GlommaDyppen

On September 13, 1905, the Fetsund Battery was fully mobilized with 1,450 men stationed to defend the vital river crossing against potential incursions. Today, the strategic silence of this former fortification offers a backdrop for a very different passage, as swimmers take to the waters of the Glomma River to traverse the same currents that once dictated the movement of troops and trade. The Glomma, Norway’s longest and most powerful waterway, creates the largest inland delta in Northern Europe here, providing a unique navigational challenge for those entering the water at Fetsund.

The river environment

As you begin your race, the landscape reveals the remnants of the 1862 railway bridge, a 440-meter structure that once stood as the longest in the country. This concrete and steel legacy anchors the historical context of the swim, leading athletes past the Fetsund Lenser site. Here, a 7-meter high millennium marker stone records the extreme flood levels of the past, a silent indicator of the river’s immense energy. The course winds through a region rich in human history, where the banks near the Riddersand school house the 'Ridderhaugen', a substantial burial mound from the Iron Age, and the Fet rectory grounds contain traces of activity reaching back to the Stone Age.

Race day mechanics

Participants can choose between 2km, 6km, and 11km distances, with the event scheduled for August 1, 2026. Because the Glomma is a dynamic river system, it occasionally experiences rapid shifts in conditions; organizers monitor these changes closely to manage the logistics of the crossing. The river's flow and temperature characteristics are central to the experience, demanding a respectful approach to the water's natural variability. The event is part of the Marathon River Swim Series, providing a structured venue for long-distance river racing that emphasizes stamina and navigation through a complex delta ecosystem.