Sub7/ Sub8 Project will take place at Germany’s Dekra Lausitzring on June 5 or 6

It’s an audacious goal – breaking seven- (men) or eight-hours (women) for a full-distance triathlon – but that’s what Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR), Alistair Brownlee (GBR), Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) and Nicola Spirig (SUI) will be attempting this June at a race car track in Germany in an event called the Sub7/ Sub8 Project.

The athletes will be going after these impressive times with the help of pacers in all three disciplines, so the times won’t be official world records, but as Nike’s Sub-2 project did for marathon running, the event is likely to attract lots of attention.

Two-time Kona champ Chris McCormack made the announcement today:

The day will start at Lake Senftenberg, a man-made lake about 10 km away from the track, that is big enough for a point-to-point swim so the athletes won’t have to make any turns in their search for a quick time. The four competitors will then bike from the lake to Lausitzring’s 5.85 km Test Oval for both the bike and run legs. The athletes will have their own pacers, who will be “swapping in and out on both the bike and run legs,” organizers said.

“The Dekra Lausitzring is designed for racing and speed, so it is the perfect location for us to attempt to break the mythical Sub7 and Sub8 barriers,” Brownlee said. “Every element of the course needs to create optimal conditions for us to make gains and having a controlled environment to maximise results and minimise risk will be essential.”

“For me, the climate is really important as it will allow for an incredibly fast bike leg where the most amount of time can be saved,” said Charles-Barclay. “The calm water swim will also create an opportunity to start the challenge in the best possible way – fast – and that is what I want to do so I can not only beat Sub8, but also match the current men’s time of 7h21m.”