Ultra-running legend François D’Haene has reclaimed the fastest known time (FKT) on the GR20, one of Europe’s toughest long-distance mountain trails.
The four-time UTMB champion completed the 180km route across the mountains of Corsica in 29 hours, 46 minutes, becoming the first person to finish the trail in under 30 hours.
D’Haene first set the record on the iconic route ten years ago before seeing it surpassed. After months of preparation, he returned to Corsica this summer determined to reclaim it.
His attempt was delayed twice because of bad weather before he finally set off from Calenzana at 4.30am on 9 July to avoid the worst of the Mediterranean heat.
The GR20 stretches approximately 180km across Corsica and includes almost 13,000 metres of ascent, making it one of Europe’s most technical and demanding mountain routes.
By the halfway point at Vizzavona, D’Haene was already more than 50 minutes ahead of the previous record pace. Despite running through the night over the trail’s notoriously rocky southern section, he maintained his advantage to reach Conca in 29:46.
The achievement followed months of reconnaissance, with D’Haene making several trips to Corsica to study the route, assess conditions after a snowy winter and fine-tune his pacing and support strategy.
Speaking after the run, he said: “Coming back to the GR20 ten years after my first record had a special meaning. I wanted to see what experience, patience and more methodical preparation could bring to such a demanding project. Breaking the 30-hour barrier on a route like this is incredibly rewarding.”
Already one of the most successful mountain ultrarunners in history, D’Haene has once again raised the bar on one of trail running’s most iconic challenges.
