Kilian Jornet – Alpine Connections

Since June 2024, together with Anouchka Noisillier, I have been collaborating with the Lymbus agency under the guidance of Aina Garcia, who was responsible for all aspects of Kilian Jornet’s Alpine Connections.

After achieving the record for ascending all 3,000-meter peaks in the Pyrenees in a self-supported style by the end of summer 2023, Kilian set his sights on a new challenge for summer 2024: breaking the record for linking all 82 4,000-meter peaks in the Alps. The project was meticulously designed and prepared by Kilian and Aina. Anouchka and I provided support in logistics and content production, assisting the athlete, the content team and the medical team monitoring Kilian’s physical and mental evolution during this monumental feat.

The content team — Nick Danielson, Joel Badia, and David Arino — was supported during the project’s preparation and execution. In the initial phase, Anouchka and I conducted research to determine if additional content creators could be contacted along Kilian’s route if needed. We managed drone permissions, identifying where filming was allowed, and managing permits especially in national parks or restricted areas. We assisted Aina in finalizing a comprehensive list of essentials for the mission, ensuring preparedness for the likely two-week expedition where we lived together in two vans.

The expedition followed Kilian across the Alps for 19 days, moving from massif to massif, from the Bernina peak to the Ecrins range, crossing the Alps in Switzerland, France, and Italy. While Kilian navigated high-altitude routes, we supported the team from the valleys below. Our role was to optimize every aspect of the mission: managing recovery times, content backup and upload processes, daily sharing with the communication team, grocery shopping and food preparation or deliveries, and planning for every contingency.

While the preparation phase was fascinating, the execution proved even more fulfilling. Witnessing Kilian accomplish his mission in such a clean, extraordinary manner — balancing physical exertion, mental resilience, and unpredictable weather — was awe-inspiring. This success was a testament to Kilian’s unmatched capabilities, Aina’s impeccable planning, and the collaborative spirit of the entire team.

This project is particularly meaningful to me because it highlights that great adventures and challenges don’t require traveling to the other side of the world. Kilian’s goal was not only to push his physical limits but also to raise awareness about the state of the glaciers in the Alps, making sustainability a core part of the narrative. Naturally, one of the key partners in this adventure was the Kilian Jornet Foundation, reflecting its ongoing commitment to environmental conservation.

Living this adventure from the inside was profoundly moving. Supporting an athlete of Kilian’s caliber, a manager as talented as Aina, and creators like Nick, Joel, and David was a honor. Seeing Kilian’s achievement felt like celebrating a friend’s victory, shared by the entire team.

A heartfelt thank you goes to Kilian, to the Lymbus team (Aina, Laura, Olga, and others) and the NNormal team (Sito, Jordi, and more) for their trust. Special thanks to Nuria, Matteo Pellin, and everyone else who accompanied us on this professional and human journey during Alpine Connections.

We eagerly await the release of the film, a testament to an extraordinary summer of resilience, teamwork, and adventure.