Drakensberg FKTs - Definition and Rules

Stijn wrote: I have no problem with them organising a race along the route, charging for it, and even making a handsome profit. Just don't try to apply the same concept to the ancient tradition of trying to beat your mate's time up a hill... (for free, at any time you wish to go for it)

Agreed 100%

Let's keep the records listed here on VE (for free!)

AndrewP wrote: I love the way the forum as a whole has mocked the idea with the concept of a SKT. That sounds like a whole lot more fun. I am going to put out a challenge for someone to swim in every pool in the Yoddlers valley in a single summers day.

An interesting point related to an FKT as far as I am aware is that it is for something for which no race exists. Thus, Mnweni Marathon and the Mont-aux-Sources race have course records but not a FKT.

The course record part introduces a concept I feel is important to maintain for a FKT, namely a specific set of rules. Which need to be complete, obvious and simple. The speed GT rules are a good example of where they work well. We all follow them because they are simple and make sense. Have a look one day though at the rules for the 9 highest peaks in the 9 provinces record, and they are a mess. But, that is also a much tougher challenge logistically, and hence extra and funny rules need to apply.

As an example I could claim a FKT for Sterkhorn from the contour path and back. But, this is silly. This is why for my Mafadi trips, I specifically used the mountain register, as this is fix.

I think in the end that it is worthwhile recording the times and rules for that challenge. Overtime, some will be repeated and others not.

I feel that the best challenges will allow for your own choice of route. The idea of using the mountain register makes sense as that will not move about

I agree the 9Peaks rules are a mess. It was compiled in 5 minutes when the first proper challenge was launched and failed about 3 years after setting the FKT. It is well documented though that subsequently both records were smashed following the rules. It probably needs a relook though but consider that logistically this is a challenging trip.

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I first heard the term FKT 3 months ago. At the time, I thought the definition obvious. Since then,I have seen it pop up a lot. FKT is the new buzz word in trail running circles.

Now that I have seen it apply to a race (where I thought you had a course record), I have had to review my own personal definition. These circles have never really explained it, so here at least is my suggestion, which is concise and actually captures the spirit of the thing as well:

A course record is set by an official entrant in an official event;
An FKT can be set by anyone, anytime;
To be fair and consistent to the next guy, both of these need a few basic rules in place.

It will follow that a course record is a subset of FKT's.

So, with this, revised and personal definition, lets look at a few implications:
1. If you call the winning time of a race an FKT, then there is absolutely nothing stopping me or anyone else from driving down to Garden Castle this weekend to attempt to break the FKT. And, if the attempt is successful, then the event organisers and sponsors have to formally ackowledge the new FKT. Which will be embarrassing and opens an interesting can of worms;
2. To be fair and consistent, the start, finish and all critical turning points should be permanent features. Yes, you could use a specific GPS co-ordinate, but is it really fair on the next guy if during the race there is an enormous banner or blow up start tube that is not there all the time? I think not.
3. There should be nothing provided to race entrants that is not normally available to Joe Public during their attempt a week later. The ropes hanging down the gully during the Mont-aux-Sources race are a good example of this.

This definition is not without a few difficulties of its own. By this definition, I would classify the fastest time in the GT by Ryan and Ryno as a course record. Yes, it meets the rules of the original FKT perfectly, but helicopters flying around are not part of the normal scheme of things. Although I understand why, it is also not really in the spirit of things either.

So, I will now introduce a new TLA, and suggest that I have the BKD.
BKD = Best Known Definition

@Kobus: Surely you can't change FKT rules after the record has been established. Baring something drastic such as finding that a provincial highest point was actually incorrect.

@AndrewP: I agree 100% - otherwise why can't someone leave a fixed rope in place to abseil down a cliff rather than coming down a pass - would make the return part of a FKT much quicker.

Thanks Andrew - that sums it up pretty well.

There is a long-standing endurance MTB event in the US called the Tour Divide. They also acknowledge individual time trial efforts as overall course records even when attempted outside of the main race. But, to preserve the comparability of these efforts, the simplest rules of the race are to be completely self-sufficient and only purchase "support" (food, bike repair, accommodation, etc) from commercial establishments along the route, which would be available to everyone at all times of the year. e.g. No drafting, gear or food-sharing is permitted in the race either.

AndrewP wrote: I first heard the term FKT 3 months ago.

Was that by any chance at Mnweni Marathon?? I had also never the term before, but it was being thrown around the campsite there like a tennis ball!

Kind of continuing with the thoughts on the record thread - I don't think a Durban to Bell and back FKT is a good one. Simply because that definition is vague and the end points are great if you live in Durban near the N3 closest to PMB. I.e. if I want to beat it, but am from PMB, must I drive to Durban on either end of an epic day to claim it? Where is Durban, the beachfront, the toll gate on the N3, the Pavilion, City Hall? If someone from JHB wants to break the record, must they drive all the way there first? Will anyone from anywhere other than Durban ever try to beat this?

I think we need to distinguish between 3 different concepts:
- FKTs which have a defined and clear set of rules where time is the focus
- Bagging records - most passes in 24 hours, most khulus in 24 hours, most khulus on a GT etc
- Challenges which include the "every pass at Mnweni", "all the khulus over 3300m", "Bed to Bell to Bed in under 24 hours" etc.

I would propose, by way of example, that a FKT for "beach to border" would be an example of a FKT that is defined and specific, yet has plenty of room to be personallised. Hypothetically:
- You must start on the beach of the Indian Ocean not closer than 100m to the mouth of a river or within 1km of the harbour(to prevent claiming of a riverbank as close enough to the sea)
- You may only make use of a bicycle to assist you, no other forms of transport
- You may leave your bicycle at any point on the route, and may discard litter in bins, but may not pick up additional equipment/food. You may pick up water from any source your wish
- The finish is marked when you tag the SA/Lesotho border at an altitude above 2700m

So that FKT would have a very defined start and finish, making the rules easy to interpret - but some would cycle from Durban up the R103 to Howick, then R617 to Underberg and then up Sani. Others would cycle to Giants Castle and jog up Langies. Thus such a FKT would have scope for strategy. And by allowing the border to an altitude of 2700m, passes like Thamathu would be out, while passes like Saddle Nek or Thlanyako would in fact qualify.

If you look at the DGT record, one has to take Thamathu Pass. It is likely that they would be frowned upon and the record would probably not be counted if they came down Saddle Nek, went up Bushman's Pass and back down Thamathu, thus saving about 7km. Although technically the rules don't prohibit this.

The Mafadi record rules (if I am correct) are:
1) start at a EKZN mountain register
2) tag the defined summit cairn on Mafadi (Andrew shared a GPS co-ord for it a while back)
3) return to the same mountain register where you started
4) no stashes or dumps are allowed, the route must be entirely self-supported

This means that you can go up and down whichever pass you like, you can also start from Giants or Injisuthi (Mafadi is roughly in the middle of the 2 anyway).

Just found this article online - it is more than a year old, but still interesting:
www.outsideonline.com/1927476/fkt-kilian-jornets-insane-new-sport

What bugs me about this is that there is a disregard for records that exist prior to the establishing of the term "FKT".

So this trail runner wants to establish an FKT on Everest, but won't specify the details of the rules.

Anyone who is familiar with Messner's book "The Crystal Horizon" (high on my books to get hold of list) will know that Messner established the original speed record back in 1980. It was the first solo ascent and one of the first without supplemented oxygen. I seem to recall that he only had 1 porter, and used no base camp support.

Wikipedia actually has a list of Everest records (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Mount_Everest_records) including the fastest time from Base Camp, both with and without supplemented oxygen.

To me it seems rather disrespectful to just disregard prior efforts and make up your own rules. Especially when speed ascents like Messner's are not exactly a secret, or even hard to find via a google search.

Ghaz, I don't think he's disregarding previous records at all. During his previous FKT attempts, he has always acknowledged the existing records and the pioneers, often choosing a specific mountain because of the legendary status of an existing record on it (e.g. Matterhorn).

For example, when he broke the Aconcagua record (since beaten by Karl Egloff), he also started lower than base camp (where the previous records started from). In so doing, he set a new time for his longer route as well as breaking the base camp to summit (and return) record.

I suspect he'll do the same on Everest - regardless where he starts, he will still aim to break the existing records along the way.

Either way, this guy is in a league of his own: