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Sophie Woods told the BBC she completed the 2,000-kilometre Via Alpina ultramarathon in 29 days this week after setting off from Trieste in Italy and finishing in Monaco. The New Zealand runner traversed eight countries and roughly 110,000 metres of elevation gain during the effort that shattered the prior record set in 2024. A SnowBrains report from July detailed how she had reached the halfway point after 17 days with more than 1,170 kilometres covered and maintained a pace exceeding 60 kilometres daily to meet her target. Woods credited ice cream slushies with helping sustain her through the demanding terrain and variable conditions.
The men’s record for the route stood at 35 days after Jake Catterall completed it in August 2024, according to accounts published by the New York Post. Tessa Caspers had set the previous women’s mark at 38 days and two hours a year later. Woods’ performance therefore established a new fastest known time that surpassed both benchmarks on the official red route of the Via Alpina. Multiple ultra-running outlets have tracked the route since its formal designation as a long-distance trail several years ago.
Woods said it was about the adventure. She focused only on the present moment throughout the journey, thinking solely about the day, the hour and the minute at hand rather than the overall distance. “It was about the adventure,” the fastest runner to cross the Alps added in her BBC Breakfast interview after finishing. The approach helped her manage the mental strain of the continuous effort that averaged nearly 70 kilometres per day.
The Via Alpina crosses diverse Alpine landscapes that include high passes, forested sections and populated valleys, a description confirmed in reports from Run the Alps specialists. Woods ran with support from two companions who assisted with documentation and logistics during the attempt. Challenges mounted as she encountered weather extremes that ranged from heavy storms and flooding to temperatures reaching 37 degrees Celsius and active wildfires in certain zones.
Ultra-running interest in the Alps has expanded since the Fastest Known Time platform began cataloguing such efforts more than a decade ago, according to data compiled on the site. Catterall’s 2024 completion marked the first official traverse of the updated Via Alpina red path, which incorporates 2,000 kilometres and significant cumulative ascent equivalent to climbing Mount Everest more than 12 times. Woods prepared for months ahead of her July start, expressing both nervousness and determination in pre-run interviews carried by SnowBrains.
Her achievement arrives as the sport sees growing participation across Europe with hundreds of athletes now attempting similar multi-week mountain routes each season. Woods, who also competes under her maiden name, highlighted the once-in-a-lifetime experience of immersing herself in the landscapes. The run concluded shortly before the end of July, positioning her effort as one of the standout performances in Alpine ultrarunning for 2026.
