Nadir Maguet narrowly misses Matterhorn FKT

Yesterday morning, Italian skyrunner Nadir Maguet attempted to beat the Fastest Known Time on the Matterhorn, but Kilian Jornet Burgada’s incredible record, set in 2013, still stands.

Without much fanfare, Maguet set off from the church in Cervinia (2,007m) at 9.00 am on Wednesday morning and, racing up the normal route as an ultra-light skyrunner, the 32-year-old reached the cross at the summit of Gran Becca in just 2 hours and 3 minutes. This was 3 minutes faster than his 2023 attempt, when he managed to pick up speed on the descent and stop the clock at 2:57:21.

This year, however, the mountain conditions did not allow him to gain any further time - quite the opposite – and in the end the Aosta Valley athlete finished his attempt 9 minutes and 46 seconds slower the current record set by Kilian Jornet, who on 21 August 2013 had stopped the clock after a mind-numbing 2:52:02. A record which, 13 years on, seems even more astonishing. The previous FKT on the same route had been set in 1995, when Bruno Brunod clocked a time of 3 hours, 14 minutes and 44 seconds.

Maguet's ascent is, in any case, an extraordinary feat – the result of a long preparation built through specific training, reconnaissance, and an ever‑deeper knowledge of the mountain.

It is worth emphasising that for Maguet, the meaning of this challenge has always extended far beyond the stopwatch. Born and raised at the foot of the Matterhorn, he has built a deep connection with this mountain, which over the years has led him to take on one of the most ambitious goals of his career. As mentioned, in 2023 he had come within just five minutes of Kilian Jornet’s record – a result that had left unresolved business with the mountain that symbolises his homeland. Returning once more to the Matterhorn meant revisiting that story and bringing to a close a project that had accompanied him for years.

"Growing up at the foot of the Matterhorn, this mountain means much more to me than just a summit – it's part of who I am," commented Nadir Maguet. "This project has been with me for years, pushing me to grow, to question myself, and to understand this environment more deeply with every attempt. Today, an important chapter of my journey comes to a close, and I look back on it with great satisfaction, aware that I faced this challenge with respect, determination, and passion."

Nadir Maguet is a member of Team La Sportiva