Xtreme triathlon (or extreme triathlon) is a type of triathlon competition on extreme courses, which include night or cold swims, and important elevation gain and high altitude during both the cycling and running sections. Athletes also deal with extreme weather conditions due to the remote locations and altitude 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, one of many characteristics of extreme triathlon. Some races are "unsupported" so competitors need to have personal back up crews that support to provide them with food, drinks and other necessities. 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.
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.
While the XTRI World Tour® remains a recognized force in the extreme triathlon scene, some athletes have voiced concerns that it has drifted from the authentic spirit that once defined it.
Meanwhile, independent events like Patagonman, Alpsman, and Olympus X have flourished outside the mainstream XTRI series. These races have preserved the raw, inclusive atmosphere that originally attracted athletes to extreme triathlon, demonstrating that genuine, grassroots events can thrive and grow without the limitations of a larger framework.
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:
Courses that are point-to-point.
Swims in challenging conditions, such as cold water, night swims, or deep water.
Significant elevation gains in both the cycling and running segments.
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 Global Extreme Triathlon[1] was set up with the intent to gather information on all Extreme Triathlons in one place. 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. The first championship took place in 2019 with less than 50 athletes starting in a small field before the main race. The entire field of Norseman is now the World Championship.[2]
The international governing body World Triathlon does not recognize any XTRI World Tour Championships as official Xtreme Triathlon World Championships.
The current XTRI World Championship Rankings for 2024 are as follows:[3]
Women:
Laura Zimmermann (GER)
Kaja Bergwitz-Larsen (NOR)
Claire Weller (GBR)
Men:
Sebastian Norberg (SWE)
Lars Wichert (GER)
Aurélien Le Lay (FRA)
Starting in 2025, the XTRI Solo Point Five World Championship will be held annually at a different SP5 race location each year.[citation needed]
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