Lenka Polackova of Slovakia has smashed the female FKT (Fastest Known Time) on Aconcagua.
Polakova first summited the mountain with her husband Jan Polacek on January 22, as members of a Summitclimb team led by Felix Berg. Three days later, she launched the FKT attempt. Two weeks earlier, the couple had reached the top of Mt. Vinson (4,892m), the highest peak in Antarctica.
Lenka Polackova with husband Jan Polacek, left, and Felix Berg of Summitclimb. Photo: Lenka Polackova/Facebook
Polackova’s time on her Aconcagua speed climb last Saturday was 6h 19m 23s from Base Camp at Plaza de Mulas (4,350m) to the 6,961m summit. Her roundtrip time was 8h 17m 34s (BC-summit-BC), according to her Suunto watch, Berg confirmed to ExplorersWeb.
Lenka Polackova’s track on Aconcagua by Suunto.
One hour less
There are no details yet about the speed climb. Berg told ExplorersWeb that the climbers had hired Base Camp logistics and food and water support at Nido de Condores (Aconcagua’s Camp 2 at 5,550m). According to the Fastest Known Time website, the previous woman’s FKT on Aconcagua (BC to Summit) was 7h 58m 34s by Rachel Boim on Feb. 15, 2023. Polackova did the climb in over one hour less.
Polackova mentioned that the route was quite snowy after a recent snowfall. The summit pictures from January 22 (when she summited with her husband) show clear weather and a thin layer of snow on the ground.
Everest no-O2
Last year, Polackova became the first Slovak woman, and the 10th woman overall, to climb Everest without supplementary oxygen. Everest was her first 8,000m experience. Polackova is also an actress and TV host who specializes in trail and mountain long-distance runs around the world.
Polackova at Aconcagua Base Camp. Photo: Facebook
