When in Rome: New Challenge race offers new distance format to honour Italian city

Challenge Roma 735 honours the city's foundation in 735 BC and presents unique swim, bike and run distances to reflect the year.

Triathlon Magazine March 22, 2017

The iconic city of Rome in Italy has been announced as the newest member of the Challenge Family international series of triathlons. The inaugural Challenge Roma 753 event will take place on 22-23 July 2017, and registration for the event will open on 1 April 2017

Billed as ‘two days of sport, competition and emotion’, the ‘event appetizer’ is on Saturday 22 July, with a sprint trial. The main course is on Sunday, with Challenge Roma 753 offering up a new distance format that has been ‘approved and inserted in the FITRI calendar (Federazione Italiana Triathlon)’.

Challenge Roma 753 is positioned as a unique event. Its name and characteristics refer to the date of the foundation of Rome in 753 BC. The swim course will take place in the artificial lake, Laghetto, covering 1753m. The 75,310m cycling course will go first towards ancient Ostia for the first 30 km. Then it will go back to the city centre. Finally the event ends up with a 17,530m run.

Gianluca Calfapietra, organizer of Challenge Roma 753 said “Last year we started the fascinating project of bringing triathlon inside Rome and having the athletes swim in the Eur lake for the first time in history. Today, we present our new venture, which becomes a part of the prestigious Challenge international circuit. A unique event of its kind in terms of location, distance and outlook. We thank FITRI and most of all the Challenge organizers for making our dream possible and for maintaining the Roma 753 format, as homage to the date of foundation of our capital city.”

Zibi Szlufcik, CEO Challenge Family, said “With the new edition of Challenge Roma 753, Challenge Family continues to deliver a racing experience in a monumental destination. The spectacular venue and course of the race is simply a dream fulfilment to every athlete passing by the famous monuments of Rome. The city of Rome is spectacular and with the special format of 753 the race is reflecting the history and birth of the city. Every athlete will enjoy every minute of the race.”