Breaking One: Mădălina takes on the Kolitza Record
02 12月 2025
On November 1st, SCOTT athlete Mădălina Florea took on the famous Récord del Kolitza with a clear goal in mind: Becoming the first woman to go sub 1 hour in this historic race against the clock. Breaking One is now live on SCOTT's YouTube channel.
SCOTT athlete Mădălina Florea has redefined trail running history, conquering Mount Kolitza in a blistering 57 minutes and 53 seconds on November 1st. Battling adverse weather and mud-slicked paths, the Romanian star became the first woman to break the one-hour barrier in the storied Récord del Kolitza - a 12K ascent-descent test of endurance that has lured global elites like Kilian Jornet and Marco De Gasperi.
Born in 1960 from a bold bet by a local forest guard who proved he could summit and return in under an hour, the event has evolved into a solo time trial of steep switchbacks and technical terrain. The women's record stood at 1:00:24, held by Kenya's Joyce Muthoni Njeru since 2024. Florea, riding high from her 2025 Golden Trail World Series Overall Championship, targeted that elusive sub-hour mark with unyielding focus.
But the mountain fought back. Mădălina started off fast, but she was slower than the previous record holder in the first few kilometres. It was all part of her stratetgy, avoiding pushing too much early on and keeping energies to cut time in the last part of the climb instead - and she did. Mădălina ran up the most technical and steep kilometer of the race in 11 minute 15 seconds, cutting 1 minute 40 seconds to Joyce and earning a valuable time advantage before the downhill. Rain turned the trails into a slippery nightmare, especially the final kilometer, consisting of a steep, root-riddled beast that tested every ounce of Florea's resolve. Mud clung to her shoes, water streamed down her face, yet she surged ahead, crossing the line two minutes and 31 seconds ahead of the benchmark. In a moment of pure joy, she threw her arms wide and shouted "¡Vamos a la playa!"- her broken Spanish drawing roars from the Balmaseda crowd, who instantly adopted the new champion as one of their own.
The Cherry on top of an unforgettable season.
Florea's infectious personality shone through the weekend, forging instant bonds with locals. Chatting in halting Spanish, sharing laughs over post-race txakoli, she bridged cultures and won hearts. "Madalina's not just fast; she's so loved by Balmaseda now, one of us" beamed the race organizer Desi Amador, echoing the town's newfound affection.
This record caps a dream season for Florea, cementing her as one of the runners of the year. As whispers of 2026 defenses swirl, her Kolitza triumph reminds us of our NO SHORTCUTS ethos: true victories are forged in adverserity, and celebrated with a shout.
" “This Kolitza Record is a very special result for me. Even though I was tired from a very long season racing at the Golden Trail World Series, I really wanted to attend this race against the clock. I knew that the atmosphere, the people, and this beautiful community would give me wings and new energy and that's exactly what happened. I forgot about the obstacles and gave everything to achieve my goal. And yes... I did it!” "
— Mădălina Florea, Women's Récord del Kolitza Holder
SCOTT Running Team
Produced by Alex Chambet from Glace Noire Films, Breaking One documents the history of the Récord del Kolitza, and Florea's impressive accolade in its 2025 edition.
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