Reaching Summits
Reaching Summits is an inspiring project aimed at facilitating women's participation in the famous ski mountaineering race, the Patrouille des Glaciers (PdG). Indeed, women often tend to set limits for themselves that are unfounded, as seen in "extreme" sports such as the PdG. But passionate endurance athlete Karine Fragnière has proven that these limits are meant to be surpassed. Her Reaching Summits program aims to enable women to break through the glass ceiling through ski mountaineering.
The story of the project
Karine distinguished herself by brilliantly winning the Ironman Zurich in 2018, and then crossing the finish line of the Swissman Xtreme Triathlon in 2023. Additionally, she secured second place in her first participation in the Z2 race of the Patrouille des Glaciers in 2022.
As a high-level athlete, Karine has the desire and ambition to transmit her passion for sports. That's when the idea of Reaching Summits came to her: to train female teams to conquer the Patrouille des Glaciers. Thus, in June 2023, the Reaching Summits association was created.
"With Reaching Summits, I am determined to pave the way and encourage women to push their limits, to fulfill their aspirations, and to find the strength to overcome obstacles. For this purpose, I have founded the Reaching Summits Association, whose aim is to promote endurance sports among women and to encourage them to strive for excellence in all areas of life." - Karine Fragnière, founder of the project
Women at the heart of the adventure
Reaching Summits embodies, above all, a human adventure. While the sporting challenge is significant, the essence of the project was to offer eight women the opportunity to push their limits. Among the 70 applications received from all over Switzerland, eight women were selected. These eight women, although strangers to each other, were grouped into two teams of four.
These eight women will then be supported by professionals to approach this challenge with confidence and serenity. They will undergo a program including physical preparation sessions, team-building activities, mountain safety training, as well as training days supervised by guides.
A day with Reaching Summits
During a training outing, our ski mountaineering athlete, Thibe Deseyn, was present to provide them with all the useful advice for the smooth running of a race. Starting from La Chaux, they reached the famous couloir of Rosablanche where they practiced team roping with the guides present to show them the appropriate techniques.
MOVEMENT X Reaching Summits
Inspiring women to push their limits, fostering a true team spirit, and sharing a common passion: all these elements come together to ignite Movement's desire to accompany them on this extraordinary human adventure.
At Movement, our values of independence, authenticity, and passion guide all our actions. That's why partnering with Reaching Summits resonates deeply with us. Their mission to encourage women's participation in the iconic ski mountaineering event, the Patrouille des Glaciers (PdG), perfectly embodies these values.
"This partnership is authentic and feels like a natural fit! From day one, the Movement team has been attentive to our needs. Our expectations are more than met, whether it's regarding equipment, deadlines, exchanges, or partnership communication. The athletes are thrilled!" - Karine Fragnière
A big congratulations to all of you: Corinne Schmalz-Tillmann, Genevieve Joullie Dardier, Marine Van Campenhoudt, Noëlle Haudenschild, Ophélie Thouanel, Valentine Cardis, Amélie Lengaigne, Yasmine Zihnioglu!
We look forward to seeing you at the finish line!
