HexaTrek speed record
Ran the full HexaTrek across France, about 3,000 km, in 33 days, 13 hours, and 48 minutes from July 20 to August 22, 2026, setting the supported fastest known time.
Source-checked athlete record · Updated Oct 12, 2026
Karel Sabbe
Barkley finisher, trail speed-record setter, and 2020 backyard world champion
Karel Sabbe is a Belgian ultrarunner whose record spans a Barkley Marathons finish, major long-trail speed records, and a backyard world title.
BelgiumRonseM35–39
The record so far
Karel Sabbe is a Belgian ultrarunner whose achievements cross unsupported race formats, organized ultras, and multi-week trail projects. In 2023, he became one of the small group of athletes to complete all five loops of the Barkley Marathons, finishing in 59:53:33.
Sabbe has set fastest-known-time benchmarks on the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail, Via Alpina, Te Araroa, and, in 2026, the roughly 3,000 km HexaTrek across France. He also won the 2020 Backyard Ultra satellite world championship with 75 yards, a world-best distance at the time.
Defining performances
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Barkley Marathons finisher
Completed all five loops in 59:53:33, inside the 60-hour limit.
Pacific Crest Trail speed record
Covered the route northbound in 46 days, 12 hours, and 50 minutes, from July 10 to August 26, 2023. Aurelien Sanchez lowered the supported FKT to 45 days, 20 hours, and 11 minutes in 2026.
Backyard Ultra world champion
Won the satellite championship with 75 yards and a then-world-best distance.
Appalachian Trail speed record
Completed the trail northbound in 41 days, 7 hours, and 39 minutes, still the men’s supported FKT. Tara Dower’s 2024 southbound run of 40 days, 18 hours, and 6 minutes is faster overall.
Performance history
| Date | Event | Performance | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HexaTrekLong-trail speed recordSupported FKT on the full route of about 3,000 km across France, finished on August 22, 2026. | 33d 13h 48m | Fastest known time | View ↗ | |
| UTMB174 km mountain ultra | 25:09:57 | 52nd overall | View ↗ | |
| Te AraroaLong-trail speed recordSupported, multi-sport FKT on the standard route, finished on February 16, 2025. | 31d 19h 40m | Fastest known time | View ↗ | |
| Ultra-Trail Cape Town 100 Mile100-mile trail | 26:09:53 | 8th overall | View ↗ | |
| Barkley MarathonsFive-loop mountain ultra | 59:53:33 | Finisher · 3rd overall | View ↗ | |
| Backyard Ultra Satellite World Championship — BelgiumBackyard ultra | 75 yards · 502.950 km | Winner · then-world-best distance | View ↗ |
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