{{Short description|Brazilian ultrarunner}} {{Not to be confused with|Fernandão (futsal player)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Infobox athlete | image = Fernanda Maciel (born c. 1980) at Transgrancanaria 20.png | caption = At Transgrancanaria 20 | birth_date = {{Circa|1980}} | birth_place = Belo Horizonte, Brazil | education = Environmental law | alma_mater = FUMEC University | occupation = Professional runner | years_active = 2009-current | height_ft = 5 | height_in = 2 | website = {{URL|https://fernandamaciel.com}} | sport = Skyrunning | team = The North Face, Red Bull GmbH | turnedpro = 2009 }} '''Fernanda Maciel''' (born c. 1980) is a Brazilian skyrunner and former environmental lawyer. She is known for her quest to set the fastest known time on the world's Seven Summits. She has set women's speed records on summits of Aconcagua, Kilimanjaro, Mount Vinson, Mount Elbrus, and the Carstensz Pyramid.
== Biography == Fernanda Maciel grew up in Belo Horizonte, Brazil into a family of jiu-jitsu and capoeira fighters.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Esme |date=2023-03-22 |title=Running To Extremes |url=https://glorioussport.com/articles/fernanda-maciel-ultrarunner-interview/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Glorious Sport |language=en-GB}}</ref> As a child, she began running to avoid having to take the bus to school and to support her training as a gymnast.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title={{!}} Ultra runner, Eco Warrior, Lawyer, Fighter {{!}} The Fernanda Maciel Interview |url=https://outdoorsmagic.com/article/fernanda-maciel-interview/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Outdoors Magic |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Gillen |first=Nancy |date=2021-09-20 |title=Fernanda Maciel: Renowned ultrarunner on finding her passion in the mountains |url=https://www.givemesport.com/1755793-fernanda-maciel-renowned-ultrarunner-on-finding-her-passion-in-the-mountains/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=GiveMeSport |language=en}}</ref> Maciel became an elite athlete at a young age, competing in gymnastics competitions by age 8. By age 10, she was training in gymnastics in the United States.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Moreira |first=Lorena |title=Fernanda Maciel quebra recordes na Pirâmide de Carstensz e compartilha sua jornada de superação |url=https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/esportes/outros-esportes/fernanda-maciel-quebra-recordes-na-piramide-de-carstensz-e-compartilha-sua-jornada-de-superacao/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=CNN Brasil |language=pt-BR}}</ref> She later turned to running full time, choosing skyrunning as she found her race times in the mountain were just as good as her race times on the track.<ref name=":2" /> Maciel used her winnings from running competitions to fund her education as an environmental lawyer, which she pursued to help support her family.<ref name=":1" /> Maciel earned a law degree from FUMEC University.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Potter |first=Alex |date=2021-11-18 |title=Running for Environmental Advocacy: A Profile of Fernanda Maciel |url=https://www.irunfar.com/running-for-environmental-advocacy-a-profile-of-fernanda-maciel |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=iRunFar |language=en}}</ref>
In 2006, Maciel moved to New Zealand for a year, which inspired her to look beyond her law career. After returning to Brazil, in 2008 she ran her first ultramarathon and competed in adventure races. Maciel later left her law practice to devote herself to her athletic career full time.<ref name=":4" />
In 2009, Maciel began to compete at the elite level in skyrunning, later placing first at competitions including the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, the Lavaredo and Trans Gran Canaria.<ref name=":1" /> That year, she moved to Spain to compete on the international circuit.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=Bryon |date=2013-05-09 |title=Fernanda Maciel Pre-2013 Transvulcania Ultramarathon Interview |url=https://www.irunfar.com/fernanda-maciel-pre-2013-transvulcania-ultramarathon-interview |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=iRunFar |language=en}}</ref>
Maciel competes at the elite level in skyrunning, over distances of 100 miles and more.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fernanda MACIEL - Her Trail results and UTMB® Index |url=https://utmb.world/runner/12619.fernanda.maciel |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=utmb.world |language=en}}</ref> In 2016 she became a sponsored athlete by The North Face.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-04 |title=Fernanda Maciel |url=https://www.wiredforadventure.com/article/fernanda-maciel/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Wired For Adventure |language=en-GB}}</ref> That year, she placed third in Marathon des Sables.<ref name=":0" /> In 2017, she broke a bone and ligament in her hand, but continued to race.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Powell |first=Bryon |date=2017-08-28 |title=Fernanda Maciel Pre-2017 UTMB Interview |url=https://www.irunfar.com/fernanda-maciel-pre-2017-utmb-interview |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=iRunFar |language=en}}</ref> She would place third once more in Marathon des Sables. In February 2021, Maciel suffered a severe head injury while ice climbing that disrupted her training and caused her to lose sensation in the left side of her body. After recovery she has returned to competition.<ref name=":4" />
Maciel later moved to Chamonix, France where she trains at high altitude.<ref name=":4" /> In 2021, Maciel was chosen to represent #TheHumanRace, a United Nations Development Programme campaign to raise awareness of climate change and the importance of supporting the environment.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=August 10, 2021 |title=A Chronicle Conversation with Fernanda Maciel and Tina Muir, 10 August 2021 |url=https://www.un.org/en/un-chronicle/chronicle-conversation-fernanda-maciel-and-tina-muir-10-august-2021 |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=United Nations |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pontarelli |first=Sally |date=2021-11-12 |title=Fernanda Maciel: Climate Change and Our Sports - R4R 274 |url=https://runningforreal.com/fernanda-maciel/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Running For Real with Tina Muir |language=en-US}}</ref> She became the first woman to run the entirety of the Camino de Santiago Compostela, covering 860km in 10 days and the first woman to run the entirety of Argentina’s Aconcagua.<ref name=":0" />
=== Seven Summits project === In 2016, she began her Seven Summits project, aiming to set the fastest known time for women on each of the continent's highest peaks and to raise awareness of environmental issues facing the wilderness. Since beginning her project, Maciel has set women's speed records for five of the world's Seven Summits.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Turner |first=Jonathan |date=2024-11-08 |title=Fuelled on an instant noodle, Brazilian ultrarunner sets another incredible FKT on Seven Summits quest |url=https://run247.com/running-news/sky-running-news/fernanda-maciel-fkt-carstensz-pyramid-seven-summits |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=RUN247 |language=en-GB}}</ref> In 2022, her summit of Mount Vinson was the fastest summit of the mountain for both men and women.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=2023-01-18 |title=Fernanda Maciel scales Antarctica's highest peak in record 6h 40m time. |url=https://www.ultrarunnermagazine.co.uk/fernanda-maciel-scales-antarcticas-highest-peak-in-record-6h-40m-time/ |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Ultra Runner Mag |language=en-GB}}</ref> Maciel's ultrarunning Seven Summits project is supported by Red Bull.<ref name=":5" />
=== Speed records === * 22 February 2016, Aconcagua – 22h 52m 0s<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-06 |title=The mountain runner who quit her job, got offline and conquered the… |url=https://www.huckmag.com/article/ultra-runner-fernanda-maciel-conquering-the-worlds-highest-mountains |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=Huck |language=en-GB}}</ref> * 25 September 2017, Kilimanjaro – 10h 6m * 28 April 2019, Elbrus – 7h 40m 0s * 24 December 2022, Vinson – 9h 41m 38s<ref name=":6" /> * 17 October 2024, Puncak Jaya / Carstensz Pyramid – 1h 48m<ref name=":3" />
== References == {{Reference list}}
== External links == * {{Official website}} * [https://utmb.world/runner/12619.fernanda.maciel Fernanda Maciel] at UTMB World Series * {{ITRA|id=12619}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Maciel, Fernanda}} Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Spain Category:Brazilian runners Category:21st-century Brazilian women Category:Living people Category:Sportspeople from Belo Horizonte Category:1980 births Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in France Category:Brazilian environmentalists