Fat Viking – Norway Arctic race

After the cancellation of the Rovaniemi 150 in Finland, a race where many of us cut our teeth on arctic fatbike racing, Fat Viking became the natural new home for that same tribe of winter ultra “frikies”. In 2024, I travelled to Geilo with two good friends, Roberto Rekalde and Adam Alvarez, bringing previous fatbike and arctic racing experience from Finland and Norway and a big desire to test myself on this new course.

In 2024, I signed up for the 150 km distance and eventually had to retire around the 100 km mark after more than 16 hours out in extreme conditions. It was a humbling reminder of how unforgiving these races can be when the weather, the snow and fatigue all pile up at once. That first Fat Viking showed me exactly why this event has such a fierce reputation and such a loyal following.

In 2025, almost at the last minute, I joined the 100 km race instead of the 150 km and everything clicked. I finished second overall with a time of 15 hours 58 minutes, around four hours behind the winner and five hours ahead of the third place, taking a podium I will never forget. The race was still brutally hard, but the lessons from previous arctic events and my first Fat Viking attempt paid off when it mattered.

My partner in crime for that edition was Bjørn Haugum. It was his first race, and he even rented a bike, yet we ended up riding almost the entire 100 km together. Bjørn was officially in the 150 km category but his steady pace and constant encouragement were key in securing my second place overall. Just a few weeks later he became the first person ever to finish the brutal Spine Race Arctic, proving he is an absolute monster in this discipline.

Racing in arctic conditions is hard not only because of the extreme cold, wind and snow, but also because of the logistics and constant mechanical attention the bike demands. Tyre pressure becomes a critical tool: it needs to be adjusted endlessly, sometimes more than 100 times in a single race, letting air out for soft, deep snow and adding air again when the surface firms up or speeds increase. If you do not master this game of micro-adjustments, you are quickly in trouble, no matter how strong you are physically.

Food, clothing, navigation and equipment have to work together seamlessly for many hours in a harsh, remote environment. Fixing frozen zips, dealing with ice on drivetrains and managing sweat so you do not freeze can be just as decisive as fitness or power on the climbs.

One of the best parts of Fat Viking is the community that gathers in Geilo every year. Many of the familiar faces from the old Rovaniemi 150 now reunite here, bringing stories, experience and an easy camaraderie built over years of shared suffering in the snow. The field is relatively small, which gives the race a friendly, intimate feel where everyone knows that everyone else has had to fight hard just to stand on that start line.

The event usually takes place in February and also offers a virtual global race option, so riders from around the world can share in the spirit of Fat Viking even if they cannot make it to Norway in person. It is highly recommended both for riders just starting out in fatbiking who want a serious challenge, and for experienced racers looking to compete at a high level on one of Europe’s toughest winter courses.

For me, Fat Viking has become a fixed point in the calendar and a key part of my own story in arctic racing. The goal now is clear: returning to Geilo to finally complete the full 150 km distance and close the circle that started with that first, brutally hard 2024 attempt. Whether you come for your first winter ultra or to chase an ITI qualification, Fat Viking in Geilo delivers exactly what an arctic race should: a wild landscape, a demanding course, a passionate organiser and a community that makes every freezing kilometre worthwhile.