The sky above the snow-covered mountains of Norway looked filled with huge neon birds as hundreds competed in the hardest snowkiting race in the world.

More than 350 racers from 30 nations converged on the wild Hardangervidda plateau to take on the brutal 105km course - with only the wind to power them.

The Red Bull Ragnarok - known as the toughest race of its kind - can be run on either skis or snowboard and riders must do five laps in the five-hour time limit.