Kona champs (every one since 2015!) face off in Roth
Stellar women’s field set to compete in Bavaria
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Challenge Roth
It is hard to argue that Challenge Roth will feature the most competitive women’s full-distance field other than the Ironman World Championship this year. Every single Kona champion since 2015 – Daniela Ryf (SUI), Anne Haug (GER) and Chelsea Sodaro (USA) will compete at the classic venue in Bavaria, setting up the potential world-best winning time, too.
While she isn’t a Kona winner, Germany’s Laura Philipp promises to be in the record-hunting mix – last year she missed Chrissie Wellington’s world-best and Roth course-record time of 8:18:13 by just seven seconds at Ironman Hamburg.
Chasing a third title
Defending women’s champion Anne Haug (the 2019 Kona champ) will be looking for a hat-trick with a third straight title on June 25. Her win last year was integral in her taking the top spot in the Professional Triathletes Organisation’s World Ranking last year.
Ryf, a five-time Ironman world champion, is also a two-time winner in Roth, having won there in 2016 and 2017. Her 8:22:04 performance in Roth in 2016 signalled that on the right day she could threaten Wellington’s record.
Competing in a third long-distance race
Reigning Ironman world champion Chelsea Sodaro took second to Philipp at last year’s Ironman Hamburg event. She’ll be competing in just her third long-distance race in Roth. While Philipp has a few more full-distance races under her belt, she’ll also be making her debut in Roth.
Other athletes to watch for
There are lots of women who could be in the mix with all the Kona winners. Last year’s runner -up in Roth, Fenella Langridge, is back, while fellow Brit Laura Siddall, the 2021 runner-up, is back for a sixth start in Roth. Sweden’s Lisa Norden, fifth in Kona and sixth in St. George last year, continues to prove that she can be a factor in long-distance racing after her silver medal at the Olympics in 2012.
Another British athlete, Ruth Astle, won Ironman Israel last year after taking fifth at the Ironman World Championship St. George. In 2019 Astle was eighth overall and the top amateur at Challenge Roth.
Here’s the elite women’s starting list:
- Anne Haug
- Chelsea Sodaro
- Daniela Ryf
- Laura Philipp
- Laura Siddall
- Fenella Langridge
- Ruth Astle
- Lisa Norden
- Debbie Greig
- Janien Lubben
- Camille Deligny
- Vanessa Pereira
- Margie Santimaria
- Margrit Elfers
- Maja Betz
- Lina-Kristin Schink
- Elisabetta Curridori
- Annika Timm
- Elena Illeditsch
- Johanna Ahrens
- Henrike Güber
- Hannah Arlom
- Line Borsinski
- Leonie Zumhasch
- Jamie Albert
- Katrine Græsbøll Christensen
- Magda Nieuwoudt
