Take to the Sky
The Monte Rosa SkyMarathon is not only Europe’s highest race, but the birthplace of skyrunning where it all began in 1992. Reintroduced in 2018 with a new format the following editions count some 700 world class athletes from 30 countries retrace the original course to the summit of Monte Rosa at 4,554m altitude every year. In 2025, an uphill-only version, the SkySummit, has been introduced.
This unique event in true skyrunning style traverses moraine, snow fields and glaciers for 35 kilometres with a gruelling 7,000m ascent and descent. The athletes race in teams of two, roped together for safety.
The weekend’s events include the classic Monte Rosa SkyMarathon, the uphill-only version Monte Rosa SkySummit, the AMA VK2, a double Vertical Kilometer® to 3,260m altitude and the Monte Rosa Vertical, a classical Vertical Kilometer®. The events have been awarded the ISO certification for sustainable management of skyrunning sports events on Monte Rosa.
There’s nothing else like it. Join us for the race of the century!
History
The Monte Rosa SkyMarathon – the most emblematic race in the history of skyrunning that summited the 4,554m of Monte Rosa in the Italian Alps on July 4, 1993, remains an icon.
This is where the sport has its roots and it was here that after the first ascent record in 1989 by Italian Marino Giacometti in 3h57”, that the first skyrunning races were launched in the ‘90’s to become a global reality across five continents with more than 450,000 participants from 90 countries.
After four glorious editions of the race, the individual records, set in 1994 by Italians Fabio Meraldi and Gisella Bendotti, still stand: 4h24’27” and 5h34’40” respectively.
Since 2018 a new format has been introduced but with the same spirit as the first pioneers – racing in teams of two, roped together for safety. Add the new Monte Rosa SkySummit ascent and the single and double Vertical Kilometers – Monte Rosa now counts four competitions – looking to the future but with their roots, firmly in the past.
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