A Swissman Gallery
There is comfort in numbers. Xtreme isn't interested in numbers, or comfort. Only 238 took part, though almost 1000 hoped for a spot in the race.
The 2016 edition was held over this past weekend, and the weather either did or didn't disappoint, depending on your point of view. Athletes prepared for the 3.8km swim, but heavy thunderstorms resulted in a last-minute course change, and the swim was replaced by a 4km run. The 238 athletes started the 4km route in torrential rain.
The course starts low and finishes high, as is the custom in Xtreme Tri events.
After cycling over three mountain passes contestants ran 26.2 miles to finish at Kleine Scheidegg, the base of the Eiger, just shy of 7000' above sea level. Finishers climbed, in total, 16,500 feet of elevation.
Norwegians were the first across the line: Allan Hovda in 10:55, Lise Lavoll Borgen in 12:52.
Photos below are all courtesy of SWISSMAN Xtreme Triathlon.