McCormack, a three-time champion in Roth, will be seeking a fourth consecutive win as well as the US$100,000 bonus on offer for breaking the record. Also on the start will be the hard-riding Hellriegel, who had a front-row seat when van Lierde, then a young Belgian star, set the astounding mark by running home with a 2:36 marathon.
McCormack said he believes that it’s his job—and the job of young athletes coming through the ranks behind him—to endeavor to break those records: “It’s the duty of all the future athletes to chase the world record. It is there to be broken,” he said. “It’s an honor for me to be here and race alongside Thomas.”
On that day in 1997, four athletes—van Lierde, Lothar Leder, Zäck and Hellriegel—dipped under the sub-eight hour mark, which had been broken just a year earlier in Roth by eventual five-time champion Leder.
McCormack first started in Roth in 2003 and has twice gone under the coveted eight-hour barrier over the classic German course, in 2004 and 2005.
Hellriegel said he was very happy to be back in Roth after a few years away from the race. The fearsome biker, whose swim has improved vastly in recent months, said he hopes a faster swim will mean he won’t have to recover as much time on the bike. In a recent middle distance race at Kraichgau, he exited the water only 30 seconds in arrears of eventual winner—and always fast swimmer—Faris Al-Sultan.
“It’s great to be back,” said Hellriegel, who’s returned to top form after battling mononucleosis and injury in recent years.
On the start with McCormack and Hellriegel will be young Aussie Pete Jacobs and countrymen Chris McDonald, fourth at Ironman Western Australia in 2006, and Justin Granger, tenth here in 2005, along with Canada’s Luke Dragstra, winner of the Challenge Wanaka in January, South Africa’s Raynard Tissink, twice a top-10 finisher at the Ironman World Championship, and Eneko Llanos of Spain, a two-time XTERRA world champion and recent winner of Ironman Lanzarote. From within Germany come Markus Forster (winner of Ironman Wisconsin last year), Roth’s own Bernd Eichhorn (seventh in Roth last year), and Michael Hofmann, winner of the world title for firefighters contested in Roth and a sub-9-hour finisher.
Defending champion Jo Lawn of New Zealand and 2005 champion Belinda Granger of Australia said they will be working to dip under the nine-hour mark. Lawn was close last year with her 9:01:17 finish. “I think it’s very possible,” she said. “I’m looking forward to having a good day. I will just try my hardest.”
“You really do have to have a perfect day,” Granger said of the conditions needed for a sub-9 performance. “I just want to go in there and have as good a day as I possibly can. It’s going to be a really, really good women’s race this year.”
The women’s field includes Christine Waitz, a rising young star from Roth who won her age group at her first try in Kona last year, and Heidi Jesberger, a past top-five finisher in Roth. From abroad come Hungary’s Erika Csomor, fourth here last year, and Yvonne van Vlerken of the Netherlands, a top duathlete and last year’s winner of Ironman 70.3 in Antwerp.
Missing from the start will be Germany’s Ute Mückel (third here in 2005), who was recently injured in a bike crash. But hopes are high she can be on hand at the finish line to greet the winners.
The Quelle Challenge Roth has boosted its anti-doping efforts and has increased the number of drug tests to be administered at the finish. In all, 26 athletes will be tested for banned substances, including the blood-boosting agent EPO—the top three men and women, the winners of the German long-distance championships contested as part of the race, and eight professionals at random. And in a first, 10 age group athletes will also be tested at random. Race director Felix Walchshöfer said the move reflects the race’s continuing commitment to the fight against doping.
In addition to the world record bonus, a total prize purse worth 73,500 euro—paid 10 deep—is on the line. First place will receive 15,000, with 8,000 for second, 5,000 for third, 3,000 for fourth, 2,000 for fifth, 1,100 for sixth, 800 for seventh, 700 for eighth, 600 for ninth and 550 for tenth.
You can follow the action live at www.challenge-live.com with webcams, photo galleries, videos, a live race ticker, news stories and a program that’ll allow you to follow your athlete from start to finish.
The Quelle Challenge Roth, the former Ironman Europe, is celebrating its sixth anniversary as an independent race and 20 years of triathlon in Roth. This year it will have 2,500 individual entries and another 500 relay teams. In total, some 4,000 endurance athletes will take on the storied course, making Roth the biggest event on the ultra-distance calendar.
Quelle Challenge Roth’s sponsors include: Quelle AG, Deutsche Post AG, N-ERGIE, PRO4, Newline, Nürnberger Nachrichten (Nürnberg Newspapers), Bayrische Versicherungskammer, Erdinger Alkoholfrei, Sparkasse Mittelfranken-Süd, Arndt, Mavic, County of Roth, City of Roth, City of Hilpoltstein, Coca-Cola, Frankenbrunnen, Zeus Copy, Paladin, Hofmann, Jura Kaelte, Guttenberger & Partner, and Spedition Heinloth.
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