Runner named National Geographic adventurer of the year

Skyrunner Kilian Jornet has been voted the National Geographic people’s choice adventurer of the year by the publication’s readers.

Jornet has been dominant in the ultrarunning and skyrunning circuits for years, winning the Skyrunning World Series three times in 2007, 2008 and 2009. He has also won Western States 100, one of the most prestigious ultrarunning events. He continues to blur the lines between running and technical climbing. In August of 2013 he broke the record for fastest ascent, and ascent and descent of Matterhorn in northern Italy, running to the summit in a time of 1:56 and making his way back to Breuil-Cervinia, the ski town at the base, in a total time of 2:52.

The Catalonian has been a dominant ultrarunner but is also an accomplished ski mountaineer, climber and duathlete. He was born and raised in the mountains of Catalonia which he credits with instilling in him his love for the sports he excels in.

The adventurer of the year contest recorded over 75,000 votes. Jornet beat out other candidates that included skiers, alpinists, surfers, climbers and other adventurers. In 2013, basejumper Felix Baumgartner was voted winner after leaping to earth from the edges of space, becoming the first human to freefall through the sound barrier. In 2012, Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa were selected winners after summiting Everest, paragliding back down and kayaking back to the Indian Ocean.