French athlete sets new Women's Speed Record on Mont Blanc in Chamonix
French athlete sets new Women's Speed Record on Mont Blanc in Chamonix
Published : 23-Jun-2026 11:58
French skyrunner and paraglider Iris Pessey has set a new women's Fastest Known Time (FKT) for the ascent of Mont Blanc, Europe's highest mountain.
Pessey completed the climb from the church in Chamonix to the 4810m summit in just 5 hours and 2 minutes, beating the previous women's record by ten minutes.
The route covers around 16km with approximately 3800m of vertical ascent, making it one of the Alps' most demanding endurance challenges.
Rather than descending on foot, Pessey completed the adventure by paragliding back down to the valley, finishing the entire 'Mont Blanc Express' project in 5 hours and 34 minutes.
According to Scott, one of her sponsors, she is the first woman to combine a record-setting ascent with a paraglider descent from the summit.
The attempt was supported by mountain guide Matthieu Meynadier and snowboarder Marion Haerty. Pessey used lightweight trail running and mountaineering equipment designed for fast movement in high alpine terrain.
Speaking after the climb, Pessey said she was thinking less about the record than the people who had helped make the project possible.
"At the finish, I wasn't thinking about the record time. I mostly felt relief and gratitude towards all the people who helped me build this project."
A short film documenting the challenge is expected to be released in the coming weeks, while Pessey is also due to line up in the 90km du Mont Blanc trail race later this month.
Join the conversation : Discuss this in the J2Ski Forum
This news item has been viewed 103 times.
Also on J2Ski :- Chamonix Snow Forecast Ski Hotels Ski Hire Ski Holidays