{{Short description|Mountain running race}} {{Infobox athletics event |event= Vertical kilometer |image= KM Vertical Fully 2019 Christel Dewalle.jpg |image_upright= 1.2 |caption= Christel Dewalle at the 2019 Fully Vertical Kilometer |WRmen= {{flagicon|ITA}} Philip Götsch 28:53 (2017) |WRwomen= {{nowrap|{{flagicon|FRA}} Christel Dewalle 34:44 (2014) }} }} [[File:KM Vertical Fully 2017.jpg|thumb|right|The 2017 Fully Vertical Kilometer]]
In skyrunning, a '''vertical kilometer''' is an uphill mountain running race with an elevation gain of 1,000 metres. The Vertical Kilometer World Circuit also defines it as covering less than 5 km.<ref name="Vertical Kilometer World Circuit 2017">{{cite web | title=Vertical Kilometer World Circuit launches | website=Vertical Kilometer World Circuit | date=2017-01-16 | url=https://vkworldcircuit.com/vertical-kilometer-world-circuit-launches/ | access-date=2022-05-23}}</ref> Trekking poles, which are allowed as optional accessories, are often used in vertical kilometer races.
Related events include the ''Double Vertical Kilometer'' and ''Triple Vertical Kilometer''.
==Records==
The official vertical km record belongs to Rémi Bonnet, who in 2025 won the Kilomètre vertical de Fully with a time of 27:21.
The women's world record is 33:00, set in September 2025 at Nantau-Montriond, France by French runner Axelle Mollaret<ref>{{cite web | title=la-haut-savoyarde-axelle-gachet-mollaret-pulverise-le-record-du-monde-du-kilometre-vertical-a-nantaux-montriond | website=ledauphine.com| date=2025-09-14|url=https://www.ledauphine.com/sport/2025/09/14/la-haut-savoyarde-axelle-gachet-mollaret-pulverise-le-record-du-monde-du-kilometre-vertical-a-nantaux-montriond|language=fr|access-date=2025-10-04}}</ref>
==Races== The Vertical Kilometer World Circuit is an annual international circuit. It was started in 2017 as a spin-off of Skyrunner World Series.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vkworldcircuit.com/vertical-kilometer-world-circuit-launches/|title=VERTICAL KILOMETER WORLD CIRCUIT LAUNCHES|date=16 January 2017 |publisher=vkworldcircuit.com|accessdate=5 November 2017}}</ref> The circuit consists of 17 races that are held annually from May to October.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sportdimontagna.com/skyrunning/vertical-kilometer-world-circuit-2017|title=VERTICAL KILOMETER WORLD CIRCUIT 2017 - Presentato il primo circuito internazionale dedicato ai verticalisti|date=20 January 2017 |publisher=sportdimontagna.com|accessdate=5 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vkworldcircuit.com/men-ranking/|title=2017 RANKING – MEN|publisher=vkworldcircuit.com|accessdate=6 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vkworldcircuit.com/ranking-women/|title=2017 RANKING – WOMEN|publisher=vkworldcircuit.com|accessdate=6 November 2017}}</ref>
The Kilomètre vertical de Fully (Fully Vertical Kilometer) is one of the best-known vertical kilometer competitions.
==See also== * Vertical Kilometer World Circuit * Skyrunning * Trail running * Mountain running
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Running}} {{Extreme Sports}}
Category:Vertical kilometer running competitions Category:Skyrunning Category:Running by type Category:Long-distance running