Sophie Woods Breaks Record Traversing the Alps

Mon Sep 14 2026 10:37:40 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 29‑day sprint across eight countries ended the 35‑day record for the Via Alpina ultramarathon.

Sophie Woods became the fastest person to finish the Via Alpina 2,000‑km ultramarathon, completing it in 29 days—six days faster than the previous record. She trekked across eight countries, contending with storms, heat, floods and wildfires. Woods attributes her endurance to steady ice‑cream slushies that kept her fueled. Her achievement demonstrates the limits of human endurance in extreme environments and will excite ultrarunning enthusiasts across Europe.

Sophie Woods Breaks Record Traversing the Alps

Sophie Woods has become the fastest person to complete a 2,000‑km (1,242‑mile) ultramarathon across the Alps, smashing the previous 35‑day record by finishing the Via Alpina route in only 29 days.

The 29‑day sprint took her across eight countries, where she braved storms, heat up to 37 °C, floods and rising wildfires. “Through the whole thing, I was only ever thinking about the day, the hour, the sort of minute that I was in,” Woods told BBC Breakfast, depicting a mind honed on every second.

She credited a simple but steady stream of ice‑cream slushies for keeping her fueled and hydrated in the harsh conditions, highlighting the psychological toll of maintaining focus in a marathon‑sized wilderness.

This breakthrough showcases the growing trend in ultrarunning and the human capacity to adapt to extreme environments. Sports fans across Europe will watch whether Woods continues to push the limits of endurance.