Regarded by many as the toughest triathlon test in the world, this weekend’s Norseman Xtreme will once again see nearly 300 athletes plunging into the icy waters of Norway’s Hardangerfjord as they do battle against the elements in a truly gruelling swim-bike-run experience.
Close to 8,000 people from 100 countries applied for a slot in this year’s race, with those lucky enough to secure their places now primed for a test of endurance unlike any other across 226km of stunning, yet brutal, Norsk countryside.
And there are no excuses for not knowing what they have put themselves forward for… indeed, the warnings are clear and very much in your face from the moment you log onto the official website or open the race manual.
‘This is not for you… nothing personal’
Beneath the headline: ‘YOU ARE NOT READY’ runs the following message: “This is not for you. Nothing personal. But it’s not. This is for people with fight and resilience and minds tougher than their bodies.
“They’re not interested in being the best. All they care about is besting themselves. They’re no-nonsense. No hand-holding. No sugar-coating. They’re in pursuit of something bigger.
“What ordinary people like us can achieve is amazing. Most people never allow themselves to use or test these great resources. We know that what we ask you to do at Norseman is at the border of what ordinary people can do.
Norseman is an expedition. Norseman is a huge commitment; most other events require less of you. Don’t register for our event if it is too much.”
Why is the Norseman so difficult?
So what is it that makes the Norseman so extreme? When a race appears on the bucket list of legend Kristian Blummenfelt, you just know it must be something special.
The uber-decorated triathlete has made no secret of his long-held desire to tackle the event, which starts in the rugged western region of his homeland and treks across into the rolling hills and valleys of the south-eastern landscapes.
Indeed, his compatriots and training pals, Casper Stornes and Gustav Iden, have also expressed their wish to one day compete in an event which, having started in 2003, has grown into one of the ultimate tests in multi-discipline sport.
Of course, with the race being held slap bang in the middle of the triathlon summer season, and Big Blu, Stornes and Iden needing to focus fully on their IRONMAN and 70.3 world championship pursuits, it is unlikely we will see them compete until their pro careers are over.
The challenge that awaits them is something they will undoubtedly relish.
From the icy ferry leap to the rugged Norse mountains
Starting with a 05:00 ferry leap into the bitter waters of Hardangerfjord, the athletes swim the 3.8km to shore in Eidfjord. In recent years the water temperature has been between 13C and 17C, and as a result, wetsuits are mandatory.
The 180km bike leg runs from Eidfjord to T2 situated in Austbygde through rugged terrain and steep climbs. While there is some wonderful scenery along the route, it is also extremely tough, with more than 3,000 metres of climbing for the riders.
Once onto the run, the first half of the marathon takes the athletes alongside Lake Tinnsjøen, while the second half includes a demanding climb from Rjukan to Mount Gaustatoppen.
However, the route for the final few kilometres will then depend on where in the race the runners are situated, with the first 160 reaching the 37km mark, heading off to finish their race at Mount Gaustatoppen, where they will receive a prestigious black finisher t-shirt.
All athletes arriving at 37km in Stavsro after the first 160 will finish the race on a lower course at Bygget – but still at the same distance – and will take home a white finisher’s t-shirt.
What is Zombie Hill?
Of course, before the athletes have got anywhere close to the finishing line, they have had to contend with one of the most famous, and killer, climbs in triathlon… Zombie Hill.
Having completed the 3.8km swim and biked 180km across the countryside to make it to T2, the athletes start the run with an opportunity to make some good progress, with the first 24km taking you on a rolling, gentle trek around Lake Tinnsjøen.
However, once they reach Rjukan, the climbing starts, and the hairpins of Zombie Hill begin to sap the energy and punish their already tired limbs.
As one athlete put it in a review of the course, ‘this is where most competitors downgrade to survival mode’.
It is the final climb section of the run, but it lasts for 11km and consists of a 10% gradient uphill on a switchback route with multiple sharp hairpins which take the athletes ever closer to their target of the finishing line at Mount Gaustatoppen.
Brownlee crosses off another bucket list race
The big name lining up for this year’s event is two-time Olympic gold medallist Alistair Brownlee, who says the event has long been on his bucket list of races to take part in… even if he admits it will be a case of participating rather than competing.
Since he retired from professional triathlon late in 2024, the London and Rio Olympic champion has completed a long list of endurance challenges, which have included a race up the Empire State Building, gravel cycling across South Africa and the UK, taking part in the brutal Patagonman Xtri, and even embracing the sport of ski mountaineering.
The Norseman, however, will be his ultimate challenge.
“I’ve been a triathlete for 30 years, and for 18 of those I was a professional, training to win the biggest races,” he said when signing up for the event. “But I’ve always been the child who wants to explore new places, push my limits and discover new sporting communities. Now I’ve got the chance to do that, and the one race at the top of my list has always been Norseman.
“I’m genuinely excited and slightly nervous to experience this legendary event. I like to tell everyone I don’t compete anymore; I participate. But that’s easier said than done when the horn goes. My goal is to enjoy the race, taking in the scenery.
“I’ll still be going as fast as I can, even if that’s a lot slower than a few years ago. I will enjoy crossing the finish line as much as ever.”
Champion returns and Swiss star arrives
Joining Brownlee on the ferry as they prepare to jump in for the start of the race on Saturday morning will be last year’s winner Kristian Grue (NOR), who finished the race in a time of 9:45:20, Finland’s Juuso Manninen and another Norwegian in Iver Anton Kronstad.
Last year’s leading woman, Julia Skala (GER), set a new best time of 11:00:23, although she is not among those taking part this time around. Instead, Kaja Bergwitz-Larsen (NOR) will surely be one of the favourites, having secured three previous podium finishes.
“My ambitions for Norseman this year are to set a new personal best and make one final attempt at taking the win,” she said.
However, all eyes will be on 25-year-old Swiss ultra-athlete Yael van der Geest, who was the top female finisher at the Swissman Xtreme Triathlon last month and will surely be one of the athletes to beat in Norway.
The men’s record finish of 9:09:57 was set in 2023 by Norway’s three-time Norseman winner, Jon Sæverås Breivold.
