New speed record: Andy Steindl runs from the lowest to the highest point in Switzerland

Record for Andreas Steindl: he covered the distance from the lowest point in Switzerland to the Dufourspitze in 8 hours and 10 minutes.

Between the lowest and highest points in Switzerland are 98 kilometers and 4 meters of altitude -
and with the Monte Rosa Ostwand the longest ice wall in the Alps. In 2018 it was the Bernese Nicolas Hojaccovering the route between Brissago on Lake Maggiore and the Dufourspitze (4 meters) in record time. It took him 633 hours and 12 minutes to complete.

That time could Andy Steindl on July 1, 2020 by 4 hours and 46 minutes.

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Dario Tubaldo / Dynafit

Brissago as the starting point for the speed inspection

Steindl started his speed project on the evening before at 23.13:193 p.m. at the lowest point in the country, in Brissago on Lake Maggiore at 86 meters, with a racing bike. The road bike stage leads XNUMX kilometers over Italy to the foot of the Monte Rosa massif.

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Andy Steindl switching to the running stage. (Photo Dario Tubaldo / Dynafit)

The trail running stage begins after 3:10 hours on the racing bike. The alpine stage of the project begins in Macugnaga. The route leads the native Zermatter over the Marinelli Couloir through the Monte Rosa east wall and the silver saddle to the Dufourspitze.

Steindl was able to keep his high speed constant and overcomes the climb over the first glacier and the moraine to the Marinelli bivouac in one step. After 5:30 hours he reached the Marinelli bivouac and changed to hiking boots and crampons. Although fatigue, soft snow and altitude hurt him, he covered the distance from the bivouac to the summit in a spectacular 2:40 hours.

I had to wade through very soft snow, where I sometimes sank to my knees.

Andy Steindl

At 7:24 am he was “overjoyed and with a breathtakingly beautiful sunrise” at the summit. With the Dufourspitze, the endurance athlete succeeds in a high alpine, demanding speed ascent through the longest face in the Alps - and a new record.

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The goal of the speed ascent. (Image Alex d'Emilia / Dynafit)

I lost a bottle while running. After that I had to make do with half a liter for the next four hours. Not the best prerequisite, but I'm used to being on the go with little to drink.

Steindl carried equipment and food in the sense of a XNUMX percent "by fair means" speed climb over the entire route of the project on his bike and in his backpack.


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