Young Breaks 13-Year Matterhorn FKT in 5:17:43

On 22 July 2026, Australian skyrunner Milly Young set a new women’s Fastest Known Time on the Matterhorn. She rounded the Breuil-Cervinia to summit and back route via the Lion’s Ridge in 5 hours, 17 minutes and 43 seconds, breaking a mark that had stood for 13 years.

Young started from the church in Cervinia just after 11:30 in the morning. She aimed for a later summit to avoid crowds on the fixed ropes. She reached the 4,478-metre top in roughly 3 hours and 22 minutes.

A 13-year mark falls on the Lion’s Ridge

Emelie Forsberg set the previous women’s standard of 5:51:35 in August 2013. Young carved just under 34 minutes from that benchmark. The record fell on a busy day when Italian Nadir Maguet also raced the same ridge.

Young had climbed the route once before, on 9 July. That earlier run gave her a read on the terrain. She knew the line was not overly complex, but better knowledge would have helped her judge when to push on the descent.

Solo effort, late thirst

She moved alone through most of the technical sections. Her partner Rhys MacAllister paced her up the final stretch past the Carrel Bivouac. Young later told reporters, “Beautiful conditions on the Lion’s Ridge of Cervino/Matterhorn today.”

She ran low on water and nutrition during the descent, which made the return to Cervinia punishing. Otherwise, the day that reshaped a long-standing women’s mark went smoothly.

Young once saw the Matterhorn record as a distant target. She now holds the fastest known time, 151 years after Lucy Walker first stood on the same summit.