Wellington seeks a third Challenge Roth win
Raelert, Kienle, and others are confirmed for the 10th Anniversary race.
Three-time Ironman World Champion and two-time Challenge Roth winner Chrissie Wellington returns to Challenge Roth this Sunday July 10th in search for her third win in a row.
Having raced to a remarkable world record iron distance time of 8:19:13 last year, all eyes will be Wellington to see if she can go even faster this year.
It will not be a walk in the park for Wellington. Also on the start line will be Australia’s Rebekah Keat (second at Roth last year), Scotland’s Catriona Morrison (winner at Ironman 70.3 Texas), and Australia’s Belinda Granger (a multiple Ironman race winner). Toronto’s Cindy Lewis will made her professional iron distance debut.
Joining Germany’s Andreas Raelert in the men’s race will be fellow German Sebastian Kienle (second last year at Roth in his iron distance debut, and dominated Ironman 70.3 New Orleans last weekend). This sets up a head to head match-up of two top German athletes for the first time in the event’s history. It should also set the stage for an assault on the new World Record Iron distance time of 7:45:59 set by Marino Vanhoenacker this past weekend.
The names on the men’s list don’t end there. There is also South African James Cunnama (third at Ironman South Africa), France’s Christophe Bastie, New Zealand’s Keegan Williams, and Canada’s Luke Dragstra. And while they might not be serious threats for the championship title, German triathlon legends Lothar Leder and Jürgen Zäck will be racing at the 10th anniversary event.
5250 athletes (solo and relays) from 61 nations will take to the course on Sunday. Get race day coverage and find out more here.
