Norseman names Maurten as new official nutrition partner
The bucket-list Norseman Xtreme Triathlon partners with Maurten, a leading nutrition brand, to provide its athletes with access to Norseman-specific nutrition education, as well as Maurten products on the run course.
Norseman Xtreme Triathlon and Maurten, the Swedish sports nutrition company behind the Hydrogel Technology used by marathon world record holders and Olympic champions, have entered into a partnership that makes Maurten the official nutrition partner of Norseman from the 2026 edition. The partnership means that Maurten will provide several nutrition resources specifically designed for the 226-kilometer race from the Hardangerfjord to the summit of Gaustatoppen, called “fuel for the unknown”. This includes a fuel planner, articles, and on-site advice, in addition to Maurten products at one aid station on the run course.
WHAT CHANGES FOR ATHLETES
Norseman is famously unsupported: every athlete must bring a personal support team that provides nutrition, hydration, and assistance throughout the race. That remains unchanged. What the partnership adds is a structured nutrition framework around the race:
Maurten’s sports scientists will develop Norseman-specific nutrition advice addressing the
unique demands of cold-water swimming, cycling across the Hardangervidda plateau, and the
1,800-meter ascent to the finish line at Mount Gaustatoppen.
Pre-race and race nutrition education will be available, including a fuel planner for athletes and
their support teams.
Athletes will have access to Maurten products at one aid station on the run
“Norseman pushes athletes to their absolute limit over 10 to 20 hours in conditions that range from 12-degree fjord water to exposed mountain terrain above the tree line. Nutrition failures are one of the most common reasons athletes don’t reach the summit. We wanted to give our athletes access to the same nutrition technology used at the highest level of endurance sport, and Maurten was the clear choice.”
— Fredrik Mandt, Race Director, Norseman Xtreme Triathlon
WHY THIS PARTNERSHIP, WHY NOW
Norseman, first held in 2003 with 21 participants, has become the world’s most coveted extreme triathlon. Each year, nearly 8,000 athletes from over 100 countries enter the ballot for the limited number of start slots. The full-distance race — a 3.8 km fjord swim, 180 km bike ride across the Hardangervidda mountain plateau, and a 42.2 km run ending at 1,880 meters above sea level — features over 5,000 meters of total elevation gain.
The race’s unsupported format, in which personal support teams handle all on-course nutrition, means athletes’ nutrition strategies vary widely in quality and execution. Research in ultra-endurance events consistently identifies energy availability and gastrointestinal tolerance as decisive performance factors, particularly beyond 10 hours of racing. Maurten’s patented Hydrogel Technology enables efficient delivery of carbohydrate fuel to the intestines with less risk of gastrointestinal distress. The technology has been used by Eliud Kipchoge and every marathon world record since 2016, and by triathlon Olympic and World champions, including Kristian Blummenfelt, Flora Duffy, and Alex Yee. All Maurten products are Informed Sport certified, meaning every batch is tested for 285+ substances on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s prohibited list before release.
“Norseman is a race that people dream of experiencing for years. So, when they get the chance, they want to do everything they can to train their body and mind for the demands ahead. With so many unknowns, we want to help athletes enter this race not just with the best fuel — but with as much knowledge and confidence as possible, so they can execute a well-practiced fueling strategy and increase their chances of having a great race.”
— Tobias Christensson, Head of Nutrition, Maurten
