrunning

2005: 1st, and 2nd in the combined ranking at the "Cuita al Sol" race (in Spain) 1st, and course record, Dôme de Neige des Écrins (in France) 2nd, "Cross Vertical", in Andorra 2nd, Prueba de Copa de España“ race, Buff-Salomon Vallnord 2006: 1st International Championship team race, SkyGames (FSA) 1st, French Championships of Mountainrunning, "junior" class race, FFA 6th, Skyrunning World Championships 2007: Champion of the year and four times 1st, Skyrunner World Series 1st, Mount Ontake Skyrace (in Japan) 2nd, Orobie Skyrace team race (in Italy) together with Jordi Martin Pascual and Xavier Zapater Bargue 2008: Champion of the year and three times 1st, Skyrunner World Series 1st, Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc [UTMB], France 2009: Champion, Skyrunner World Series 1st, 23rd Mt. Kinabalu Climbathon (in Borneo - Malaysia) 1st, Ultra Trail Andorra 1st, UTMB, France 1st, Sierre-Zinal, Switzerland 2010: 3rd, Western States 100, California, USA 1st, Sierre-Zinal, Switzerland 1st, Grand Raid de la Réunion 2011: 1st, The North Face 100, Blue Mountains, Australia. Course Record 1st, Western States 100, California, USA 1st, UTMB, France 2012: 1st, 26th Mt. Kinabalu Climbathon in Borneo, Malaysia (2:11:45) 1st, Pikes Peak Marathon, Colorado, USA. 1st, Grand Raid de la Réunion 2013: 1st, Transvulcania, Spain 1st, Zegama-Aizkorri, Spain 1st, Marathon du Mont Blanc, France 1st, Ice Trail Tarantaise, France 1st, Dolomites Vertical Kilometer, Italy 1st, Dolomites SkyRace, Italy 1st, Trans D'Havet, Italy 1st, Matterhorn Ultraks, Switzerland 1st, Limone SkyRace Extreme, Italy Then World Record, Mount Kilimanjaro Ascent and combined Ascent/Descent (5:23:50, 7:14:00) 2014: 2nd, Transvulcania, Spain 1st, Zegama-Aizkorri, Spain 1st, Hardrock 100, Colorado, USA. Course Record clockwise 1st, Marathon du Mont Blanc, Skyrunner World Championship, France 1st, Vertical Kilometer race, Skyrunner World Championship, France 1st, The Rut 50K, Skyrunner World Championship, Montana, USA 1st, The Rut VK, Skyrunner World Championship, Montana, USA 1st, Sierre-Zinal, Switzerland 1st, Trofeo Kima, Italy 2015 1st, Mount Marathon Race, Alaska, USA. Then Course Record 1st, Hardrock 100, Colorado, USA. Course Record (ccw) 1st, Ultra Pirineu, Bagà, Spain. Course Record 1st, Sierre-Zinal, Switzerland 2016 1st, Zegama-Aizkorri, Spain 1st, Hardrock 100, Colorado, USA. Tie with Jason Schlarb (USA) 2017 1st, Marathon du Mont Blanc, France 1st, Hardrock 100, Colorado, USA 1st, Sierre-Zinal, Switzerland 2nd, UTMB, France 1st, Salomon Glen Coe Skyline, Scotland (course record) 2018 1st, Marathon du Mont Blanc, France 1st, Trofeo Kima, Italy Fastest Known Time, Bob Graham Round, Lake District, England 1st, Sierre-Zinal, Switzerland 2019 1st, Zegama-Aizkorri, Spain 1st, Sierre-Zinal, Switzerland 1st, Pikes Peak Marathon, Colorado, USA. 1st, The Finale Annapurna Trail Marathon, Nepal 2021 Vertical Kilometer Fastest Known Time 28'48'04 2022 1st, Zegama-Aizkorri, Spain (10th victory) 1st, Hardrock 100, Colorado, USA, Course Record (cw) 21:36:24 5th, Sierre-Zinal, Switzerland 1st, UTMB, Course Record in 19:49:30 2024 1st, Zegama-Aizkorri, Spain (11th victory) 1st, Sierre-Zinal, Switzerland (10th victory). Course Record in 2:25:34 2025 3rd, Western States 100, California, USA

Climbing 2006: 2nd, International Championship SkySpeed Climb

Duathlon 2006: 1st Llívia duathlon race 1st Núria duathlon race 2007: 1st Núria-Queralbs Salomon Compex, "senior" class

Ski mountaineering 2002: 2nd, Spanish Championship team race together with Gil Erra, "cadet" class 4th, Spanish Cup, "cadet" class 5th, Spanish Championship single race, "cadet" class 2003: 1st, Spanish Championship team race together with Jaume Guàrdia 2004: 1st, World Championship vertical race, "cadet" class 1st, Spanish Championship single race, "cadet" class 1st, Spanish Championship vertical race, "cadet" class 1st, Spanish Championship vertical race together with Aleix Pubill Rodríguez, "cadet" class 2nd, World Championship single race, "cadet" class 3rd, European Cup single race, "cadet" class 2005: 1st, European Championship vertical race, "cadet" class 1st, Spanish Championship single race, "cadet" class 1st, Spanish Cup single race, "cadet" class 1st, European Cup single race, "cadet" class 1st, Spanish Championship team race together with Jordi Oliva 3rd, Spanish Championship vertical race 4th, Spanish Cup single race, "cadet" class 2007: 1st, European Championship single race, "junior" class 1st, European Championship vertical race, "junior" class 1st, European Championship relay race together with Mireia Miró Varela and Marc Pinsach Rubirola, "junior" class 1st, European Championship team race, "junior" class 1st, 20th "Traça Catalana" 2nd, Spanish Cup vertical race 2008: 1st, World Cup race in Valerette 1st, World Cup race in Massongex 3rd, World Championship long-distance race 3rd, World Championship relay race together with Javier Martín de Villa, Manuel Pérez Brunicardi and Marc Solá Pastoret 4th, World Championship vertical race 4th, World Cup single race in the Aran Valley 2009: 1st, European Championship vertical race 2nd, European Championship relay race together with Javier Martín de Villa, Joan Maria Vendrell Martínez and Manuel Pérez Brunicardi 5th, European Championship team race together with Javier Martín de Villa 2010: 1st, World Championship vertical race 2nd, World Championship single race 3rd, World Championship combination ranking 4th, World Championship relay race (together with Javier Martín de Villa, Manuel Pérez Brunicardi and Marc Pinsach Rubirola) 8th, World Championship team race (together with Marc Pinsach Rubirola) 1st (espoirs), Trophée des Gastlosen (ISMF World Cup), together with Marc Pinsach Rubirola 2011: 1st, World Championship single race 1st, World Championship vertical race 1st, World Championship vertical, combined ranking 4th, World Championship relay, together with Marc Pinsach Rubirola, Miguel Caballero Ortega, Javier Martín de Villa 8th, World Championship team race (together with Marc Pinsach Rubirola) 1st, Mountain Attack 2012: 1st, European Championship vertical race 1st, World Championship vertical, combined ranking 2nd, European Championship single 4th, European Championship relay, together with Marc Pinsach Rubirola, Marc Solà Pastoret and Miguel Caballero Ortega 5th, European Championship team, together with Marc Pinsach Rubirola 1st and course record, Mountain Attack 1st, Patrouille de la Maya, together with Valentin Favre and Alexis Sévennec-Verdier

Pierra Menta

2008: 1st together with Florent Troillet 2010: 1st together with Florent Troillet 2011: 1st together with Didier Blanc 2012: 7th together with Marc Pinsach Rubirola 2016: 1st together with Matheo Jacquemoud 2017: 2nd together with Alexis Sevennec 2022: 3rd together with Jakob Herrmann

Patrouille des Glaciers

2010: 4th together with Marc Solà Pastoret and Marc Pinsach Rubirola 2012: 1st together with William Bon Mardion and Mathéo Jacquemoud

Trofeo Mezzalama

2011: 1st together with William Bon Mardion and Didier Blanc 2013: 2nd together with William Bon Mardion and Mathéo Jacquemoud 2017: 2nd together with Martin Anthamatten and Werner Marti 2019: 3rd together with Jakob Herrmann and Armin Höfl

Summit list

List of mountains summited: Mont Blanc, 2012 Mount Everest (twice), 2017 Controversy: From August 26 to September 25, 2025, he climbed 72 U.S. peaks over 14,000 feet (Fourteeners) in 31 days as part of his "States of Elevation" project. He covered over 3,000 miles and over 400,000 feet of elevation gain, linking every summit by running and cycling.

Filmography Summits of my life – A Fine Line (2012) was presented in the Palau de la Música Catalana de Barcelona and shows Jornet accompanied by his mother, sister, his first trainer, and his friends, like Stéphane Brosse, Mireia Miró Varela, Vivian Bruchez, Matheo Jacquemoud, Jordi Tosas and Anna Frost. Summits of my life - Déjame Vivir (2014) was released online in 2014. It shows Jornets activities during 2013, the Mont Blanc running record in July, his speed record on the Matterhorn in August and his run on Mount Elbrus in mid-September. Summits of my life - Langtang (2015) Summits of my life - Path to Everest (2018)