Aurélien Sanchez Cimalp Ambassador

Our ambassadors

Aurélien Sanchez

Athlete

After sixteen years of football and a move to the United States, Aurélien Sanchez discovered hiking and a new arena for self-expression. It was a turning point: the call of wide-open spaces and challenges as a way to better know himself. With a bold dream firmly in his sights — the Barkley Marathons — he found his stride in ultra-long-distance formats. His projects, unsupported or with a race bib, span adventures from 360 to 900 km. Beyond performance, Aurélien seeks the intensity of the experience and the richness of the journey. Driven by a love of sharing, he draws heavily on the community to take on his challenges, and loves giving back whenever he can. He stands for strong values: authenticity, commitment, learning, passion and self-questioning.

Key Achievement

Barkley Marathons finisher in 2023
3rd Swisspeak 700 in 2024
Former GR10 record holder self-supported
Former record holder on the John Muir trail unsupported.
Pacific Crest trail FKT 2026: 45 days, 20 hours and 15 minutes

Future projects

Interview with Aurélien Sanchez

3 words that define you as an athlete?

Resilient, methodical, passionate.

3 values that define you as a person?

Committed, curious, human.

Why do you feel you belong to the Cimalp family?

For all the values of sharing, simplicity, authenticity, commitment, loyalty and craftsmanship.

Your best and worst memory in the mountains, and why?

Every sunrise and sunset I've shared with others are my best memories — my sleepless nights alone, stumbling through the dark, are my worst ?.

What do the mountains inspire in you?

A place of freedom.

What is your relationship with the environment and ecology?

Ecology is essential — for respecting our playground and each other, for the continuity of our sport, but beyond that, for every species and for our planet.

Another great passion or talent beyond sport?

Cooking.