Attracting the toughest triathletes in the world, Norway’s Norseman isn’t for the faint-hearted. We sent one writer on a quest to battle freezing cold and ferocious inclines to return with one of the fabled black finishers’ t-shirts.
It’s 4:30am and I’m standing on the lower deck of a ferry in the middle of a Norwegian Fjord. Above me, a member of the boat crew is using a fire hose to spray me with freezing cold water taken straight from the water below. I feel the icy cold blast rushing through my wetsuit and start to shiver. I look to my right and hear the hollow sound of the ferry doors opening. My heart starts to beat faster, my mind’s racing as I head towards the edge of the ferry and I look down into the darkness. The legendary jump has arrived.
The Norseman Extreme triathlon is one of the hardest multisport events on the planet. Even gaining entry to the race is tough, with over 3,500 athletes attempting to claim one of the 250 places available. Started in 2003, the race has become legendary among endurance athletes, eager to tick off the point-to-point, iron distance triathlon.
TOUGH REPUTATION
The race starts in the cold but beautiful waters of Hardangerfjord with a 3.8km swim. On race day, water temperatures can vary from 10°-14°C. Inevitably, wetsuits are always required. Two hundred and fifty athletes from around the world then jump off the ferry and swim towards T1 in the town of Eidfjord.
The 180km bike ride encompasses 3,280m of climbing, reaching 1,200m above sea level. The first climb is a brutal 25km long and carves through the mountains.
The marathon is undulating for the first 25km with a further 18km of ascent reaching the summit of Mount Gaustatoppen at 1,880m above sea level. Only the first 160 athletes through are allowed to reach the summit to claim the hallowed black finisher’s t-shirt; everyone else has to take a different route to a separate finish, where a white t-shirt awaits them.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2017-Ausgabe von 220 Triathlon.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October 2017-Ausgabe von 220 Triathlon.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
BAPTISM OF FIRE
Eager to get a taste for multisport, Ben Clement takes on the duathlon at Xterra Matterley in Hampshire and discovers it's far from a walk in a park...
SWIMMING'S GREATEST INNOVATION
FORM’S NEWSMART, SWIM 2 GOGGLES PROJECT YOUR ACCURATE!} HEART RATE ONTO THE. GSGELE. LENS FOR ON-THE-FLY FEEDBACK, IT’SSET TO TRANSFORM THE PERFORMANCE OF ALL EEVELS OF TRIATHLETE. WE SHOW YOU HOW..;
ON TEST TRIATHLON BAGS
In need of a pack to keep all of your kit organised on race day? We put seven options to the test
TRIATHLON WETSUITS UNDER £400
On a budget? Then there are some great wetsuits out there, starting at a little over £100. Here's our pick...
LONG DISTANCE RACES FOR LESS
Struggling to stomach the cost of a full or middle-distance tri? These picks will test you physically and mentally, without being as painful on your pocket...
HOW TO CONQUER SWIMMING IN THE SEA
The sea is nature's greatest swimming pool - and features in many of the world's best triathlons. But if you're new to oceanic adventures, it can be daunting. Here's how to feel at home...
THE POWER OF RESILIENCE
Georgia Taylor-Brown is one of Great Britain's finest triathletes whose strength of spirit has seen her overcome a litany of injuries and personal issues that would end the careers of most. And, as Adam Leitch finds out, just making the 2024 Olympic team would be her biggest victory to date..
QUINTANA ROO V-PRI
QUINTANA ROO’S BACK WITH AN UPGRADE ON ITS V-PR. ON THE FACE OF IT, IT LOOKS IMPRESSIVE, BUT YOULL NEED DEEP POCKETS...
NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
Hugo Milner may be fairly new to the sport of triathlon, but he's already one of Britain's brightest prospects in years. In fact, he's that good he even has an outside chance of heading to Paris...
"I DON'T LET THE STROKE AFFECT MY DECISION TO RACE"
In 2022, personal trainer Richard Higgins, 33, suffered a stroke two months before Celtman, but he refuses to waste any energy thinking about it...