During the past year Norwegians have put down a marker in triathlon, and the Norseman is no exception. Held on August 5th, 2023, the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon includes a 3.8km swim in a fjord. The bike leg is 180km through five mountain passes, and the event finishes with a 42.2km marathon run to the top of Mt Gausta.
This year, the Norseman celebrates its 20th anniversary. The organising team notes that many sports events are experiencing a decline in interest. However, Norseman reportedly had 4,650 applicants from 98 different countries for this year’s event – which only has capacity for 265 athletes.
General manager of Zalaris Norseman, Hårek Stranheim, notes that the 20th anniversary evet should see a number of duels amongst the field, particularly in the elite men’s race.
27-year-old Norwegian Jon Breivold has won Norseman and the XTRI World Championships in the past two years, and in 2022 he smashed the previous course record by nearly half an hour.
In 2023 the Norwegian athlete will be challenged by a roster of pro triathletes, including Germany’s Sebastian Kienle who this year is undertaking his ‘retirement tour’.
