National Geographic has named ultra runner, Kilian Jornet, as Adventurer of the Year 2018. He has, of course, been awarded the honour for summiting Everest twice in one week in 2017. He has been named before for the National Geographic Adventurer of the Year and was the People’s Choice in 2014.
In May, Kilian reached Everest’s summit twice within just over five days, first on May 22, then again on May 27. Both times he didn’t use oxygen, dropped supplies, fixed ropes or support.
After the second summit he said, “I am very excited to have been able to summit again! Today I felt good although it was very windy and progress was difficult. I think that to summit Everest twice in a week and without oxygen establishes a new line of possibilities in mountaineering and I am very happy to have been able to carry it out.“
Adrian Ballinger, is a California-based mountain guide who nominated Jornet for Adventurer of the Year. He told National Geographic, “High-altitude climbing has been stuck in pretty traditional ways for a long time, and Kilian is showing what’s possible when you bring a new level of athleticism to the mountains.
What makes [Jornet’s Everest ascents] so impressive was that it seemed like he didn’t reach his potential last year. He had a terrible operator, he had stomach illness, his food was bad. All these things are basically beginner mistakes in the Himalaya. If he starts dialling in his system, I believe he could go so far beyond what we’ve seen.”
Read this RunUltra piece for more.
Read this National Geographic piece for more
