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6’9″ Hockey star takes on Challenge Roth

Stanley Cup winning defenceman Zdeno Chara will compete in his first full-distance triathlon this weekend at Challenge Roth

Photo by: Clash Endurance

Zdeno Chara, aka “the Big Z,” is a Stanley Cup winning former NHL player who is enjoying the swim-bike-run life in his retirement from hockey. After playing 1,680 games in the NHL, the most for a defenceman, the 46-year-old turned his sights on marathon and triathlon racing last year. The 6’9″ (2.06 m) star played in the NHL for 24 years, represented Slovakia at five Olympic Games and captained the Boston Bruins for all 14 years he played with the team. He won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenceman in 2009 and led his team to the Stanley Cup finals in 2011, 2013 and 2019, with the team winning the cup in 2011.

Last December we got to see Chara compete in his first half-distance triathlon at Clash Daytona. On Sunday he’ll be doubling the distance as he competes at Challenge Roth.

Hockey legend Zdeno Chara turns his sights on triathlons and marathons

Now as an endurance athlete, Zee has run nine marathons, including a 3:19 in New York followed up six days later with a 3:11 in London. His PR is 3: 09. He recently finished the Ironman 70.3 Massachusetts in 5: 01: 51. Bob Babbitt caught up with the hockey star turned triathlete as part of the Breakfast with Bob Challenge Roth Edition 2024.