Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz Targets the GR20 Record in Corsica
The trail world could be in for one of its next major moments. French ultrarunner Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz is preparing a record attempt on the legendary GR20, with one clear ambition: to beat Lambert Santelli’s current 30:25 benchmark on one of Europe’s most demanding trails. Backed by COMPRESSPORT, this rare ultra-endurance project is both a major sporting expedition and a deeply personal quest. The attempt is scheduled for late September.
At around 180 km long with more than 13,000 m of elevation gain, the GR20 is widely regarded as one of the most technical and demanding trails in the world. Exposed ridgelines, unstable scree and rapidly changing weather mean that even the smallest mistake can have immediate consequences. In that setting, targeting a sub-30-hour finish becomes a project in which pacing, night management and recovery are every bit as decisive as raw physical performance.
Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz is hardly stepping into the unknown. His record places him among the leading figures in international ultrarunning: winner of the Hardrock 100 and the Diagonale des Fous in 2023, and runner-up at UTMB in 2021. He is a complete athlete, forged by the toughest races on the global circuit.
“I’ve been thinking about, living and preparing for this project for years. Today, everything is pointing in the right direction, and the time has come to enter the fight,” says the 33-year-old Annecy-based runner, who approaches the attempt with a blend of sporting ambition and deep respect for Corsica, an island he has known and loved since childhood. That personal dimension adds another layer to an already extraordinary challenge.
The preparation, underway for several months, has been meticulous and methodical. Every detail is geared towards performing in extreme conditions, from thermal management and muscular support to long-duration comfort and limiting the body’s physiological decline over an extended effort. In that pursuit, COMPRESSPORT is supporting the athlete with solutions designed for ultra-endurance, developed to help the body through the deepest stages of fatigue.
Before the record attempt scheduled for late September 2026, Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz will also line up for the Restonica Trail by UTMB from July 9 to 11. It will be a key opportunity to recce the Corsican terrain, a full-scale laboratory ahead of the main event.