Norseman triathlon explained

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 Hardanger fjord to the local town, Eidfjord.[1] 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).[1] After transition two (at Austbygdi, 190 m above sea level), 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, 1,880 m above sea level.[1]

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.[2] 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[2] should the weather turn, whilst they are on the mountain.

Weather and water

Weather conditions, 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 water temperature in Eidfjord is a challenge to the organizers. In 2015 the water temperature was measured to 10 degrees celsius. The safety team then decided to make the swim 1900 meters instead of 3800 meters. After the race, the safety crew decided to start the "Cold Water Research Project",[3] which will continue for several years including one or more PhD degrees in progress. The studies are led by Jonny Hisdal and Jørgen Melau. Other than cold water studies, the group also has started studies on biomarkers, lung functions and heart function. In 2019 there was a research effort at Norseman,[4] and the research group has published their first scientific papers.[5] [6] [7]

Participants

The number of participants is limited to a certain number of competitors (290 for 2020; 250 are invited, from sponsors, media and the majority from a draw; around 40 from qualified XTRI World Tour races for the World Championship).[8] Approximately 40% of the participants are from outside Norway; and about 15% are female. During the period 2003-2005, a total of 175 women (10.6%) and 1,852 men (89.4%) successfully finished the race.[9]

Norseman Xtreme Triathlon first took place in 2003 with 21 individuals at the start line. The race record (full swimming distance) is 09:23:28 by Jon Sæverås Breivold (Norway) in 2022 for men and 11:16:10 by Mette Pettersen Moe (Norway) in 2018 for women.

Winners

Year Class Winner Club, Country Time Notes
2003 Men Christian Houge-Thiis 12:48:28
2004 Men 11:30:08
Women Trude Andersen 13:15:20
2005 Men Björn Andersson 10:30:09
Women Trude Andersen 12:21:31
2006 Men Ole Stougaard 10:49:57
Women Marie Veslestaul 14:46:25
2007 Men Lars Petter Stormo 11:25:18
Women Emily Finanger 13:01:00
2008 Men Øyvind Johannessen 11:08:10
Women Jenny Gowans 14:02:00
2009 Men Tom Remman 11:19:48
Women Susanne Buckenlei 13:21:48
2010 Men Henrik Oftedal 10:59:57
Women Susanne Buckenlei 13:13:03
2011 Men 11:18:52
Women Susanne Buckenlei 13:10:44
2012 Men Henrik Oftedal 10:23:43
Women Annett Finger 12:17:04
2013 Men Markus Stierli 11:25:16
Women Inger Liv Bjerkreim Nilsen 12:43:14
2014 Men Allan Hovda 10:52:07
Women Line Foss 12:56:27
2015 Men Allan Hovda 09:43:37 half swimming distance
Women Kristin Lie 11:50:48 half swimming distance
2016 Men Lars Petter Stormo 10:22:37
Women Kari Flottorp Lingsom 12:24:52
2017 Men Lars Christian Vold 09:52:10
Women Anne Nevin 12:04:18
2018 Men Allan Hovda 10:05:48
Women Mette Pettersen Moe 11:16:10 Record
2019 Men Fedrik Linge Johnsen 10:47:55
Women Danne Boterenbrood 13:13:59
2021 Men Jon Sæverås Breivold 10:21:47
Women Julie Aspesletten 12:39:18
2022 Men Jon Sæverås Breivold 09:23:28 Record
Women Eilidh Prise 11:47:49

External links

Coordinates

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Course Map . Norseman .
  2. Web site: Race Manual . Norseman.
  3. Web site: Jørgen . Melau . 2020-02-27 . The Cold Beginning . Norseman.
  4. Web site: Melau . Jørgen . 2019-08-09 . Norseman 2019 Research . Jørgen Melau.
  5. Melau . Jørgen . Mathiassen . Maria . Stensrud . Trine . Tipton . Mike . Hisdal . Jonny . 2019 . Core Temperature in Triathletes during Swimming with Wetsuit in 10°C Cold Water . Sports . 7 . 6 . 130 . 10.3390/sports7060130 . 31142055 . 6628109 . free .
  6. Melau . Jørgen . Bonnevie-Svendsen . Martin . Mathiassen . Maria . Mykland Hilde . Janne . Oma . Lars . Hisdal . Jonny . 2019 . Late-Presenting Swimming-Induced Pulmonary Edema: A Case Report Series from the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon . Sports . 7 . 6 . 137 . 10.3390/sports7060137. 31163677 . 6628402 . free .
  7. Storsve . Andreas B. . Johnsen . Line . Nyborg . Christoffer . Melau . Jørgen . Hisdal . Jonny . Burri . Lena . 2020-08-18 . Effects of Krill Oil and Race Distance on Serum Choline and Choline Metabolites in Triathletes: A Field Study . Frontiers in Nutrition . 7 . 133 . 10.3389/fnut.2020.00133. 33015116 . 7461811 . 10852/85429 . free . free .
  8. Web site: Norseman 2022 Athlete's Guide . Norseman . Box.
  9. Knechtle. Beat. Nikolaidis. Pantelis Theodoros . Stiefel . Michael . Rosemann . Thomas . Rüst . Christoph Alexander . 2016-10-31 . Performance and sex differences in 'Isklar Norseman Xtreme Triathlon' . The Chinese Journal of Physiology . 59 . 5 . 276–283 . 10.4077/CJP.2016.BAE420 . 0304-4920 . 27604138.