Martina Valmassoi breaks 24-hour uphill ski record, climbs staggering 17,645m

31-year-old Italian ski mountaineer Martina Valmassoi has broken the women's 24-hour uphill ski record, making a vertical gain of 17,645 meters in 24 hours at Auronzo di Cadore in the Dolomites

Valmassoi set off at 17:00 on 21 March up the steep piste that leads past a 725m of vert from Auronzo to the summit of Monte Agudo. From here she skied back down to the start before skinning back up again. Although her pace was incessant, it is above all Valmassoi's regularity on each lap that impresses most.

Supported by a group of friends during the night and throughout the next day, Valmassoi stopped the clock after 23 hours and 44 minutes having ascended a staggering 17,645 meters. This achievement is impressive to say the least, especially if you bear in mind the fact that Valmassoi did not train specifically for the event and, importantly, had very few reference points to go by. On reaching the finishing line she defined the undertaking as "... by far my proudest result in my athlete’s career."

In 2018 Malene Blikken Haukøy from Sweden managed to climb 15,440m, while only a few days ago Rea Kobl friom the USA climbed 16,777m in 24 hours.

Link: FB Martina Valmassoi, IG Martina Valmassoi, SCARPA