Extreme (or Xtreme) Triathlon refers to a type of triathlon competition where competitors race over distances broadly equivalent to those of an Ironman triathlon (3.8k swim, 180k bike, 42k run) or an Ironman 70.3 (1.9k swim, 90k bike, 21k run) under extreme courses, with night/cold swim, large elevation changes and high altitude during both the cycling and running sections. Athletes also deal with extreme weather conditions due to the remote locations and large elevation changes.

The number of participants is limited (usually to 250 to 300) and some races operate a ballot entry system. These small numbers allow races to be held in remote and inaccessible locations which is one of many characteristic of extreme triathlon.

Some races are "unsupported" so competitors need to have personal back up crews that support to provide them with food and drink. The support crews also often need to accompany their competitor on any potentially dangerous mountain sections. During these sections, competitors are often required to carry a backpack containing emergency food and clothing should the weather change.

History

The original Extreme Triathlon was the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon first held in 2003. Many other races have followed on from this and in 2012 the concept of "AllXTRI was launched" as a global brand that encompassed Norseman along with Celtman and Swissman. This evolved into what is known as the XTRI World Tour® although many other well renowned races and series of similar format exist around the world. Extreme Triathlon Series is a series of races that has gained popularity over the years, due to it`s low key and friendly atmosphere. Alps Man, PatagonMan and Olympos X are other independent races that has gained popularity and a massive following.

Course formats

Extreme triathlon should not be confused with Ultra-triathlon. Hence, length is not the defining factor for extreme triathlon.

Extreme triathlons typically include four key elements:

  1. Courses that are point-to-point.
  2. Swims in challenging conditions, such as cold water, night swims, or deep water.
  3. Significant elevation gains in both the cycling and running segments.
  4. High-altitude passes during cycling and running.

It’s important to note that while one or more of these elements may be present in an extreme triathlon, there are also races that don’t incorporate any of them, yet are still considered extreme due to other challenging factors.

Extreme triathlon communities & activities

Many extreme triathlon races created Facebook groups or similar to allow their athletes to plan and discuss races. Some of these are relatively open format, and some set up with a closed audience related to specific athletes in specific years.

In late 2019, a 'Global Extreme Triathlon Forum' Facebook group and 'Global Extreme Triathlon Club' on Strava were also set up to create a community across all extreme triathlon races worldwide, and also help nurture aspiring athletes. This has been growing ever since. In 2023 a website called https://globalextremetriathlon.com/ was set up with the intent to gather all Extreme Triathlons in a single page. This has been a success, especially for the independent races that are not a part of «mainstream» Xtreme Triathlon.

COVID in 2020 impacted races globally. All early extreme triathlon races were cancelled or postponed, but some later races managed to convene due to their format of being small in more remote locations. In this backdrop, several races created virtual challenges where athletes completed 'events' wherever they could, or on Zwift (or similar) if unable to get outside.

XTRI® World Championship

The XTRI® World Championship is an annual event that takes place at Norseman every August. For some athletes, Norseman itself holds greater significance and takes precedence over the championship. The first championship took place in 2019 with less than 50 athletes starting in a small field before the main race.

The current XTRI® World Championship Rankings for 2023 are as follows:[1]

Women:

  1. Flora Colledge (GBR)
  2. Emilie Klev Bergheim (NOR)
  3. Kaja Bergwitz-Larsen (NOR)

Men:

  1. Jon Sæverås Breivold - (NOR)
  2. Sebastian Kienle (GER)
  3. Allan Hovda (NOR)

Trademarks

The terms "XTRI" and derivatives are owned by XTRI World Tour AS, Norway. These terms are considered generic descriptions of Extreme, or Xtreme triathlon by many, but are in fact registered and protected trademarks.

Active Race catalogue

RaceStatusDistanceOrgAscents (mtrs)CountryExtras / Mythical feature(s)EstablishedNotesWorld Championship Qualifier
Alps ManActiveFullIndependent5600 France"Le Tournant" Bell High Route Cutoff2016
Alps Man halfActiveHalfIndependent3200 France2016
AltrimanActiveFullIndependent6320 FrancePort de Pailhères (12km @ 9%)2015?
Amazigh XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour Prospect2930 Morocco2023
Austria eXtremeActiveFullExtreme Triathlon Series5786 AustriaStyrian snowfield run2015
AurlandsfjelletActiveHalfIndependent4200 Norway2011
Bearman XXLActiveFullIndependent6175 FranceBear Chair finish photo.20178848m option for Bears.
Ben Nevis BraveheartActiveHalfIndependent1970 ScotlandHighest summit in UK.2017
Blacklake XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour5800 MontenegroImmortals Wall, 2 lake swim, bike over Worlds 2nd deepest gorge.2019YES
BrutalActiveFullIndependent4350 WalesThey do multiples!2012
Canadaman XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour4000 CanadaMt Megantic Observatory finish2017YES
CELTMAN! XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour3769 ScotlandCold jellyfish swim, Beinn Eighe Ridge2012YES
CheahaFirst 2022FullIndependent4570 USA, AlabamaMt. Cheaha "The High Place"2022New race, launching 2022.
Diablak BeskidActiveFull,1/2Independent6200 Poland
EagleXManActiveFullIndependent6300 ItalyGran Sasso e Monti; Campo Imperatore2021
EagleXMan halfActivehalfIndependent3300 ItalyGran Sasso e Monti; Campo Imperatore2021
Estonian ForestActiveFull, 1/2Independent2600 Estonia180km Gravel/MTB bike (flat country!)2021
EvergreenTBCFullIndependent7850 FranceChamonix Skyline2015
Fodaxman XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour4700 BrazilSerra do Rio do Rastro switchbacks2019YES
Formosa XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour6840 Taiwan2019YES
Greek HeroActiveFullXTRI World Tour Prospect3900 Greece2020
Grimm ExtremeActiveFullIndependentc4000 GermanyCross old Iron Curtain2020
GrizzlymanActiveFullIndependent6300 Czech205km bike2019
HardaSuka UltimateActiveFullIndependent8000 Poland
HelveticManActiveHalfIndependent4150  Switzerland
HimalayanXtri®First 2022FullXTRI World Tour Prospect6200   Nepal4000m highest altitude2021
ICON XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour6200 ItalyHigh altitude swim (1.800 MSL). Stelvio Bike2017YES
InfernoActive4 stageIndependent5500  Switzerland
Janosik XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour5800 SlovakiaMidnight swim, Rozstuec climb on run2016YES
JurassicmanActiveFullIndi3720 England2013
KarakoramFirst 2022FullIndependent2900 Pakistan7-8c (2km) swim at 2250m altitude
KiwimanActiveFullIndependent4200 New Zealand
Knysna XtremeActiveFullExtreme Triathlon Series3360 South AfricaLongest extreme tri swim & run
LofotenActiveFullIndependent4100 NorwayMost northerly extreme tri. Svolvear Harbour swim.
ManXActiveFullIndependent ? Isle of Man2019
MercantourmanActiveFullIndependent7300 France2020Same area as Cairoman, may be rename?
Norseman XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour5235 NorwayIt's Norseman! Ferry jump. Zombie Hill.2003HOST
Olympos-XActiveFullIndependent7050 GreeceNight swim, 4km off the coast to 2834m altitude. 3000m elevation loss through technical trails2017
Olympos-X halfActiveHalfIndependent3700 Greecehighest half, extreme downhill2020
OlympusmanActiveHalfIndependent2916 CyprusCyprus highest peak
Extreme OlympusmanActiveFullIndependent6000 CyprusFull distance test event 2020.
OravamanActiveHalfIndependent2550 Slovakia
Patagonman XtremeActiveFullIndependent3182 ChileFerry jump. Finish Bell.2018
Pirene XtremeActiveFullExtreme Triathlon Series6500 SpainDiscover the Pyrenees2017
Pulpit Rock Xtreme TriathlonActiveHalfIndependent3500 Norway2023
Starvation XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour5260 USA, UtahIron Cowboys Race2021YES
StoneBrixiaManActiveFullExtreme Triathlon Series7050 Italy
Swedeman XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour4697 SwedenSwim finish at Waterfall.2018YES
Swissman XTRI®ActiveFullXTRI World Tour5750  SwitzerlandRun under a waterfall2013YES
Segura - TRADEMARK BREACH, Legal Proceedings Underway. Unauthorised use of XTRI Brand Mark
TatramanActiveHalfIndependent3245 PolandSwim between 2 castles
ThorXtriActiveHalfIndependent Norway
TriathlonX Full XLast 2022FullIndependent5137 England"Toughest Xtreme" (220 article)2015
TriathlonX Extreme XActiveFullIndependent7336 England"Toughest Xtreme" (220 article)2015
TriverestActiveFull+Independent8900  SwitzerlandGreatest ascents (tied with Himalayan)
WatahaActiveFullIndependent6200 PolandMountains of The Wolf2021
Wild SiberiaActiveFull3600 Russia2.5k 9c swim in 'Dead Lake' Cheybek-Kohl.2020Xtremly Wild and beautiful.
WildermanActiveFull,1/2Independent3570North Dakota, USALifejacket on bike & run. Creek crossing.2014Offroad bike. Gravel or MTB.
WintermanActiveFullExtreme Triathlon Series4700 Czech Republic9 km downstream swim.2015

SOLO POINT FIVE Race catalogue

RaceStatusDistanceOrgAscents (mtrs)CountryExtras / Mythical feature(s)First RanNotes
CELTMAN! XTRI SOLO POINT FIVE™ActiveHalfXTRI World Tour2550 ScotlandCold jellyfish swim, Belach na ba2022
BLACKLAKE XTRI SOLO POINT FIVE™ActiveHalfXTRI World Tour3100 MontenegroBlacklake and Small Lake2022
FODAXMAN XTRI SOLO POINT FIVE™ActiveHalfXTRI World Tour2550 BrazilSerra do Rio do Rastro2022
ORAVAMAN XTRI SOLO POINT FIVE™ActiveHalfXTRI World Tour2550 SlovakiaTechnical Run2022
HIMALAYAN XTRI SOLO POINT FIVE™Launches 2023HalfXTRI World Tour3400   Nepal2022

Historic Race catalogue

RaceStatusDistanceOrgAscents (mtrs)CountryExtras / Mythical feature(s)First RanNotes
007 XtriOn HoldFullIndependentc8000 Germany,  Italy and  AustriaCross three countries!2019Small test race. 2021 race unlikely.
AlaskamanCeasedFullEEE/XTRI World Tour2400 USA, AlaskaResurrection Bay, Bear bells, River Hhandtram, Aleyska Ridge2017Cancelled 2020.
AlohamanCeasedFullEEETBC USA, Hawaii2019Cancelled 2020.
AlpineMan XtremeCeasedFullIndependent4900 Slovenia2016One year only
FjordXtremeCeasedFullIndependent3900 Norway2016Held 2016 only.
IcelandCeasedFullIndependent4179 IcelandMidnight swim, Volcanoes.2019
KarkonoszManLast 2021HalfIndependent2900 Poland2014
Manx Xtreme TriCeasedFullXTRI World Tour Prospect3000 England2019Test race only.
Oppland (Oxtri)CeasedFullIndependent2700 Norway2015

References

  1. ↑ "Extreme Triathlon World Rankings 2023". XTRI World Tour. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
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