Pokhara Sports/ Preparations have been completed for the Himalayan Extreme Triathlon, which will take place tomorrow, Saturday, in Pokhara. This annual event, considered one of the toughest triathlons in the world, is part of the Xtri World Tour.
According to Race Director Rikesh Yonjan, the fourth edition of the triathlon will feature 32 athletes—25 men and 7 women—from 19 different countries.
Race Format and Route
Regarded as one of the most challenging competitions globally, the triathlon includes a 3.8 km swim in Fewa Lake, a 165 km cycling segment, and a 43 km run. The race begins at 4 a.m. with the swimming segment in Fewa Lake. Immediately after, the 165 km cycling route starts from Pokhara Lakeside, passing through Sarangkot, Kusma in Parbat, and Baglungkalika before returning to Lumle-Kande in Kaski, where the segment ends. Following that, the 43 km trail run begins. The route passes through Kande, reaching the 4,000-meter-high Mardi Himal Viewpoint, and concludes at Lwang in Machhapuchhre village Municipality.
Yonjan mentioned that Himalayan Xtri has also begun preparations to host the World Extreme Triathlon in Nepal in 2027. “As this year is also designated as Pokhara Tourism Visit Year, we invited athletes from around the world through various platforms. As a result, seven women are participating this time. If they complete the race, it will be a historic milestone,” he said. “This event holds significant value in promoting Pokhara globally through sports.”
According to him, the athletes arrive in Pokhara at least 10 days in advance to acclimatize, with their stay in Nepal extending over two weeks.
Although only 32 athletes are participating, more than 90 international visitors—including coaches, journalists, and photographers—have accompanied them to Pokhara. Yonjan emphasized that this triathlon is recognized as one of the most difficult races worldwide and noted that this year’s edition will be different from previous years.
Among the competitors is Ruslan Erzhanov from Kazakhstan, the runner-up of third edition.
Athletes from India, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Germany, France, USA, Russia, Indonesia, Ukraine, Taiwan, and Norway are set to participate.
The event is supported by the National Sports Council, Gandaki Province Sports Council, Pokhara Metropolitan City, Nepal Tourism Board Gandaki Province, Ciwec Clinic, ACAP and other organizations.
Race Director Yonjan concluded that the event aims to boost Pokhara’s global recognition through sports and emphasized that efforts have been made to ensure the race is environmentally friendly.
