Article: FKTOY Award Winners - #5 and #4

By Buzz Burrell on Fri, 01/14/2022 - 06:00am
FKT of the Year - #5 & #4

Here we go! 51 Voters made very tough choices, and awarded 5 Female and 5 Male awards to the best of 2021. This week we reveal the #5 and #4 award winners. Definitely click on the links to read all about it, in their own words. And listen to all five of these great people tell their own stories on one podcast: https://fastestknowntime.com/podcast/172-fktoy-5-and-4-awards-announced

#5 Female: Addie Bracy and Corey Conner

Addie Bracy & Corey Conner - FKT of the Year 2021

FKT: Grand Canyon R2R2R (AZ)

Time: 08 hrs 06 mins 41 secs

Notes: Unsupported quick double crossing of the Grand Canyon; a Premier Route.

Voter comments: "Addie and Corey's time in the Grand Canyon was very good and they did it in great style. There is no reason to do R2R2R supported; i's a needless burden on other humans."

Athlete Comments: (Corey) "This was the longest run of my life by 3 hours! I was so scared my teeth were chattering. I may have over-compensated, because I ate and drank so much at the beginning I had to relieve myself 5 times in the first hour. But that meant I felt strong on the brutal climb out at the finish."

#5 Male: Pawel Szafruga

Pawel Szafruga - FKT of the Year 2021

FKT: Colorado Fourteeners (CO)

Time: 43 days 6 hours 49 mins 34 secs

Notes: He not only climbed all 58 summits over 14,000' high in Colorado (Premier Route), but hiked between them all with no support.

Voter Comments: "Pawel brought a unique take on pursuing the Colorado 14ers, that moves the needle on how the pursuit can be done."

"Pawel's FKT was the most mind-bending to me and I loved his quiet approach to the whole thing. It's a style that was just laying there for someone dumb enough to go for it, and he did."

"Walking to all the 14ers in Colorado, what? Insane endeavor, major props for completing it."

Athlete Comments: "I sprained an ankle so had to take a half day off. Unfortunately that was in Aspen, where the hotels were the most expensive. My budget was like a Little League team. Fortunately, gas station food can be pretty good."

Previous Podcast: https://fastestknowntime.com/podcast/157-pawel-szafruga

#4 Female: Brooke Thomas

Brooke Thomas - FKT of the Year 2021

FKT: Te Araroa (New Zealand)

Time: 57 days 12 hours 16 mins 0 secs

Notes: This route traverses the entire country North to South, coast to coast! Includes 150km of kayaking.

Voter Comments: "I was incredibly inspired by the logistical and multi-sport proficiency demonstrated by Brooke Thomas in her Te Araroa (New Zealand) FKT, to the point I couldn't stop thinking about it for the rest of the year."

"Brooke Thomas' achievement is almost unimaginable; the New Zealand alps are insanely rugged, and I can't imagine the route-finding she must have done."

Athlete Comments: "Logistics were by far the hardest part. My parents supported me, but 2/3 of the time I was by myself, and once I had 8 straight days out with no Support. I didn't mash myself, and enjoyed every day, even though some were really hard, and I didn't know how to kayak. All your lows become your highs."

#4 Male: Joe McConaughy

Joe McConaughy - FKT of the Year 2021

FKT: Arizona Trail (AZ)

Time: 14 days 3 hours 21 mins 0 secs

Notes: Supported; Joe encountered deep snow, quit the project, then re-started. Still 2 days 19 hours faster than previous.

Voter Comments: "Joe continues to demonstrate his wide-ranging capabilities with not only distance and style, but also the mental aspects of FKTs."

Athlete Comments: "This is an epic 800 mile trail; the most bang for the buck of anything I've done. You think Arizona you think desert, but there's a ton of vert, and I almost got snowed out. Seek out the adventures that matter to you."

Previous Podcasts:
https://fastestknowntime.com/podcast/129-arizona-trail-race
https://fastestknowntime.com/podcast/92-joe-mcconaughy
https://fastestknowntime.com/podcast/119-fktoy-2020-p2

Overall Voter Comments

"The male top performances seemed more concentrated in the Western US, the women were getting after it across the country!"

"Voting for these is a nearly impossible task, but fun nonetheless. I've been planning my own travels as I perused these, and isn't that one of the key things we love about FKTs? Inspiration! Incredible performances here, the world over. It hurts me to leave out many of those I didn't vote for!"

"AMAZING WOMEN inspiring me! So proud of all the records set across both M/F and the empowerment of going solo and on extremely technical routes."

Next week: #3 and #2 award winners are revealed.