We first met Kilian Jornet when he was a teenager, winning trail running and ski-mo races in the Pyrenees. In the 18 years since he first joined Salomon in 2003, he has provided us with countless awe-inspiring moments and memories. It’s been our privilege to witness up-close his endless accomplishments in trail running, mountaineering and skiing. We’ve been fortunate to help him achieve his goals, from the trails of Zegama, Chamonix, Sierre-Zinal, Colorado and the Lake District in the UK to the top of Mt Everest. And plenty of places in between.

As the years have rolled by, we’ve learned that while the projects Kilian dreamed up and brought to us might have seemed incomprehensible to some, nothing was out of reach in his mind. His dreams matched well with Salomon’s “why-not?” spirit. Kilian pushed us to be better at what we do—which is to make running, outdoor and winter sports equipment for those who push their personal limits and expand the boundaries of their sports—and for that we will be forever grateful.

Together, we dreamed big and pushed our sports forward.

While Kilian’s athletic achievements represent the pinnacle of sport, the manner in which he personally connects with our communities and takes his role as an ambassador for outdoor sports to heart, has always been equally important to us. Even as he performs athletic feats that most people cannot relate to, he has managed to promote the accessibility of the outdoors with his approachability and inclusiveness. In this regard, he has always made us proud.

At the end of this year, Kilian will depart from Salomon after 18 years as a member of our international athlete team. Salomon had every intention of continuing this unconditional long-term partnership for years to come. However, Kilian felt it was the right time to begin a new personal project that challenges him in a new way. He will not be joining an existing outdoor brand, but instead he intends to start a new project that he will share in the coming months. Kilian and Salomon have collaborated to push the boundaries of sport for nearly two decades and we take great pride in that. We understand the personal motivations of Kilian and wish him the absolute best for his next adventures. He will remain a friend to us all.

The current Salomon international athlete team is comprised of many of the best athletes in their chosen sports—trail runners Francois D’haene, Courtney Dauwalter and a number of future stars; Alpine skiing crystal globe winner Marta Bassino; Nordic skiing World Cup overall champion Jessie Diggins; freeski pioneer Cody Townsend; and many more—and Salomon remains fully committed to working with the best running, winter sports and outdoor athletes. We will continue to uncover the future stars of these sports. As always, these will be people of high character who make us proud both athletically and personally. We look forward to continuing to build a team of brand ambassadors who authentically promote our values and products to an ever-expanding community of outdoor lovers.

Kilian Jornet is a once-in-a-generation talent who has become a close friend to many of our Salomon employees and partners. We wish him all the best as he embarks on this new journey and, as always, we will be watching to see what he does next.