Vertical Kilometre (VK) with Poles: Technique, Equipment and Mistakes to Avoid

1,000 metres of positive elevation. The shortest possible distance. Against the clock. The Vertical Kilometre is perhaps the purest mountain event there is: no tactical trickery possible, no waiting strategy. Just you, the slope, and two poles to go chase the time.

What is a VK?

The Vertical Kilometre (VK), as defined by the FFA, is a mountain race over 1,000 metres of positive elevation, run on the shortest possible route, with a maximum distance of 5.5 km. In practice, the courses run from 1.9 km (the mythical Fully VK in Switzerland, with its 50% average gradient) to 4.5 km. Starts are staggered every 15 to 30 seconds — it is a pure time trial. The gradient can exceed 60% on some passages.

In physiological intensity, the VK compares to a road 10K mixed with cross-country. The heart rate almost never drops. The effort is maximal, sustained, with no pause possible. The men's world record is 28'48 (Kilian Jornet, Norway, 2021).

Poles in a VK: indispensable or optional?

Indispensable. The Fully VK states it explicitly: "the use of poles is indispensable" given the gradient exceeding 50%. On the ultra-steep passages, the hands almost touch the ground. The poles become an extension of the arms, a fifth and sixth leg that multiply the support points and let you push on a surface the feet can no longer master alone.

In a VK, the poles serve above all to:

• Push upwards in simultaneous double-push on the steepest passages
• Relieve the calves — the most stressed muscle on climbs — by redistributing part of the effort to the triceps and shoulders
• Maintain balance on irregular ground (stones, roots, wet grass)
• Pace the effort: the regular planting of the poles helps hold a constant cadence even in physical distress

Technique: the double push in a VK

On gradients above 30-40%, the preferred VK technique is the simultaneous double push: both poles are planted together, slightly ahead of the centre of gravity, and push together downwards and backwards to propel the body upwards. This technique massively engages the triceps, shoulders and back muscles — muscles still fresh at the start of a VK, which relieve the legs by as much.

On gentler slopes (15-25%), the classic alternation — left pole / right foot, right pole / left foot — remains more energy-efficient and lets you hold a steady rhythm over time.

The most frequent mistake: planting the poles too far ahead, which creates a braking force instead of a propulsive one. On steep climbs, the poles must be planted just in front of the uphill foot, not beyond.

Pole adjustment for the VK

On sustained climbs, poles slightly shorter than your usual length ease the push forwards and upwards. The general rule: uphill, reduce the length by 5 to 10 cm from your flat-ground Nordic walking length. With non-adjustable one-piece poles, you choose an optimal length for climbing — often the right call on a VK, which consists of nothing else.

The ideal equipment for a VK

In a VK, the imperatives are maximum lightness and stiffness:

• Material: 100% carbon, the highest possible quality. A pole that bends or vibrates on maximal pushes loses energy and risks failure under repeated stress.
• Weight: under 150 grams per pole. On a 30-minute VK at maximal effort, weight is felt in the arms from the first minutes.
• Tips: tungsten carbide. On earth and wet-grass passages, grip must be perfect. No need to bring the rubber pads: on a VK, there is no asphalt.
• Straps: comfortable, neither too tight (circulation) nor too loose (instability). Avoid simple wrist loops — in a fall on a 50% slope, a pole trapped on the wrist is dangerous.

The MØNARC® Arcs de Marche®, in T700 carbon, at 140 grams per pole, with Gabel straps and tungsten carbide tips, match this profile of demands exactly.

VKs in France and Europe: where to race?

The VK calendar is well stocked in Europe:

• Fully VK (Switzerland): the fastest in the world — 1,920 m long, 50% average gradient. Next edition on 26 September 2026.
• Fully VK (record): 28'48 (Kilian Jornet, Mandalen, Norway, 2021 — unofficial)
• Many VKs built into FFA mountain-running circuits in the Alps, the Pyrenees and the Massif Central
• Specific events within the Skyrunner World Series

👉 The MØNARC® Arcs de Marche® for the VK — monarc-nordic.com