With around 3,500 individual starters and 650 relay teams from over 60 nations, a top field of starters and far more than 200,000 spectators along the course, the 12th edition of the Challenge Roth, the world’s biggest long-distance triathlon event, will take place in Roth on July 14th.

The competition will start with a 3.8 kilometres swim in the Main-Donau-Canal, followed by a 180 kilometres bike race and a final marathon of 42 kilometres. The race winner is expected to cross the finish-line in less than eight hours. The current world record – which was actually established in Roth in 2011 – is 7:41:33.

On July 14th, the city and county of Roth will experience this top-class sports event with well-known international triathletes under the Challenge label for the twelfth time. But the Challenge Roth is also a great family festival with a huge surrounding programme, such as the Triathlon Expo at the Roth Triathlon Park or the Finish-Line Party at night.

The Challenge Roth begins at 6.30 in the early morning with the swim start at the Hilpoltstein landing stage and will have its grand finale at about 10:45 p.m. at the Roth Triathlon Stadium with a big fireworks display.

 

German Triathlon Championship back in Roth

 

ROTH. DATEV Challenge Roth on July 14 will again host the official German Long-Distance Triathlon Championship of the German Triathlon Union (DTU), as already between 2004 and 2010. The competition of the best German triathletes will take place as part of the “best old race” in Roth at least until 2017. In 2012, Challenge Roth had even hosted the official European Triathlon Championship of ETU (European Triathlon Union). The high quality of the competition and related services as well as the typical hospitality in Roth obviously convinced the officials of the European and German triathlon associations.

The President of the German Triathlon Union, Dr. Martin Engelhardt says about the decision in favor of Roth: “The German Triathlon Union is happy that the German Long-Distance Triathlon Championship will take place as part of DATEV Challenge Roth in the next few years. In Roth, a triathlon event has been developed over the past 25 years which is one of the absolute highlights in Germany, and there are only few such races in the world.

As the German triathlon umbrella association, we have always enjoyed working with the Walchshöfers and their Challenge Roth team, and our co-operation has always been very good. I am certain that together we will be able to open some new roads for our fascinating sport. It is important for us that the national Championship takes place as part of a high-quality event, so we were bound to decide in favor of Roth.”

 

Largest number of participants ever in German Championship

In order to turn the 2013 German Championship into a special event for the athletes, and in order to draw the triathlon community’s attention to the event, the Roth organizers have been banging the drum for several months. The most important aim has already been achieved: DATEV Challenge Roth is going to host the German Championship with the largest number of participants ever.

According to current figures, exactly 2,298 individual starters will participate in the Championship. Challenge CEO Felix Walchshöfer says: “It is very important for me that the official German Long-Distance Triathlon Championship attracts as much attention as possible – in Germany and beyond. And we are able to ensure this here in Roth, as well as at Challenge Kraichgau, where we will have the German Intermediate Distance Championship on June 9. We want to use our possibilities in order to give the German Championship the importance and attention that it definitely deserves. In view of almost 30 years of triathlon history in Roth, I think it is absolutely right to choose the German Long-Distance Triathlon Champions here in Roth again.”

Well-known German athletes take part

At DATEV Challenge Roth, a whole lot of German top athletes are going to fight for the title of DTU Champion, as part of an international world-class field of starters. Provided he has a perfect performance, well-known athlete Timo Bracht could have good chances to win, after having finished second in last year’s Challenge, where he also won the title of European Champion.

This year, he is going to do his very best to win the Challenge race and the German Championship for the first time. Maik Petzold and Dirk Bockel, who took part in the Olympic Games, could also be able to win the German Championship. As regards the women’s competition, Sonja Tajsich from Regensburg and Julia Gajer from Ditzingen could be the favourites to win the title. Both of them were able to reach top positions in Roth in the past few years (2012: Sonja Tajsich second, Julia Gajer third), and they are definitely among the international top female athletes. But there is another exceptional female triathlete who could also win the German Championship: Nicole Leder, who won Challenge Roth twice (2003 and 2004).

On July 14, she will have her last long-distance race in Roth. So she would really deserve the title of German Championship in her farewell race.

 

Source: DATEV Challenge Roth

 

Course-Info

All distances of the Challenge Roth from the first sight

 

The Roth Triathlon Park is the new "Mecca for endurance athletes" and as such unique in Germany.   It will comprise the triathlon expo, additional show areas, changing areas, a beer garden and the triathlon stadium with the adjoining medical care and catering areas. The spectators will appreciate the very harmonious overall picture of the Triathlon Park, which is located in the former garden show area that had been tailored to the triathlon event from the very start. The following map may still be modified in some details, in particular since the number of starters of the Quelle Challenge Roth is increasing steadily. In order to have more room, we are considering arranging the final part of the running course in such a way that it leads along Hilpoltsteiner Strasse, Lohgarten and right through the exhibition area of the Firefighters' Show. As soon as a respective decision has been made, we will inform you accordingly. But this will not change anything about the basic outline of the area.
Overview PDF-Download (100 KB)		Triathlonpark Roth PDF-Download (80 KB)
Swim course(3.8 km) PDF-Download (74 KB)   Since the Water and Shipping Authority has been supporting the Quelle Challenge Roth for years the international water route is totally closed on race day. Every year the District Office of Roth makes samplings to make sure that the water in the Canal is of a good quality. For the real triathlon fan the attendance of the swim start on July 4, 2004 is compulsory. After the national anthems, a short prayer and a special song about twelve start groups are released to put their way through the 3.8 km long swim course.
Transition area 1 PDF-Download (66 KB)
Bike course(180 km) PDF-Download (768 KB)   Where else can competitors find such an amazing and fanatic crowd? The bikers are cheered everywhere on the course, and commentators inform and talk about the race at Greding, Thalmässing, Eckersmühlen, Selingstädterberg and Solarerberg. Just pure triathlon feeling.
Height profile PDF-Download (145 KB)
Transition area 2 PDF-Download (51 KB)
Run course (42,195 km) PDF-Download (207 KB)   Also the run course with its highlights at the "Lände" and the Canal bridge near Eckersmühlen has really become a center of attraction. There, not only music is played but also information about the race are given to the crowds..