Tomorrow, Thursday, July 11, 2013, Kilian Jornet and Matheo Jacquemoud will attempt to take the record for the fastest return ascent of the Mont Blanc on foot.
The current record is an incredible 5h11m, set by the Swiss Pierre-André Gobet, on 21 July 1990.
Departure is at 04:30 from the main Church in the centre of Chamonix 1042m.
The two athletes shall follow the road to the entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel, then take a right onto the track that leads to the Grands Mulet refuge. From there, they will ascend through the Petit Plateau and the Grand Plateau, then onto the Bosses Ridge, past the Vallot refuge, followed by a final push to the summit of Mont Blanc 4810m.
On reaching the summit, Jornet and Jacquemoud are half way there. The dangerous, high speed descent, by the same route, should see them back in Chamonix, at the Church, for about 09:30am, to claim a new record time.
Be there, to witness something special.
The "Summits of my Life" project, by Kilian Jornet
This record attempt is part of the project, "Summits of my Life" by Kilian Jornet. The intention is to climb all the most important summits of each continent. It is not a, "Seven Summits" project. This year of 2013, is dedicated to the European continent, with speed ascents of Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and Mount Elbrus.
Video of the 2003 record, set on skis by Stephane Brosse and Pierre Gignoux here
