In an unbeatable manner and close to home, Kilian Jornet has once again made history in the Ultra Pirineu. The Cerdanya runner has once again shown that he is unstoppable, this time in the Marató Pirineu. Jornet has been declared the real champion the fourth time this event has been staged and has smashed the records completing the 42km in a time of 3:44:28, an incredible result which knocks 17 minutes off the record set last year by Ismail Razga.

Jornet kept up an intense battle throughout the Marató Pirineu with second place finisher Nicolas Martin, who crossed the line 26 seconds behind him. After he arrived, Jornet said: “Although I felt quite tired at the start as a result of what I’ve been doing in recent weeks, I started to feel better as the marathon went on. This gave me the strength to race against Nicolas Martin over the last few kilometres though neither of us flagged for a moment”. The final kilometre sprint proved decisive for Jornet, making him first across the line in Bellver.

“Running at home is really exciting. The atmosphere is amazing and people’s encouragement can’t be bettered,” Jornet said. There was an especially emotional moment when he passed through Montellà, close to his old school and where his family waited to cheer him on. This is why the Ultra Pirineu “is a great way to show runners from abroad what it’s like to run in our country”.

It was Jornet’s debut in the Marató Pirineu and it marks an historic double for the Catalan athlete who in 2015 won the Salomon Ultra Pirineu in a time of 12:03:27.

The victory seals a season in which Jornet has faced challenges and had many victories. After Cho Oyuand the double ascent of Everest, Jornet completed  Summits of My Life. With that behind him, Jornet went on to win the Mont Blanc Marathon and the Hardrock 100, where he dislocated a shoulder after a fall. He won the Sierre Zinal, a fast and hotly contested race which served as the warm up for the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, where he came second after an intense battle with François d’Haene, and last week he also won the Glen Coe Skyrace in Scotland.

Five wins out of six races, as well as three 8.000m, an incredible record in an impeccable season, as Jornet said:  “It’s been a really full season in which there’s really been a bit of everything - climbing, short races, long races. I’m very happy how everything has turned out and to be able to continue to combine my passions. Now I need to relax a bit so my body can recover while I think of new projects.”