Speed Record Broken For Descending Mont Blanc
Speed Record Broken For Descending Mont Blanc
Published : 30-Apr-2013 08:38
The little known record for getting from the summit of Mont Blanc to the centre of Chamonix has just been broken with a new records time set of only 32 minutes!
The descent from the 4,810m (15,781 feet) summit of western Europe's highest peak to the centre of Chamonix at 995m is a remarkable 14km (nine miles) and some 3,815 vertical metres.
This descent was completed in a new record time of 32 minutes by French skiers Antoine Montegani and Nicolas Anthonioz who had planned their attempt for three years.
Having waited for good weather and a reduced avalanche risk, they skied past glacial crevasses over hard, obviously ungroomed snow to the snowline, then ran through woods and finally rode on bikes the final stretch in to the town – all while still wearing ski boots. The pair ran the last section to Chamonix church, passing surprised tourists.
But the Chamonix record-setting season is not yet over. Two ski mountaineers now plan to break a 10 year old record for the time taken to climb up then ski back down Mont Blanc. That currently stands at 5 hours, 15 minutes.
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