Nordic Adventure Race 2017 - The Most Beautiful Scenery I Have Ever Seen

Jacob Westerberg (NARS) / 05.09.2017

250km about 6000m in altitude. Mountain biking on single tracks, serpentine climbs, gravel roads above the tree line and extreme downhills.  Running sections at sunset and sunrise with amazing mountain landscapes located between two of Norway’s most famous National Parks (Jotunheimen and Rondane). Paddling in glacier cold, green streaming water… NAR delivered it all. This was a race to remember.

The big trekking section was called “Sky Runners High” due to the altitude and the beauty of the section. The racers went between mountain tops during a clear sky sunset. Most competitors were just stunned by the landscape and at the following TA one of them said “this was the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen”.

The course was designed by Helen Westerberg in cooperation with the race director Jacob Westerberg. The idea was to deliver a great adventure in a beautiful mountain landscape. The race started with a short prologue in Frya Leir, Ringebu, followed by the paddling section in the river Lågen.

 The course took the competitors by bike up to high mountain terrain and a trek over the mountain tops of Ruten. The teams arrived in Ruten mountain resort and shifted to bike again and got themselves by mountain single tracks, pavement and gravel roads around the Espedalen valley up to the ski resort of Skeikampen. Here they had to finish a trekking section with optional checkpoints by 10am. If they were starting to get out of time they could skip one or more checkpoints in a self-judgment short-course kind of way.

12 teams were on full course before the section. 6 teams made the whole course. The last section was a mountain bike stage that started with high mountain single tracks, took a climb over Kvitfjell  Olympic ski resort and dropped with a wild downhill to ground level and the finish line.

40 competitors in 17 teams got to the start line. This was the maximum limit for the race due to the number of canoes available. “We would really like to get to 80 teams next year. But, in order to get there we need to grow the sport with more national athletes. Adventure Racing is not big sport in Norway and I believe the majority of the racers should be Norwegians if we should make it to 80 competitors“.

Race Director Jacob Westerberg is really proud of the team that made the race come true.  The race is organized by USWE Adventure Team a competitive ARWS team, with experience from races all around the world. “We put all our energy and all of our experience as racers when we organize a race. The competitors should feel that the course is designed by someone who loves the sport, loves this landscape and someone who have tested the course and really would like to race it themselves. 

 “I’m also extremely impressed by the competitors. They were super tough! We had a surprise for them at TA5 (a warm inside cabin, waffles and coffee) and I met all the teams there between 1 and 6am. They had been racing for about 15 to 20 hours. Temperatures were below zero and the teams had had a freezing downhill to the TA. I race on a high level myself, but I must admit it delivers an extra insight about the toughness of the competitors when you to meet them like this. They are just super tough, both the experienced and the new comers!”

Will we organize a race in 2018 as well? I think that both Adventure Racing as a sport and the racers in the Nordic region needs a race like Nordic Adventure Race. If the racers give a clear and loud signal, that they would like NAR in 2018, than we will go for it!

Results:

MEN Duo:

1. Team Outdoorexperten – Olof Solberg & Peter Gustafsson
2. Kolmården Adventures OH – Ola Olsson & Håkan Lindgren
3. Kolmården Adventures – Magnus Blomgren & Pär Alenbrand

Mix Duo:

1. Team Krysander – Marie Krysander & Pär Boqvist
2. Ås Kadavers 2 – Jo Inge Fjellstad & Wendy Fjellstad
3. Ås Sykkel og Div – Bjørn Håvard Evjen og Malin Lundvik

Open class:

1. KMTI Adventure Racin 2 – Sofie Gustafsson, Henrik Gustafsson & Johan Lidström
2. KMTI Adventure Racing - Kalle Alexandersson, Johan Siggesson, Lars-Håkan Bengtsson & Elin Björkman
3. Team Drøbak multisport - Kristoffer Woxvold, Joakim Tveter & Ørjan Rolness 

You can find the full results and more information at https://www.nordicadventurerace.net 

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