XTRI the Journey

FIRST EDITION 

Snapshot Canada 

We take a dip into Lac-Mégantic 

with Canadaman founder Jean- 

Thomas Boily and feel the emotion 

with 2019 winner Caroline Livesey. 

10 

the Stories 

Read inspiring tales about the 

people of Xtri: the Architect Hårek 

Stranheim; the Artist Kai-Otto 

Melau; the Celtman Chris Stirling. 

6, 22, 44 

Encyclopaedia Xtremica 

Take an in-depth look at all our 

races, their incredible locations and 

statistical facts. All are unique and 

every one special. You choose. 

50

Journey planner 

Welcome to Xtri – Stuart McInnes..................................................... 5 

the Architect – Hårek Stranheim....................................................... 6 

Nouvelles frontières – Jean-Thomas Boily..................................... 10 

Queen of Scots – Caroline Livesey................................................... 12 

When is cold too cold? – Jorgen Melau........................................... 18 

the Artist – Kai-Otto Melau.............................................................. 22 

From one xtreme to the other – Siddhant Chauhan........................ 30 

A life-altering trip to Morocco – Joan Pont Prats........................... 38 

the Celtman – Chris Stirling tribute................................................ 44 

Encyclopaedia Xtremica................................................................... 50 

12 

the Journey is a magazine produced and distributed by Xtri World Tour AS Eidfjord, Norway 

www.xtrithejourney.com | Xtri World Tour is supported by Innovation Norway. 

Editor in Chief: Stuart McInnes 

Design and Layout: Jannika Lantz 

Cover: Kai-Otto Melau 

Contributors: Hårek Stranheim, Steve Ashworth, Kai-Otto Melau, Siddhant Chauhan, Jean- 

Thomas Boily, Caroline Livesey, Joan Pont Prats, Jorgen Melau 

Photographers: Kai-Otto Melau, Lars-Erik Blenne Lien, Jannika Lantz, Stuart McInnes, Robby 

MacBeath, José Louis Hourcade, Steve Ashworth, Alberto Palladino, Sampo Lenzi, Oriol 

Martinéz Toro, Isidor Stankov Nupur Sing, Vikram Bhalla, Dido Fontana and Jorgen Melau. 

30 

2

38 

A life-altering trip to Morocco. My name is Joan 

Pont Prats and with the rest of our team we are 

working hard to make the upcoming Amazigh Xtri, 

the first extreme triathlon in Morocco, a reality. 

We are very excited about this project, as it is 

an important addition to the story of my family’s 

Moroccan adventure… 

Photo: Stuart McInnes 

Queen of Scots. The Canadian people’s reputation for 

friendliness has been established for a reason. But they 

also love a challenge. Descended from settlers who thrived 

despite a fiercely harsh environment, tenacity is a natural 

instinct. As a Scot, I was amazed to learn that the first real 

settlers to race town Lac-Mégantic were Scottish islanders, 

perhaps the most hardy of all. 

Photo: Steve Ashworth 

44 

From one xtreme to the other. Generally everyone 

marks festivals, birthdays and vacations on their 

calendars, but there is a new ritual for me which has 

found its way into my life over the last three years – 

The Norseman Ballot. 


the Celtman. In April 2019 Xtri lost one of its most 

devoted, talented and beloved family members 

– Chris Stirling. Steve Ashworth, close personal 

friend of Chris, pays tribute and tells us about their 

joint first step into the world of Xtri. 

Photo: Robby MacBeath 

3

SOUND 

DECISIONS 

The Xtri World Tour Podcast is a perfect introduction to help you 

make your choice of your next (or first) Xtri. 

Join international sports anchor Tania Branzanic and quench 

your thirst of all things Xtri. 

Listen through Spotify, iTunes or visit xtri.podbean.com. 

The Xtri World Tour Podcast – An essential part of your journey 

Photo: Dido Fontana 

TANIA BRANZANIC 

AGE: 40 LOCATION: Malcesine, Italy 

xtri.podbean.com 

Photo: Kai-Otto Melau 

4

Photo: Jannika Lantz 

STUART MCINNES 

AGE: 46 LOCATION: Jönköping, Sweden 

Listen to 

the athletes 

Listen to the athletes: “I’m here because of the 

community; we adore the landscape; the 

course is tough and beautiful; it’s about the 

experience, the feeling and the memories”. 

Race times matter, but only to those who 

can compete at an extreme level, and they are 

few. For these superhumans we have the Xtri 

World Championship, taking place within the 

Norseman. For the rest, it’s about finishing, it’s 

about the T-shirt, it’s about being part of the Xtri 

family. Like dinner at an Italian’s house, there is 

intense conversation, laughter, smiles and joy, 

good vibes and the occasional divorce. And they 

always want to come back for more. We have 

seen friendships, relationships and lovers emerge 

from our crazy little races. 

For me Xtri is all about the feeling of 

adventure, the excitement and the undiscovered 

treasures. After an inspirational visit to the 

Norseman in 2010 (as a filmmaker and not an 

athlete I should add), we undertook the monumental 

task of emulating this amazing concept 

in Scotland. And the rest is history. 

The future of the Xtri World Tour is bright 

and expansive. We now have wonderful events 

across the globe and many more are under development 

in spectacular locations. We stipulate that 

our new members have to follow the lead of the original 

events and stick to our values. These values always 

include using unique and wild locations, involving local 

communities, using local resources and creating a 

small, friendly event which will have a lasting impact 

on the competitors and their support crews. 

Our true and basic approach makes for an lifetime 

experience which cannot be replicated by larger 

events and thus, there will always be great stories 

from your Xtri attendance. These stories became the 

underlying idea for this magazine. When embarking 

on our “let’s find a brand story” exercise, it became 

obvious that we need no such thing, the story of 

Xtri is already there. The Xtri World Tour is about 

people and their differing cultures, it’s about adventure 

travel, it’s about discovery and digging deep 

and of course it’s about triathlon, but you can swim, 

bike and run anywhere, we give you the opportunity 

to do so in an unforgettable environment. Xtri is a 

journey like no other. 

Read on and be inspired. 

Stuart McInnes 

CEO Xtri World Tour 

5

the Architect 

Hårek Stranheim, 52 from near Oslo in Norway. Inventor of the 

Norseman and the Xtreme Triathlon format. This article is extracted 

from an interview with Hårek for the Norseman Radio Podcast. 

I 

live two hours south of Oslo and 

I‘m a just a regular family guy who 

has enjoyed long distance triathlon 

as a lifestyle for some 20 years. 

In the eighties and very early nineties 

triathlon was fairly popular in Norway. 

And then the sport completely died, so in 

the year 2000 only nine people competed 

in a long distance triathlon. I did my first 

in Sweden in 1999 completely out of shape 

and I enjoyed that experience so much 

that I decided to bring a similar event to 

Norway. So I started to look for a place that 

could be as great as the one in Kalmar, now 

the home of Ironman Sweden. 

It‘s a beautiful little city, flat, has 

warm water, it‘s always nice weather and 

it has good people. I‘ve now done that 

race four times, it‘s such a great place for 

a triathlon. 

Humble beginnings 

I discovered that it is totally impossible 

to find a comparable place in Norway 

so it was quite easy to conclude that we 

should do something completely the 

opposite of the normal fast flat races. 

I chose Hardangerfjord for the 

swim as I thought going further north 

the water would be too cold. And 

since I live in Telemark county, I really 

wanted the race to end at the top of our 

mountain, arguably the most beautiful 

6 

mountain in Norway – Gaustatoppen. 

It didn‘t take much time playing around 

on the map to realise where the obvious 

route for Norseman would be. Starting in 

the little spot called Eidfjord, travelling 

across the Hardangervidda mountain 

plateau and ending up on Gaustatoppen. 

As this was long before Google 

Maps, we were amazed to find that it was 

absolutely perfect. 180 kilometres on 

the bike and 42.2 kilometers of running. 

It was like this event was given to us by 

someone as a gift. 

Social party of 21 

There were 21 people on the start line the 

first year. I had spent a lot of time in the 

previous year trying to recruit people to 

join me during the first race. But as there 

were few triathletes around it was not 

that easy to find them. But I managed to 

persuade some to join. I told them that 

this would be a very sociable event, not 

a race as such. Just a swim and a bike 

ride together, taking photos and being 

sociable and so on. As friends do. 

I did the race myself. It was a very 

small organisation so when I arrived 

at the finish line I sent the rest of the 

organization away, took over as the 

director and welcomed the rest of the 

athletes. We were lucky enough to have 

had the national broadcasters with us the 

Photo: Kai-Otto Melau

7

Photo: José Louis Hourcade 

Hårek seen here with compatriot Dag Oliver, General Manager of the 

Norseman Xtreme Triathlon. 

8

whole day following me and one other guy 

so it was actually quite exhausting, but it 

was a good atmosphere the whole day. 

I was convinced that this new race 

would be a great success and so moved 

forward with the preparations for the 

second edition. 

The next year we had 90 people 

with international participation. We 

had good photos from the first year 

and I‘m going to say we were very good 

at publishing these. We again had the 

national broadcaster, and the editor of 

a German travel magazine, Ian Stricter, 

who came to cover the race. He gave 

us some great help because he used a 

little artisitc license which got us the 

attention of the triathlon professionals 

and some real international 

recognition. 

Norseman – a winning concept 

17 years on and Norseman is very 

much the same as it was the first year. 

It has become professional but the 

original feel of the race is the same. 

The important parts of the race remain 

unchanged and the good things have 

been kept. It‘s why it‘s still so popular. 

Having a slot for Norseman 

should make the entire year great 

for you. You should simply be happy 

about it. Don‘t overtrain, don‘t be too 

worried. It‘s a wonderful experience 

and will be more successful if you 

are not too focused or too stressed 

about it. So just relax and enjoy it. The 

experience of doing it together with 

your support and the wonderful crew 

is unique and memorable. 

I should add that I‘m still 

optimistic about this event. Even with 

17 years gone it is still a very young 

event. It‘s still in the early years. And 

even if it has now become known 

around the world, I think Norseman 

is still a small event with a huge 

potential. So I plan to stay around for 

another 40 years enjoying watching 

and following the race. 

I also believe that Norseman 

and the other Xtri events have a great 

future and I look forward to the day 

when the Xtri World Championship 

has professionals fighting for the win 

and we‘ll see helicopters in the air. That 

is my dream, seeing the helicopters and 

the crowd up on Zombie Hill. i 

You can listen to the full interview with 

Hårek on Norseman radio via 

www.nxtri.com 


Slicing through Hardangerfjord. 

Photo: José Luis Hourcade 

9

The finish line of Canadaman on Mont Mégantic. 

Reach the stars before midnight. 

Photo: Endurance Aventure 

Mégantic region description: 

The Mégantic region has wonderful scenery and captivating vistas no matter the season. Come and discover a wide 

range of activities that can be enjoyed in a picture-perfect mountain and lake-filled setting. 

The region is also known as the International Dark Sky Reserve. Canadaman participants will ride along the beautiful 

Summit Drive marked with breath-taking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and majestic lakes, where 

the route reaches an altitude of approximately 1000 metres. Located in the heart of the first International Dark Sky 

Reserve, the road also connects the highest mountain peaks of southern Quebec. 

The race enters the national park and ascends Mont Mégantic, where athletes will discover the ASTROLab 

observatories. These elements of mountain and sky make Mont-Mégantic National Park a place where activities 

“from the Earth to the sky” come together in perfect harmony. 

www.tourisme-megantic.com 

10

CANADA 

Nouvelles frontières 

Jean-Thomas Boily, JT to his friends, is a retired cross country skier 

from the Canadian Paranordic Team. He started skiing at an early 

age but in January 1988 had a severe fall while acrobatic skiing. 

This fall resulted in paraplegia. 

Jean-Thomas, not one for sitting 

back, soon became involved with 

para-sports in 1989, initially taking 

up wheelchair racing until he 

discovered para-cross country 

skiing in 1996. His best season was in 

2004 where he had 4 podiums on the 

cross-country world cup series and 

took the 5th place on the overall world 

cup ranking. JT retired from skiing in 

2006 after participating at the Torino 

Paralympics. 

He met his wife Melanie in 2007 and 

they now have 2 daughters. 

Beside his racing career, JT founded 

Endurance Aventure, a sports event 

company, with his best friend Daniel 

Poirier in 1998. The company has grown 

over 20 years to now be one of the major 

Canadian event organisers. 

The passion for the sport and for the 

discovery of wild and beautiful places is the 

core motivation for the enterprise. With 

more than 10 000 km of race course marked 

over the years and about 150 Canadian 

and international associated specialists, 

Endurance Aventure holds unique expertise 

in sport and outdoors events management, 

for summer and winter events. 

The regional development and 

international visibility associated with 

Endurance Aventure is partly due to 

the association with a professional 

video production team working under 

the banner of Productions Endurance 

Aventure. 

Endurance Aventure have events 

presented in many Canadian regions as 

well as internationally including China. i 

Photo: S. Tourigny 

JOHN-THOMAS BOILY 

AGE: 47 LOCATION: Orford, Canada 

11

CANADA 

Queen of Scots 

The Canadian people’s reputation for friendliness has been 

established for a reason. But they also love a challenge. Descended 

from settlers who thrived despite a fiercely harsh environment, 

tenacity is a natural instinct. 

In the early days they relied heavily on each other for survival, 

and had to give a warm welcome to every person who ventured to 

settle with them. As a Scot, I was amazed to learn that the first real 

settlers to race town Lac-Mégantic were Scottish islanders, perhaps 

the most hardy of all. 

Text: Caroline Livesey 

So it is barely surprising that the 

team from Canadaman have 

coupled these two things to create 

a race which is so tough it is 

barely believable, but deliver it against a 

backdrop of friendly encouragement and 

a shared belief that everyone can finish. 

They have taken the word “extreme” and 

applied it to every detail of the course. It is 

raw, beautiful, relentless and as physically 

challenging as anything I have ever done. 

Had I known exactly what I was getting into 

I would have felt more trepidation on the 

start line. 

As it was I felt nothing but excitement. 

As a professional long-distance triathlete, I 

knew the day would be long and hard, but 

I was there for that reason. My reason to 

race, the “why” that kept me going through 

the pain and fatigue, was to find new limits 

on this testing course. To dig into my 

12 

mental and physical reserves and find those 

depths of endurance. Because experiences 

like this are punctuation marks in our life. 

They change a small part of us and etch 

memories in our minds forever. 

My excitement was also compounded 

by the team around me. Xtri offers 

an incredible opportunity that other 

commercial long course racing does not, 

the chance to race with a team. Triathlon 

is such an individual sport that at times 

it can feel selfish and lonely. But take an 

epic challenge like Canadaman, and make 

it impossible to complete without relying 

wholly on your support crew, and you 

create a shared experience that is rewarding 

for everyone involved. I met my crew just 

two days before the race, but we bonded 

instantly. They oozed enthusiasm and 

positivity, building my already sky-high 

excitement to extreme levels. 

Photo: Steve Ashworth

CAROLINE LIVESEY 

AGE: 40 LOCATION: Felanitx, Mallorca 

13

14


It is hard to describe the feelings and 

emotions that I had during this incredible 

race. It had all the elements of a truly 

epic life experience. I was physically 

fitter than I had been in years, mentally 

prepared to push my limits to breaking 

point, taking on a course that was 

insanely tough with a crew who I knew 

would motivate me and keep me positive. 

Throughout the day I had moments of 

clarity unlike anything I have experienced 

before, this was truly living. 

The race dynamic added another 

key ingredient. Two time Canadaman 

winner Lyne Bessette and I had met the 

day before the race, and I knew that she 

would be my main rival for the title. A 

self-proclaimed poor swimmer, Lyne was 

some 20 minutes behind me out of the 

swim. But as a previous member of the 

Canadian Olympic road cycling team and 

expert trail runner, the race was certainly 

not lost for her. I was being chased down 

all day, and with no split information 

available to me on course, I did not know 

for a single moment all day how far 

behind me she was. All day that is until 

the final 300m. 

Can you imagine a race so full of 

mental and physical challenges it is like a 

never-ending rollercoaster? A course so 

stunning that it is breath-taking at all the 

moments you need oxygen the most? So 

majestic that it begs you to stop and take 

it all in just as you remember you have to 

keep moving? 

All day I was hit by these powerful 

moments, but nothing prepared me for 

the final 2 hours of racing. Already 10 

hours into the course, the final climb to 

the summit of Mont Mégantic takes you 

on a trail which offers no sympathy at all. 

There are no easy sections, no kilometres 

which pass quickly, no step you can take 

without full concentration. The forest, 

swamps and boulders line up to trip you 

up and slow you down. It is a tussle with 

nature, and one which would require 

your every wit on a fresh day. But now, 

having tested your endurance already, 

this section challenges even the most 

coordinated and strong athlete. Knee high 

boulder after knee high boulder sap your 

strength and rip your muscles apart. 

As I was fighting for every inch, 

Lyne was making time up on me with 

every step. An experienced trail runner 

who knows this course well, she had the 

advantage of being given time splits as she 

mounted the trail. Every mile she gained 

time, and confidence that she could catch 

me before the top. For me, as I neared the 

summit my own confidence also built. 

Maybe, just maybe, I would not be caught. 

The drama all unfolded 300m from 

the finish as I came out of the woods and 

onto the road. The crowds were cheering, 

and for the first time I started to believe 

that I had won. At that moment I heard 

shouting that Lyne was right behind me. 

I glanced back and she was no more than 

25m away, coming at me up the hill. In an 

instant the tenacious Scot in me found the 

reserve to run as hard as I could, crossing 

the line just 10 seconds ahead of Lyne. 

Victorious, my body heaved in disbelief 

at what had just happened, and my legs 

buckled. After 12 hours of racing, to be so 

close, so insanely close, it was a shock for 

both of us and everyone watching. I had 

achieved my goal, I had found a new limit 

of my endurance, and I had shared that 

with my crew, creating a bond stronger 

than Canadian winter ice. 

The emotion of the day has not worn 

off yet, and doubt that I will ever forget 

the experience that Canadaman gave me. 

As my first taste of Xtri, it truly lived up 

to its strap line and reputation. It was my 

first, but it certainly will not be the last. i 

www.trainxhale.com 

15

16 

Discover more at orca.com

MY 

RACE 

BEGINS 

NOW 

SEBASTIAN KIENLE 

2014 IM KONA WORLD CHAMPION 

IDEAL FOR 

TOTAL SWIMMER 

17

Jorgen Melau, Cold water scientist 

Tell us about yourself and how 

you became involved with cold water 

swimming research. 

I am a Norwegian PhD student, doing 

research on how the body responds to extreme 

endurance races. First and foremost, we have 

focused on swimming in cold water. But we also 

do a few other projects. 

My background is as a rescue paramedic 

in the air ambulance in Norway, I have also 

been an officer in the armed forces, and as a 

nurse anesthetist. I have done my fair share 

of triathlons, including 6 Ironman races. I 

have never done the Norseman though which 

is a shame. I tell myself it is because I work at 

Norseman, but the ugly truth is that I am out 

of shape. 

Doing a PhD on this particular subject was 

a coincidence. I have been the safety director at 

Norseman Xtreme Triathlon for 15 years now. 

It is well known for the cold swim. In 2015, we 

measured a water temperature of 10°C the day 

before the race. I was there with my assistant 

safety director, professor Jonny Hisdal, and we 

really didn´t know if this would be safe for the 

athletes. Jonny and I did a test swim the day 

before, measuring our core temperature with 

temperature pills. We then decided to shorten 

the swim. 

Jonny has been a scientist for several 

years, and told me “Jørgen, you should do a 

PhD and some solid research on this”. And so 

it all started. I am now doing research at the 

University of Oslo and Vestfold Hospital Trust. 

What type of research have you done 

and what results have you found about 

swimming in cold water? 

I am at the start of my research career, 

so for now we have just a few results to 

Jorgen in his role as an 

emergency helicopter 

paramedic. 

Photo: Jorgen Melau 

18

When is cold 

too cold? 

19

share. First and foremost, we have had 20 

athletes swimming with a wetsuit in 10°C 

water in a controlled environment to see 

how the body reacts. We did all kind of 

physiological measurements before, during 

and after together with other scientists. We 

looked at the effects on the heart and lungs, 

temperature, effect of body fat and muscles on 

core temperature and more. (the study can be 

found at nxtri.com, “When is cold too cold“). 

We also recently published a series of case 

reports from Norseman, with athletes suffering 

from Swimming Induced Pulmonary Edema 

(SIPE) (nxtri.com “What is SIPE? – More 

Norseman Research“). 

In the last few years, we have created 

a research group doing several studies at 

Norseman. 

We have drawn many blood samples 

from athletes, before the race, at the finish 

line and the day after the race. We wanted to 

measure specific changes in biomarkers on 

the heart, hormones, hydration and more. We 

also did a lung function test. We will continue 

these studies every year. This year, we will 

include cardiac examination using standard 

ultrasound assessment of the athlete’s heart. 

The ultrasound recordings can be used to 

investigate how big the heart is and how 

your heart muscles contracts. The athletes 

blood vessels will also be examined with 

standardized methods to investigate how the 

blood vessels work. 

We have been testing Olympic athletes 

who are qualified to Tokyo Olympics in 

2020. There is a huge challenge with heat and 

humidity in Tokyo so the Norwegian Olympic 

Training Centre held a training camp for 

the athletes with testing. The first day was in 

normal conditions and the second day was 

in “Tokyo” conditions. We let the athletes do 

standardised tests in a room heated to 35°C 

and high humidity. And then we did a series of 

physiological tests to see if there were 

any differences. 

At what point is cold water 

swimming dangerous? 

Our objective is not to show that 

swimming in cold water is dangerous! We 

do not believe it is. We think that sports like 

triathlon are vital parts of the public health 

and we very much urge people to participate 

in endurance races and recreational activities. 

That being said, there is a lower limit on 

water temperature safety but we don´t know 

the exact limit. There are many factors that 

play a role in this, such as how long you are 

exposed to the cold water, how your wetsuit 

fits, your levels of body fat and muscles, 

air temperature and more. We will work 

on this for the next few years to gain more 

knowledge. 

For a very few exposure to cold water 

can be a risk factor. Several scientists have 

tried to identify what characterises these 

few people. We know that sudden exposure 

to cold water could put a heavy strain on 

the heart.There is much more to learn on 

this topic. 

Our objective is first and foremost to see 

how the body responds to cold water. Then we 

hope to be able to give advice and guidelines 

to athletes and race directors about how to do 

training and races in the safest possible way. 

We know that a lot of the XTRI races have 

cold waters and low air temperatures. We will 

do our best to give good advice on how to do 

this in the safest possible way. 

And finally, the most important 

question of them all – will you ever 

race an XTRI race? 

My supervisor and buddy (not sure 

about the “buddy” thing though...) told me 

that I will not pass my PhD dissertation if I 

haven’t done an XTRI race. It is easy for him 

to say as he has done more than 15 XTRIs 

himself. So, I probably have to do it in a few 

years. It will be ugly to watch; I can tell you 

that. Probably not Norseman. 

Is there such thing as an easy XTRI? i 

20

JORGEN MELAU 

AGE: 48 LOCATION: Stavern, Norway 


21

„ If you come back from Xtri without 

awesome pictures – it‘s time to sell your gear“ 

– Kai-Otto Melau 

22

Hardangerfjord, Norway. 


23

the Artist 

Kai-Otto Melau has become a staple at Xtri races, passionate and active in 

the field for over ten years. However, the norwegian photographer was not 

particularly convinced when he arrived at his first Xtri job in 2008, wearing a 

leather jacket and Converse, feeling completely out of his comfort zone. 

„ I was smiling to myself at all the silly people wearing sneakers, compression 

socks, t-shirts with goofy quotes and ‚ fast‘ sunglasses“, the photographer 

recalls. „ I couldn‘t imagine how they where able to gather so many people with 

bad fashion sense in one place“. 

Text: Kai-Otto Melau. 

KAI-OTTO MELAU 

AGE: 40 LOCATION: Stavern, Norway 


Photo: Alberto Palladino 

24

Back in 2008 I worked as a 

photographer at a Norwegian 

newspaper. I had never shot 

sports in my life and not 

really into it. My brother had been 

involved in Norseman more or less 

since the beginning, and I briefly 

knew Hårek, the founder of the 

Norseman. They both asked me a few 

times to come shoot the race. I wasn’t 

really interested at first, but in the 

end I ended up losing my job at the 

newspaper, and in an effort to make 

ends meet I finally agreed. 

Gaustatoppen – a turning point 

I remember arriving in Eidfjord for 

the Norseman race. It was just before 

the race briefing, and I was walking 

around smiling to myself at all the silly 

people wearing sneakers, compression 

socks and ‘fast’ sunglasses. Their goofy 

T-shirts had slogans like „ I love the 

smell of neoprene in the morning“ 

and „ If you see me collapse, pause 

my Garmin“. Besides me there was no 

one around with black leather jackets, 

skinny jeans or Converse shoes. I 

couldn‘t imagine how they where able 

to gather so many people with a bad 

sense of fashion in one place. I felt 

totally out of my comfort zone. 

The next morning I was woken up 

at 3 am and told to get to work. I got 

up, walked outside and was met by a 

horde of people in neoprene, checking 

their Garmins as they slowly walked 

towards the ferry. All I really wanted to 

do was go back to sleep. 

Fifteen hours later I wasn’t smiling 

anymore. I was standing on top of 

Gaustatoppen, according to some the 

most beautiful mountain in Norway, 

overlooking the town of Rjukan at 

nearly 1 883 meters above sea level. I 

had followed the athletes jumping out of 

the ferry into the cold, dark fjord, biking 

up steep hills that I couldn’t even imagine 

myself walking up, and jogging up a huge 

pile of rocks – and for what? A black 

T-shirt! I was in complete awe, but they 

were all beyond crazy! 

As I walked back down the 

mountain my respect for the athletes was 

overwhelming. I ended up making myself 

two promises – I will never make fun of 

their stupid T-shirts, compression socks or 

sunglasses again, and secondly I will never 

walk Gaustatoppen in a black leather 

jacket, skinny jeans and Converse shoes 

ever again. 

Raised by Xtri 

I never really wanted to become a sports 

photographer. In fact it took me a lot 

of years to realize that this is what I’ve 

actually become. I am really thankful to 

Norseman and the other races in the Xtri 

World Tour who gave me the chance to 

shoot their races. Ten years ago I couldn`t 

even imagine I would be where I am 

today. Xtri made my career and I am 

forever grateful, it‘s where it all started 

for me. 

There are a lot of similar races 

out there, but nothing compares to an 

authentic Xtri. I guess it’s the combination 

of unique and spectacular locations, 

awesome athletes and great organisation 

that makes Xtri stand out. 

It‘s a photographer‘s dream come true. 

You have athletes doing hardcore stuff 

with a spectacular backdrop. It’s pretty 

much just to push that button on your 

camera and voilà! 

I always said that if you come back 

from an Xtri and you don`t have awesome 

pictures it`s time to sell your gear. i 

komelau 

25


26

27

NO, WE’RE NOT AN 

OFFICIAL SPONSOR 

OF TRIATHLONS. 

WE’RE JUST 

OFFICIALLY USED 

BY THE ONES 

WINNING THEM. 

28

FUELING THE BEST. 

OFFICIALLY AND UNOFFICIALLY. 

29

From one xtreme 

to the other 

Generally everyone marks festivals, birthdays and vacations on 

their calendars, but there is a new ritual for me which has found its 

way into my life over the last three years – The Norseman Ballot. 

Text: Siddhant Chauhan. 

The first year when I applied 

there were just three races in 

the Xtri family – Norseman, 

Celtman and Swissman. 

Unfortunately I was unlucky in the draw 

and settled for an Ironman race in France. 

Second year, same story. But this time I 

had also decided to apply for Celtman. 

Scotland has been on my bucket list since 

the day I saw Mel Gibson play the part of 

legend William Wallace in the Hollywood 

hit – Braveheart. 

I marked the date in my calendar for 

the ballot results and completely forgot 

about it. When folks in the Celtman group 

started posting about their acceptance 

for the race I went straight to my inbox, 

without much hope, to see if I had received 

the email. What followed was excitement, 

some woohoos and a raw version of the 

moonwalk across my hallway. 

The journey begins 

Once the excitement had settled, came 

the big question: How do I train for this 

complex terrain and crazy weather? 

And don’t even mention the jellyfish. I 

wanted to check if there was anyone else 

who had done this race from India and 

30 

could advise me so I wrote to the team at 

Celtman, but was informed that I was the 

first one to do so. Challenge Guinea Pig: 

ACCEPTED. But the jellyfish! Ok, lets not 

discuss them for now. 

I live in Gurgaon, a suburb of the 

capital, Delhi. During the winter season 

which stretches from November to 

February, the handful of triathletes in 

the city become nothing less than secret 

service agents trying to hunt for a pool 

which is functional. There are hardly 

any available. 

For those who are not aware, India is 

considered the road accident capital of the 

world clocking 17 deaths and 53 crashes 

every hour. Now you can imagine that this 

doesn’t make for a pleasant situation when 

doing long bike rides. 

Nevertheless, here we are aware of 

the risks and try to work around them. 

You can train as much as you want on 

an indoor trainer, but the true joy of 

cycling is riding outside and exploring the 

terrain. So with the pool access limited, I 

continued to focus on cycling and running. 

Just when the base phase was coming to an 

end, I received a warm welcome from the 

scorching heat of our famous summers. 

Photo: Nupur Singlon

SIDDHANT CHAUHAN 

AGE: 36 LOCATION: Gurgaon, India 

31

„ There was no way to carry out a simulation 

of the race conditions. 

Swim in 11 degrees – impossible.“ 

32

The peak months ahead of the 

event were insane. The temperature 

through the month of March to June 

reached almost 42 degrees. There was 

no way to carry out a simulation of the 

race conditions. Swim in 11 degrees – 

impossible. Oh and the jellyfish will have 

to wait a little longer... 

Riding on a course with cold 

winds or rain – of course, 42 degree gets 

nowhere close to that. Running across 

munros – absolutely. Wait, what? Hills in 

this city? Never heard of them! 

The training was mentally 

exhausting and my professional work 

could never take a back seat, making it 

even more challenging. There was also 

no one to give me company for long 

workouts in this kind of weather. 

I clearly remember one instance 

where after a 160 km bike ride, it was just 

past noon and the heat was unbearable. 

The highway was like a barren land and 

I had to crawl to a shanty and lie there 

waiting for some kind of assistance. 

No taxis to hail or immediate help was 

accessible on this stretch. I eventually 

managed to convince a truck driver to 

take me back to the starting point of the 

highway where I had parked my car. 

Photo: Sampo Lenzi 

Support 

I will take a slight detour here – no, not 

for the jellyfish. I was on the look out 

for a support runner and didn’t really 

know anyone in that part of the world 

who would be willing to take up this 

challenge. I managed to connect with 

a young chap called Robin Downie 

thanks to the world of Instagram. I had 

posted a picture from the last edition of 

Celtman and he pinged me saying “hey, 

that’s me in that pic”. 

Robin helped me connect with 

Kenny from Loch Carron. I was in 

33

34 

innofield.com

„ The jellyfish were 

big enough to be punched 

in the face“ 

touch with him via email and he was extremely 

helpful and also did a course route recce a 

couple of weeks ahead of the race. When he 

posted the spoils of his adventure on his social 

channel, someone in his circle asked him if he 

was participating in the Celtman. He said he 

was the support crew for this crazy guy from 

India who is up for a big shock or surprise. 

I never told him that I chanced upon that 

comment but I couldn’t agree more with him. 

He also became the key element in helping me 

complete the race. 

Scotland 

Cut to the day when I drove down with my wife 

from Oban to our cottage in Kinlochewe. While 

I was in awe of the natural beauty around, in 

my head I kept scanning the sections of the 

route which were a part of the race course. The 

weather was crazy – cold, heavy rainfall and 

windy. No problem, I had trained for this (in 40 

degrees, with no hills…). 

It is hard to explain the feeling when you have 

watched something on your TV screen for months 

and then when you are in that frame for real. 

Right after that, I decided to go for a short 

swim – well yes, to say hello to jellyfish and 

of course to experience what 11 degree water 

actually feels like. It took me some courage to get 

into that choppy water and I didn’t survive for 

more than 2 minutes. I came out, all shaken up 

and took a few moments to absorb what had hit 

me. My wife was confused by the blank look on 

my face and then she couldn’t find the unmute 

button on me for the next 15-20 mins. What the 

hell! How will I swim through this on the race 

day? Oh and I dint see any jellyfish. 

The next 48 hours required a lot of mental 

preparation to bite this bullet but not to quit 

under any circumstances. 

Jellyfish 

Race day was one challenge after the other. 

My swim goggles got blotched by a chunk of 

Vaseline I had applied on my face which killed 

the visibility just seconds before the swim start. 

35

After a while, I just couldn’t sight and 

had to rely on where the swimmer next 

to me was heading. And yes, this is the 

part where the field of jellyfish comes 

in. For the first time in my life I met 

those critters – they were big enough 

to be punched in their face, which I 

often did, but they got their revenge 

like a naked electricity wire running 

past my cheeks and nose. 

I lost track of where I was on the 

course, but from the corner of my eye, 

I kept hanging on to the neon green 

striped wetsuit I could see at 

a distance. 

Making it to T1 was half the 

battle for me. But in reality, it wasn’t. 

The first 80 km bike ride was fantastic 

– beautiful course, rain, wind and 

for some part, missing support crew. 

Despite gaining position during this 

leg, I got severely cold and my body 

was involuntarily shivering. My 

support crew was worried and asked 

if I wanted to call it a day. But I hadn’t 

come this far to quit – I was clear in 

my head. 

Some extra layers and hot coffee 

later, I was back on the saddle having 

lost a considerable number of positions 

and likely said bye-bye to the blue 

T-shirt. I knew running wasn’t my 

strength and I could have gained the 

buffer I needed during my bike course. 

At T2, I knew I was cutting it 

close to the cut off but didn’t anticipate 

what would hit me a few kms down 

the road. It was a trail, but not the 

kind I had ever seen. In my dictionary 

or reference point, that was a hiking 

track! I had to walk, scrape through 

and constantly keep an eye on the 

watch. Just ahead of T2A, I could see 

Kenny run towards me frantically 

waiving his arms. I wanted to tell him 

that I knew I was a few minutes from 

the cut off and I will make it. I was 

wrong, he came by and pushed me to 

run harder “you got 90 seconds Sid!”. 

Good lord, that was close, I dashed 

with whatever little glycogen was 

hidden in my body somewhere and 

crashed at T2A. 

Low course 

The low route in Celtman is by no 

means easy. It was extremely foggy and 

cold up in the mountains. I walked 

through the remaining part of the 

course with no motivation left for any 

kind of race position. So I decided to 

enjoy the beauty of the country, chit 

chat and move steadily towards the 

finish line. 

It was dark by the time I crossed 

that line and most of the participants 

had finished, celebrated and were 

settled back in their cottages and 

caravans. But the organisers were all 

there to cheer me on, which is a rare 

sight for the last guys in the local races 

I have been a part of. 

To date, I don’t enjoy the thought 

of being the last one to cross the line, 

but I console myself by stepping back 

and acknowledging that I didn’t quit 

despite training in one extreme and 

racing in another. 

This is a beautiful race and a 

tough one, once you have done it, you 

become a part of this close-knit family. 

I cant thank the Celtman team enough 

for putting together this fantastic event 

– which is something more than just a 

race or triathlon – it is an experience 

of a lifetime. 

For me there is unfinished 

business and I will be back for it, better 

prepared for the terrain, the conditions 

and the jellyfish. i 

36

Siddhant with his wife Karuna 

and dogs Moose and Cherry. 

Photo: Vikram Bhalla 

37

A life-altering trip 

to Morocco 

My name is Joan Pont Prats and with the rest of our team we are 

working hard to make the upcoming Amazigh Xtri, the first extreme 

triathlon in Morocco, a reality. 

We are very excited about this project, as it is an important addition to 

the story of my family’s Moroccan adventure… 

Text: Joan Pont Prats 

38

JOAN PONT PRATS 

AGE: 32 LOCATION: Barcelona, Spain 


When I was a kid, my 

parents decided to take 

my sister and I on a 

family trip to Morocco 

to understand the value of non-essential 

things. My father had a history of riding 

mopeds through North Africa and was 

one of the first pioneers to go from Spain 

to Algeria on a Vespa. 

We learned so much on that trip, 

and our lives changed forever. 

One afternoon we were in Arfoud, 

the city also known as the gateway to the 

desert. A cheerful young man put fuel 

in my parents’ vehicle at the gas station. 

In a clumsy, yet humorous attempt to 

speak Spanish he asked us where we 

were going. We told him we were going 

towards Merzouga to see the Erg Chebbi, 

the most significant accumulation of 

dunes in the region, and he immediately 

offered to accompany us. He told us he 

knew the area very well because he and 

his family had a café – the restaurant Des 

Dunes in Arfoud and a small hostel in 

the city of Merzouga. 

But we weren’t interested in being 

guided. First of all, because my father 

had already driven the route, and 

secondly because the boy was young and 

we did not know him at all. 

He insisted and eventually 

convinced us with his huge smile to 

allow him to join us. He jumped into the 

car without telling any of his family that 

he was going to be away for the night. 

During the trip he offered to 

organize a walk with dromedaries 

around the dunes for us, and we 

accepted. Once we were on the 

dromedaries and about to head out with 

a nomad guide, the young man asked my 

father for the keys to his car. We thought 

he might have forgotten something and 

threw the keys to him. We were stunned 

when we saw him jump to the car and 

39

drive off, disappearing with all of our 

belongings. My mother almost had a 

nervous breakdown because she thought 

the car had been stolen from right under 

our noses. 

We tried to communicate with the 

nomad owner of the dromedaries, but he 

didn’t understand anything we were saying. 

His reply to us was simply a big smile. 

We spent three anxious hours riding 

the dromedaries through the dunes 

until we reached a settlement of the 

Hamelia people. The first thing we saw 

was our family car, washed and in perfect 

condition. What the young man had done 

was to take the car to the end of the route 

and clean it to get a tip. The problem 

was that he didn’t tell us. Sometimes 

communication can be a burden. 

The people from Hamelia treated us 

exceptionally - they made us feel unique 

and gave us unexplained sensations. 

To show them gratitude for 

everything they did for us we came 

back the following year with friends and 

brought school materials, clothes, and 

other things to give to the families, and 

we contacted the young guy from the gas 

station again, his name is Tayeb. 

Every Easter we would go to this 

part of the country, every time with 

more people to share the experience 

with friends and families. The 

relationship between my father and 

Tayeb was, and still is, very strong, and 

one day he proposed to my father to 

collaborate and build a small hotel with 

some rooms on the outskirts of Arfoud. 

It was a kind of symbolic contribution 

to the progress of the area that had 

given so much hospitality to our family 

and where Tayeb had lived all of his life. 

Today we are able to let tourists 

also savour the “magic” of the country 

and the affection of its people. Our 

family business has a large group of 

companies and hotels that are an excellent 

resource for more than 300 local families. 

None of this would have been possible 

if Tayeb and his entire family weren’t 

extraordinary people with huge hearts 

and a wonderful sense of hospitality that 

infected us. It gave us the desire to show 

Morocco to others. 

„ Sometimes things that you weren‘t 

looking for find you, and if you allow 

yourself to follow your heart, they 

will rarely end badly“ 

Photo: Oriol Martinéz Toro 

Joan‘s team with Xtri CEO Stuart McInnes 

checking out the Amazigh race course. 

Sometimes things that you weren’t 

looking for, find you, and if you allow 

yourself to follow your heart, they will 

rarely end badly. 

After more than 20 years in the 

country and with the same exact attitude of 

humbleness and effort that brought us here, 

we’re very excited to have the opportunity 

and responsibility to organize the first 

extreme triathlon in Africa and become 

part of the Xtri Family. i 

The Amazigh Xtri will take place as an 

Xtri world Tour Prospect Race on October 

31st 2020. Visit www.amazighxtri.com for 

more information. 

40

„ We were stunned 

when he went to the 

car and drove off, 

disappearing 

with all of our 

belongings“ 

The construction stage 

of one of the Pont Prats‘ 

hotels in Southern Morocco, 

the early building blocks for 

this amazing journey. 

41

42

43

Photo: Robby MacBeath 

CHRIS STIRLING 

7th January 1982 – 29th April 2019 

the Celtman 

In April 2019 Xtri lost one of its most devoted, talented and beloved family 

members – Chris Stirling. Steve Ashworth, close personal friend of Chris, 

pays tribute and tells us about their joint first step into the world of Xtri. 

Text: Steve Ashworth. 

Torridon and Triathlon was the only 

information we had held on to, what 

else would we need to know? The 

story of our arrival and subsequent 

first contact with the Xtri world now leads to 

considerable amusement whenever it’s retold. 

Needing no excuses to visit Torridon and having 

previously once done a triathlon, I was obviously 

Chris’ first choice when looking for support 

crew. I also happened to have a campervan 

which would make a nice home from home 

when parked awkwardly in what would become 

Celtman’s T1. 

Yorkshireman 

It would be fair to say we hadn’t read the manual 

and had our own ideas as to how things would 

be going to pan out… If you get a chance at one 

44

Photo: Steve Ashworth. 

of the Xtri races around the world, ask Stuart 

McInnes (Xtri chief) to do his impression of 

Chris and I at race registration, it’s a good way of 

passing a few minutes and at the very least you’ll 

have to laugh at his very convincing attempt at 

a grumpy Yorkshire fell runner accent. It is a 

testament to the friendly and welcoming nature 

of the Xtri community that a couple of renegades 

like us were not only accepted by the “family” but 

that in a short period of time we would come to 

look on Shieldaig, Torridon and the Celtman as a 

home from home. 

As his first triathlon, Chris aimed big 

with the Celtman, but the draw of being in the 

mountains alongside trying something new was 

an adventure not to be missed. As a climber, 

mountaineer and fell runner, the Celtman offered 

him a new challenge. But when a shivering 

45

Chris left T1 on his antique TT bike 

(we thought it was good but apparently 

it wasn’t) and headed off on to the bike 

course in 2012, I don’t think he had any 

concept of the journey he was about to 

embark on. 

Fast forward seven years and we 

together walk out on to a Patagonian 

beach surrounded by snow-capped 

mountains while a condor circles one 

of the higher peaks. 10 km down a dirt 

road and we’ve arrived at a swim spot 

recommended by the locals and the 

Patagonman organisers. As was now the 

norm in Xtri circles around the world a 

voice cried out “Hi Chris, how you doing.”. 

Chris soon had a small Chilean 

fan club having made great friends with 

Martina, our local host John’s 11 year old 

daughter, she subsequently bunked off 

school for a week to hang out with us. 

Chris was great with kids always having 

time for them and keen to inspire. In a 

triathlon I organised on for my son’s 7th 

birthday, Chris not only turned up to race 

but also allowed all the kids to beat him 

(he was a true sportsman). 

Chris with John Medina and 

John‘s daughter Martina in 

Puerto Chacabuco. 


Victorious 

There were many trials along the Xtri 

journey, broken bikes, poor results, 

more shivering, big sacrifices, dark 

mornings, hours and hours on the 

turbo, various different approaches to 

training/nutrition/recovery and some 

tough days for support crews. But after 

two second place finishes, Chris finally 

won the Celtman in 2017. He was now 

very definitely a triathlete, backing 

this up a few weeks later with a win at 

the inaugural Canadaman. Chris had 

showed that he wasn’t just a force to be 

reckoned with in the rough mountains 

of Torridon, he could adapt and excel 

in many environments. Chris lived and 

breathed Xtri. 

46

Working in his local bike shop was 

an attempt to turn the mountain runner 

in to a cyclist, not just because of the 15 

mile ride each way but because he was 

absorbed in a cycling world. The lure 

of performing well at Norseman drove 

a need for speed. The speed came and 

was on full display when Chris won and 

broke the record for the challenging 

Brutal triathlon in Wales. 

Family 

It was the feeling of being a part of a 

community that Chris valued more than 

having a bunch of races in beautiful 

places to go and do. Chris had time 

for anyone when it came to all matters 

Xtri and he was always happy to answer 

emails, chat to folks at races, and if you 

were lucky he would even take time 

out to fit you up for one of the famous 

Celtman Kilts. 

Chris Stirling was most happy 

out in the mountains and it was those 

mountains that brought him to Xtri. He 

also seemed most relaxed when training 

in the munros of Torridon. 


Chris comes home to a victorious win at the 

Celtman 2017, in Torridon, Scotland. 

47

Legacy 

Running in the sunshine cruising over 

a carpet of perfect spring snow on 

Beinn Eighe after a morning of cycling 

around the West Coast of Scotland 

will be a lasting memory of an athlete, 

friend, mentor to my kids and all 

round inspiration. Chris you were 

a Celtman. i 


Editors note: Chris was a huge 

part of the Xtri community. We 

have chosen to include a number 

of images of him throughout the 

magazine as a tribute to a great 

friend and fabulous athlete. 

Chris climbing Gaustatoppen during the final stages of Norseman. 


48

49

Norseman, 

the original Xtri 

Isklar Norseman Xtreme Triathlon is considered the ultimate 

triathlon on the planet. It’s the race that any hard core triathlete 

should do at least once. 

It was at the turn of the millennium, 

Hårek Stranheim wanted to 

organize a unique competition. 

This was his vision: 

“I want to create a completely 

different race, make it a journey through 

the most beautiful nature of Norway, let 

the experience be more important than 

the finish time, and let the participants 

share their experience with family and 

friends, who will form their support. 

Let the race end on top of a mountain, 

to make it the toughest full distance 

triathlon on planet Earth”. 

The course runs point-point or 

fjord to peak: starting at sea level, with 

a 4 meter drop off a ferry into the 

Hardangerfjord, then crossing the starkly 

haunting Hardangervidda mountain 

plateau and finishing at the rocky peak of 

Gaustatoppen, 220 km away at 1,850 m 

above sea level. Norseman is a long day’s 

journey through some of Norway’s most 

spectacular scenery. The total ascent is 

5,000 meters. The water is cold, clean, 

and comes lightly salted. The weather 

can be anything from brilliantly beautiful 

50 

to blasting blizzard, sometimes all in one 

day. If you’re really lucky, you may see 

porpoises, orcas or reindeer. 

This is the triathlon were you may find 

yourself all alone on a small bike on top of 

a big mountain plateau. Getting the sense 

of being maroond in a wast landscape only 

suited for reindeer and hard rocks. Where 

no one sees you, hears you or cheers you on. 

It’s just you, your bike and the will to make it 

to the finish line. 

Norseman is a tribute to triathlon, 

where you bring your best friends and 

family to join the party. You bring them as 

your support. As your safe haven. You join 

together as a team, where your best friend 

is the one handing you the bottle that helps 

you up that next ascent. 

And when you get to the finish line, 

whether on Gaustatoppen or Gaustablikk, 

your hard work and effort will get rewarded 

– Our approval of your success; a t-shirt. 

But most important off all, you can 

claim the title of a true triathlete: You are 

a Norseman. i 

www.nxtri.com 

Photo: Lars-Erik Blenne Lien

Norseman 

Xtreme Triathlon 

Time of year: ....................................................................... August 

Hours of daylight on race day: ........................................... 16.4 

Year established: ................................................................ 2003 

Distances: ........................................................................... Swim 3.8 km 

Bike 180 km 

Run 42.2 km 

Total elevation: ................................................................... 5235 m 

Average water temperature: ............................................. 13 degrees C 

Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... Black or white 

Maximum number of competitors: .................................... 250 

Number of World Championship qualifying slots: ........... 10 

Location: Eidfjord to 

Rjukan, Norway 

60 ° North, 7 ° East 

51

Celtman Extreme 

Scottish Triathlon 

Time of year: ....................................................................... June 

Hours of daylight on race day: ........................................... 19 



Bike 202 km 

Run 41.5 km 



Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... Blue 



Number of Norseman slots available: .............................. 8 

Location: Torridon and 

Shieldaig, Scotland 

57 ° North, 5 ° West 

52

From Norsemen 

came the Celts 

The CELTMAN! Extreme Scottish Triathlon was established in 2012 

in homage to the Norseman in Norway. 


Now an internationally 

famous race, it is set in a 

wild and remote part of 

Scotland, home to some 

of the oldest rocks on Earth. The race 

conquers magical landscapes of exposed 

peaks, open coasts and ancient forests. 

Travelling to the race athletes and 

support crews must leave the central 

belt of Scotland, the most populated 

area, and head north through some of 

Scotland’s most spectacular scenery for 

at least 5 hours, to arrive in Torridon, 

Wester Ross. 

Small community 

Torridon is a town of less than 100 souls 

and sits at the base of the magnificent 

Liathach, on the shores of Loch 

Torridon, sandwiched by mountains and 

sea. It’s a magical place, a place known 

for Celtic history and myths and an ideal 

location to base the Celtman. 

The race 

After starting the race on a small beach 

near Shieldaig (herring bay) competitors 

must endure long and tough distances - 

3.4 km swim in cold Atlantic waters, 202 

km of cycling along exposed coastal roads 

gaining 2000m and a 42 km run over 

two mountains. They must also deal with 

unpredictable temperatures, rain, wind, 

storms and the local wildlife. The latter can 

include swarms of midges and jellyfish and 

the constant threat of wild deer and sheep 

on the roads. 

Reaching the finish line after upwards 

of 12 hours, they are greeted by friendly 

faces and wonderful sustenance provided by 

the ever-welcoming local community. 

Memories 

Celtman! is a life changing adventure in a 

country of legends. i 

www.cxtri.com 

53

From the palm trees 

to the eternal ice 

The SWISSMAN Xtreme Triathlon is a beautiful journey from the palm 

trees of Ascona via 3 mountain passes to the eternal ice of Kleine 

Scheidegg at 2000m. This quest is fuelled from the hearts of the athletes, 

not simply from their physical endurance. Each year 250 international 

athletes travel this epic route route with 5700 meters of climbing. 

At 05:00 the cow bells signal the 

start of the SWISSMAN Xtreme 

Triathlon from Brissago Island, 

Lake Maggiore. After a hypnotic 

3.8km swim during sunrise, the athletes take 

their bikes to tackle one of the most extreme 

and challenging bike courses of the entire 

Xtri world tour. The elevation of 3800 m and 

the fast changing weather is a huge challenge. 

It can be a sunny 25°C in the valley of Ticino 

but snowing in the mountains. It is possible 

the athletes will face four seasons in one day 

of SWISSMAN. 

The old cobblestone road up to 

Gotthardpass is one of the highlights of 

the SWISSMAN. It is the longest road 

monument in Switzerland at 4 km with 24 

hairpin bends. The other 2 climbs Furka 

and Grimsel, with 2429 m and 2164 m 

respectively, are both as iconic. The Furka 

Pass was used as a location in the James 

Bond film Goldfinger. On their way down, 

athletes will pass the Rhone glacier, which 

moves 30-40 metres annually. The descent 

from Grimsel is challenging yet beautiful as 

athletes pass impressive dams and waterfalls. 

A highlight of the entire course is a pass 

under one of these huge waterfalls on the run. 

54 

34km into the running course, athletes arrive at 

the check-point in Grindelwald Grund where 

their backpacks are checked and they collect their 

supporter for the last, very steep, climb to the 

finish at Kleine Scheidegg. There, at more than 

2000 m, and after an incredible journey through 

the most spectacular parts of Switzerland, the 

athletes arrive at the SWISSMAN finish line in 

front of the breath-taking mountain faces of Eiger, 

Mönch and Jungfrau. 

The SWISSMAN represents Switzerland 

not only with stunning landscapes but also with 

Swiss values of quality, precision and authenticity, 

cow bells and alphorn blowers!. SWISSMAN also 

has a sophisticated emergency concept, which 

has been developed in close collaboration with 

Rega, the Swiss air rescue service. Furthermore, 

the organisation is very swiss as the entire event is 

organized on a voluntary basis. The dedicated and 

friendly Swissman crew, many who are passionate 

sports people themselves, sends off each athlete 

with a hand-shake and welcomes them warmly 

when they arrive at the Kleine Scheidegg. 

Marcus Raatz, one of the first SWISSMAN 

finishers concludes: “A marathon you do with 

your muscles. An Ironman you do with your 

head. The SWISSMAN you can only achieve 

with your heart.” i www.suixtri.com 


There‘s no official timekeeping 

at SWISSMAN 

as it’s not about how 

fast the athletes are. 

It’s about finishing an 

original xtreme triathlon. 

It’s about enjoying the 

stunning landscape 

together and not against 

each other. That’s the 

spirit of SWISSMAN. 

Swissman 


Time of year: ....................................................................... June 




Bike 180 km 

Run 42 km 



Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... Red 




Location: Ascona, 

Grindelwald, Kleine 

Scheidegg 


55

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Canadaman 



Time of year: ....................................................................... July 




Bike 180 km 

Run 42 km 



Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... Black 




www.caxtri.com 

Location: Lac-Mégantic, 

Canada 


57

Swedeman 



Time of year: ....................................................................... July 




Bike 205 km 

Run 41 km 



Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... Yellow 




www.swextri.com 

Location: Åre, Sweden 


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59

ICON Livigno 


Time of year: ....................................................................... August 




Bike 195 km 

Run 42 km 


Average water temperature: ............................................. 15,5 degrees C 

Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... White 




www.iconxtri.com 

Location: Livigno, Italy 


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61

Jánošík Slovak 


Time of year: ....................................................................... September 




Bike 185 km 

Run 41.5 km 



Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... Blue 




www.svkxtri.com 

Location: Terchová, 

Malá Fatra, Slovakia 

49 ° South, 19 ° West 

62

Hispaman 







Bike 181 km 

Run 42.2 km 



Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... Red 




www.hxtri.com 

Location: Peñiscola, 

Castellón 


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64

Patagonman 



Time of year: ....................................................................... December 




Bike 180 km 

Run 42.2 km 



Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... Varies 




www.patagonman.com 

Location: Coyhaique, 

Aysén, Chile 


65

Blacklake 


Photo: Isidor Stankov 

Time of year: ....................................................................... October 




Bike 187 km 

Run 42 km 





Xtri Prospect Race in 2019. 

www.blackxtri.com 

Location: Zabljack, 

Montenegro 


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Manx 







Bike 185 km 

Run 40 km 



Finisher shirt colour: ......................................................... Green 



www.manxtri.com 

Location: Laxey, 

Isle of Man 


68

Fodaxman 


Time of year: ....................................................................... December 



Distances: ........................................................................... Swim 4 km 

Bike 173 km 

Run 42 km 






www.fodaxman.com.br 

Location: Nova Veneza 

and Urubici, Brazil 


69

CANADA 


Athlete: Caroline Livesey 

Race: Canadaman 

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The Xtri World Tour is a journey of amazing extreme triathlons in unique and spectacular places, where the richness of culture 

is tangible. It's a journey of exceptional people and their exclusive, diverse stories. It's a journey that will be different for every 

traveller, a journey of cold water swims, high mountain passes and beautiful wilderness trails. A journey where all athletes, 

supporters and crew will leave with new friends and lasting memories. 

Quite simply, it‘s a Journey like no other. 

www.xtriworldtour.com 

xtriworldtour 

xtriworld 

Xtri World Tour is supported by Innovation Norway. 

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XTRI the Journey

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