RECORD, 3 KILI CLIMBS
VANESSA MORALES' 3 CLIMBS OF KILIMANJARO
At the end of August 2021, Vanessa Morales, a key ambassador for the Cairn Team, set herself a crazy challenge: to beat the speed record on the ascent to the roof of Africa, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
She took off for Tanzania on 13 August, acclimatising for 10 days and making her first ascent to the summit. Her quest for a new record began on 28 August.
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THE ORIGIN OF THIS CRAZY CHALLENGE
In September 2019, the French runner set herself the challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro on the Western Breach, the most dangerous route to the summit of Kili. After a remarkable ascent, she succeeded in beating the record in 9h58 minutes and 49 seconds round trip, but the time could not be certified.
The reason was that the time had to be stopped when Ronald, her Tanzanian guide, fell ill from the altitude. It was a heroic act that saved the guide's life and meant that Vanessa Morales was unable to add a French name to a Kili record.
However, as a dedicated and exemplary athlete, the French sportswoman never thought of giving up and always had her revenge in mind.
KILIMANDJARO ACTE II : L'AVENTURE EN 3 ÉTAPES
Two years after her disappointment in 2019, the traileuse still hadn't digested her failure. She says she wants revenge, and more than a performance, it's a real confrontation with herself that she's looking for, to prove to herself that she's capable of achieving this feat.
Without knowing it, Vanessa is about to embark on a gigantic adventure, which will take her to the summit of Kili 3 times in just a few days.
1ST CLIMB: SUPPORT FOR JULIEN VEDANI
Vanessa's first ascent was with Julien Vedani, a 33-year-old Frenchman with multiple sclerosis, who wanted to climb to the top of Africa.
After 2 years of intensive training, Julien Vedani hopes to achieve a feat never before achieved by a person with this disease, with the help of his friends and technology.
Equipped with an exoskeleton to help amplify his movements and a bar held by a guide and Vanessa Morales (to help him keep his balance), the 33-year-old Frenchman is embarking on the challenge of a lifetime.
Having trained in the Hautes Pyrénnées, he was soon faced with extreme conditions, with a vertical drop of more than 6,000 metres.
After 5 days of relentless combat, he finally had to stop at 4100 metres, more than 2 thirds of the way up - a monumental feat.
Very sympathetic to Julien's cause and the fight against multiple sclerosis, Vanessa Morales finished the climb for him.
2ND CLIMB: BIS REPETITA, THE MELODIOUS REMAKE OF 2019
A few days later, she set off on a 2nd ascent, taking the fastest but most dangerous route, the famous "Western Breach", a route she had taken in 2019 when her record had not been validated. After 5 hours of ascent, just as she was on time and well on her way to the record, the two Tanzanian guides were unhooked.
At an altitude of 5000 metres and disorientated, Vanessa no longer knew which way to go and had to wait for one of the two guides. After waiting 54 minutes, one of the two guides arrived, completely exhausted and with pulmonary oedema...
With freezing fog and very low temperatures, the wait took its toll on Vanessa, as evidenced by the state of her health, as she found herself on the verge of hypothermia. She did her best to finish the climb, but the results were harsh and indisputable: she finished in 16 hours instead of the 10 she had initially set herself.
Dejected at the time, but far from resigned, Vanessa is convinced that she will return to the summit once again, and perhaps much sooner than we think.
3RD CLIMB: DELIVERANCE
After just 2 days' rest, the traileuse is already on the attack, and is embarking on her 3rd ascent in just a few days. This time, she's setting off on the 'Mweka' route, which is longer but less difficult.
For this new ascent, the conditions were right for her, and everything went off without a hitch. To avoid the mishaps of the day before on the "Western Breach" route, she revised her strategy.
Two guides will take it in turns to avoid stalling during the ascent and thus compromising Vanessa's chances once again.
By saving herself as much as possible, she reached the highest point in 8 hours and knew that the record was not far off. Thanks to this strategy, she can now enjoy the descent, as she puts it.
After an express descent, she managed to complete the round trip in 11 hours and 33 minutes, improving the women's speed record on this route by more than 2 hours.
The previous record was held by a Norwegian woman, and was set in 2018.
This time it's the right time, as she completes the 3 ascents of Kili in 9 days, with an FKT (Fastest Known Time) to show for it. A deserving and exceptional performance!
BACK IN FRANCE ... TO PREPARE FOR NEW CHALLENGES!
Her return to France went well, and she even claims that she's already back to training gently. Barely enough time to realise what she has just achieved, the Cairn Team ambassador is already thinking about her next challenge: an ultra trail in Mexico in April 2022.
Cairn is proud to have accompanied Vanessa Morales in this crazy challenge, where she will have blazed her own trail and succeeded in achieving one of her wildest goals! Through her determination, her passion and her taste for adventure, Vanessa is living up to the values advocated by the Cairn Team!
The best is yet to come...