Want to swim a fjord where there are 1000 m down before you hit bottom, and looking up you will find that you are surrounded by spectacular mountains that sway 1300 m above your head?
14/09/2007 :: It is the kick off for Norway’s only fjord swimming festival (10-12 August), and national as well as international swimmer will grab "The Sognefjord Challenge".
This year, the festival organisers expect participants from Finland, Germany, Britain, Scotland, Latvia and the US, to swim the distance of 3, 7 km across Sognefjorden. The fjord is Norway’s deepest and longest fjord and is often referred to as the “King of fjords”. It is located on the west coast of the country.
A safe challenge
The competition is open to everybody as long as you are in fairly good physical shape and have passed the lower age limit of 16. The swimmers have to be secured by an experienced kayaker, and only 30 swimmers are allowed to crawl over the fjord.
"On your mark, get set, get ready, go! Photo: Terje Eggum.
Activities for everybody
Besides swimming, the festival offers other water sports such as a kayak paddling competition. If none of these activates appeal to you, there are several options of a more relaxing character; Fjord cruising, concerts, photo exhibits and films, to mention some.
Inspired by a Brit
"The Sognefjord Challenge" started in 2004. The same year as the British lawyer, Lewis Gordon Pugh swum the fjord in its full length. He asked a group of swimmers from Leikanger to swim across the fjord from Borlaug to Leikanger, a distance of 3, 7 km. Five swimmers took the dare, and they are the founding fathers of the festival.
Fjord swimmers. Photo: Terje Eggum.
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs