On the 20th April, 27-year-old Dani Arnold from Switzerland surprised the world of alpinism by breaking Ueli Steck's record time for an ascent of the Eiger North Face.

Arnold started up the 1938 Route at 9.05am and reached the summit at 11.33am, completing the cllimb in just two hours and 28 minutes, almost 20 minutes faster than Steck's record ascent in February 2008.

There are some differences between the two ascents. Steck had climbed the route many times, including several solos, while Arnold only appears to have climbed it once before, and in a roped party.

Steck was alone on the face for his record ascent, while Arnold, attempting the face during a prolonged period of exceptionally fine weather throughout the Alps, had to contend with a reported 20 parties. This had its plus and minus points: steps in place speeded his ascent, but overtaking the climbers would have slowed him down.

Steck climbed the entire route free, while Arnold used the fixed rope on the Hinterstoisser Traverse, and another short section of fixed line on the step down from the Quartz Crack to gain the Exit Cracks.

The North Face is 1,800m high but because of its weaving nature and sections of relatively moderate angle, the climbing distance on the '38 Route is more than twice this amount, making Arnold's ascent time around 25m per minute. Astonishing!

Arnold has on-sighted some of the most difficult mixed climbs in Switzerland, such as Come on Baby (M10 and WI6+) and The Flying Circus (M10). Last year he soloed the 35-pitch West Ridge of the Salbitschijen (VII/VII+) in just one and a half hours.

Also in 2010 he joined Thomas Senf and Stefan Siegrist to make the first winter ascent of Torre Egger in Patagonia.

This February he visited Scotland, and amongst other routes made a clean lead of The Secret (VII, 9).

Speed ascents prove great technical competence and represent huge personal achievement, though their general contribution to the wider world of alpinism remains unclear. However, they are inspirational in showing the potential in the mountains for a highly trained body, exemplified recently by Steck's amazing one-day round trip ascent of the South Face of Xixabangma.

Arnold returned to the summit of the Eiger on the 21st so that Thomas Ulrich could take photographs.
 

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