Norseman triathlon
Encyclopedia
The Norseman xtreme triathlon is a non-Ironman
branded triathlon
, point to point, race held in Norway
annually. The distances are equivalent to those of an Ironman
race with the swim starting from the loading bay of a car ferry, through the water of the Hardangerfjord fjord
to the local town, Eidfjord
. At Eidfjord
the competitors transition onto their bikes and then cycle 180 km through the mountains, the first 40 km of which is uphill (reaching 1200 m above sea level). After transition two (at Austbygda), the competitors then run 42.2 km of which the first 25 km (to Rjukan
) are flat and following this they end up climbing the local mountain, Gaustatoppen
, 1880 m above sea level
.
The race is "unsupported" so competitors need to have personal back up crews that follow them with cars to provide them with food and drink. The support crews also have to accompany their competitor up the final mountain climb due to the inherent dangers of being highly fatigued on a mountain. During this final mountain climb competitors are required to carry a backpack containing emergency food and clothing should the weather turn, whilst they are on the mountain.
Weather conditions and strict health checks and deadlines determine whether the race can be followed into the mountains and those that finish are given a black finishers top and take on the name "Norsemen". Those that do not make the cut-off time but complete the distance on a lower alternative route are given a white finishers top. The number of participants is usually limited to a certain number of competitors. Approximately 40% of the participants are from outside Norway; and about 15% are female.
Norseman triathlon first took place in 2003 with 21 individuals at the starting line. The race time record is 10:30 by Björn Andersson (Sweden) in 2005 (with irregular 190 km bike) and for women it is 13:10 by Susanne Buckenlei (Germany) in 2011 (with irregular 200 km bike).
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
branded triathlon
Triathlon
A triathlon is a multi-sport event involving the completion of three continuous and sequential endurance events. While many variations of the sport exist, triathlon, in its most popular form, involves swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over various distances...
, point to point, race held in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
annually. The distances are equivalent to those of an Ironman
Ironman Triathlon
An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation consisting of a swim, a bike and a marathon run, raced in that order and without a break...
race with the swim starting from the loading bay of a car ferry, through the water of the Hardangerfjord fjord
Fjord
Geologically, a fjord is a long, narrow inlet with steep sides or cliffs, created in a valley carved by glacial activity.-Formation:A fjord is formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. Glacial melting is accompanied by rebound of Earth's crust as the ice...
to the local town, Eidfjord
Eidfjord
Eidfjord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Eidfjord was separated from Ulvik May 1, 1891....
. At Eidfjord
Eidfjord
Eidfjord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Eidfjord was separated from Ulvik May 1, 1891....
the competitors transition onto their bikes and then cycle 180 km through the mountains, the first 40 km of which is uphill (reaching 1200 m above sea level). After transition two (at Austbygda), the competitors then run 42.2 km of which the first 25 km (to Rjukan
Rjukan
Rjukan is a town and the administrative center of Tinn municipality in Telemark . It is situated in Vestfjorddalen, between Møsvatn and Tinnsjå, and got its name after Rjukanfossen west of the town. The Tinn municipality council granted township status for Rjukan in 1996. The town has 3 386...
) are flat and following this they end up climbing the local mountain, Gaustatoppen
Gaustatoppen
Gaustatoppen is the highest mountain in the county Telemark in Norway. The view from the summit is impressive, as one can see an area of approximately 60,000 km², one sixth of Norways mainland. There is an elevator system inside the mountain, built for military purposes, that lately has become...
, 1880 m above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
The race is "unsupported" so competitors need to have personal back up crews that follow them with cars to provide them with food and drink. The support crews also have to accompany their competitor up the final mountain climb due to the inherent dangers of being highly fatigued on a mountain. During this final mountain climb competitors are required to carry a backpack containing emergency food and clothing should the weather turn, whilst they are on the mountain.
Weather conditions and strict health checks and deadlines determine whether the race can be followed into the mountains and those that finish are given a black finishers top and take on the name "Norsemen". Those that do not make the cut-off time but complete the distance on a lower alternative route are given a white finishers top. The number of participants is usually limited to a certain number of competitors. Approximately 40% of the participants are from outside Norway; and about 15% are female.
Norseman triathlon first took place in 2003 with 21 individuals at the starting line. The race time record is 10:30 by Björn Andersson (Sweden) in 2005 (with irregular 190 km bike) and for women it is 13:10 by Susanne Buckenlei (Germany) in 2011 (with irregular 200 km bike).
Coordinates
- Start 60.473°N 7.048°E
- Transition 1 60.4683°N 7.0682°E
- Transition 2 59.9888°N 8.8157°E
- Finish 59.8504°N 8.6560°E