With its reputation for being the world’s most extreme triathlon, the Patagonman Xtri will once again push athletes to their absolute limit later this week as they race across the wilds of Chile’s Southern Andes.
Brutally stunning, this is an event for competitors looking to take their endurance fix to the next level, with a 3.8km swim across an icy fjord and a 180km bike ride passing through deep valleys and glacial rivers, all finished off with a 42km run across rugged dirt and gravel.
As raw as it is spectacular, the Patagonman has fast become one of those life experiences that extreme athletes almost see as a rite of passage in their long-distance careers.
An almost spiritual race through the mountains
Aside from the competition element, previous participants have also talked of the deeply personal, almost spiritual experiences felt while trekking through the stunning landscapes – feeling and embracing the Patagonian culture, which has been a part of this experience since its launch in 2018.
“We want athletes to live something unforgettable,” says Carlinha Carvalho, the event’s general producer. “Patagonman is designed to challenge you but also to welcome you; to give you a sense of community, of connection, and of being part of a place that stays with you long after the race is over.”
More than 300 athletes from 40 countries will take part this year, while an elite field also includes the likes of double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee, Aussie star Josh Amberger – for whom this will be his last pro race having recently announced his retirement – and Britain’s Rosie Wild.
Here is all you need to know about the epic Patagonman Xtri challenge…
Date, start time and course details
The very fact that the Patagonman website feels it necessary to issue a warning that this race ‘is not for beginners’ should say enough about what lies in store for the competitors as they dive into the icy waters of the Aysén Fjord at around 5am on Sunday, December 7th (8am UK time).
This is a race through one of the most remote regions in the southernmost part of the world, and all athletes are required to bring a support colleague to assist them throughout.
Jumping into the fjord off the back of a local ferry, Queulat, in complete darkness, they will swim the 3.8km in waters expected to be around the 9-12C mark. The athletes have a strict two-hour window to complete this section of the course, as they are at risk of hypothermia should they stay in the water too long.
Exiting the water at Puerto Chacabuco, they settle into their saddles for a 180km bike ride, which takes them along the famous Carretera Austral. The steadily rising route eventually hits an elevation of 2,700m and takes in the incredible sights of Valle Simpson and El Blanco before descending into Villa Cerro Castillo for transition two.
The route alternates between paved and mixed-quality sections, while there is a real threat in terms of exposure to the elements.
The third and final stage will see the athletes run from Villa Cerro Castillo on a 42km trek which mixes hard trail running, rubble roads and the very best of lakeside scenery as they head toward Puerto Ingeniero Ibanez and the General Carrera Lake via the waters of Lago Lapparent.
Temperatures for the bike and run could be anywhere between 4C and 20C, with long exposed sections meaning there is very little natural shelter for the competitors.
Again, there are cut-off times for the athletes, who must have completed 90km of the bike within six hours, will have needed to leave T2 within 11 hours, and must be across the finish line within 17 hours.
Alistair Brownlee: Ready for ‘a proper adventure’
For Alistair Brownlee, the Patagonia Xtri is yet another of those bucket list endurance events that he is keen to experience.
The two-time Olympic triathlon champion may have retired from competitive sport, but as he told TRI247 last month while competing at the Nedbank Gravel Burn in South Africa, he is now looking to enjoy the challenges of ultra-endurance conquests across the world.
No doubt inspired by the heroics of many other Brits at Patagonman, including Caroline Livesey, who became the first ever person to win the event twice when she crossed the line last year, he is currently in Chile preparing for his first taste of this world-renowned epic.
In recent Instagram posts, he showed himself swimming in the chilly Patagonian fjords and admitted that this race was certainly going to be a ‘proper adventure’.
“Arrived in Patagonia and had to get some last-minute acclimatisation to the cold water pre-Sunday,” he wrote. “One of the most stunning places I have ever swum and definitely the coldest. Thankful for all the @huubdesign kit for keeping me relatively warm!
“Excitement is building to take on this incredible event in such a magical part of the world.
“I’m really looking forward to it, but fully aware it’s going to be very tough. I haven’t done a lot of swimming in the last 12 months, and the conditions are going to be pretty savage. A proper adventure. Let’s see how it goes.”
Big names set to tackle big race
He is joined on the starting boat by endurance specialists Josh Amberger (AUS) and Rosie Wild, a professional athlete and also the first woman to pass the UK’s elite P Company military selection.
For Rosie, this will be her first event since finishing second at IRONMAN Wales in September, and she has been training hard to make sure she is ready for what she accepts will be a huge challenge.
Posting on Instagram last week, she said: “Last push this week before I fly to Chile for @patagonmanxtri. These are the days where you know it’s coming, and you’re waiting for it, nervous, apprehensive, scared, but so, so excited.
“It’s been a real slog building back up from some ‘downtime’ post Ironman Wales and over the trip to Kona. I just dealt with it the only way a Rosie Wild knows how – to batten down the hatches and crack on in my own insular world of one.
“I’m starting to creak the door open now and let the light in because it’s time to come out and be present and make sure I squeeze every moment out of not only a bucket list race but also a bucket list trip to a new and incredible part of the world.”
More than just a race
Patagonman is a living example of how sport can be a platform for community development, regional identity, and cross-cultural connection.
The event relies on the collaboration of dozens of local partners, including the Chilean Navy, regional and municipal governments, emergency services, schools, grassroots organisations, volunteers, and local entrepreneurs.
Together, they ensure the event meets the highest international standards for safety, logistics, and environmental respect – while also creating a shared sense of purpose and pride for the people of Aysén.
The economic impact is equally powerful. Patagonman generates over 2 million USD in direct regional benefit, boosting sectors such as hospitality, transport, food, commerce, and eco-tourism – all outside of the high season. For many local businesses, this weekend is one of the most important of the year.
Throughout the week, Coyhaique and Puerto Aysén will come alive with the energy of athletes, volunteers, schoolchildren, and spectators. The Swim Social, technical briefings, merchandise launch, and press events have drawn local engagement and international media attention, highlighting Aysén as a world-class destination for adventure and endurance.
“Patagonman doesn’t just test athletes. It celebrates the wild beauty and deep generosity of the Aysén Region,” says Ignacio Valdivieso, founder of the race. “This event is proof that when a community comes together with vision, heart, and courage, it can create something truly extraordinary – something that inspires far beyond the finish line.”
For many British athletes, it holds a special place in their competitive hearts, with Laura Siddall, the 2023 winner – adding to the roll call of British success, which also includes Lucy Gossage and Flora Colledge – recently saying of the experience: “It’s about where you are, the stunning location and all of the other challenges beyond the distance that go into getting through the race. Make it into an adventure. It’s not necessarily about getting a time. It almost goes back to raw swim, bike and run.”
For more on the Patagonman Xtri, click HERE.
