Posted: December 9, 2005

Triathlon: Quelle Challenge Roth nears capacity

Rematch set between Faris Al-Sultan and Chris McCormack

The Quelle Challenge Roth, the world’s largest long-course triathlon, is expected to reach its capacity by January 1, weeks earlier than anticipated.

At the moment, the popular relay division is already filled and more than 1,800 athletes have registered for the individual iron-distance test over the historic course. Only 700 places remain and there will be no waiting list for 2006. Each day another 50 to 70 entries arrive in the race offices.

“We’ll accept 2,500 entries because we know from experience that around 300 registered athletes will for health or other reasons not be able to start on the day,” said race director Felix Walchshöfer. “The Quelle Challenge Roth will have a maximum of 2,200 individual starters—and another 500 teams—at the start. While more would like to race, any more makes the danger of drafting too great.”

Roth’s field is also breaking records in terms of its international flavor, with 39 percent of athletes coming from outside Germany. The race also has secured the designation of German long-course championship through 2010 and retains a great deal of popularity at home as a great opportunity for German athletes to battle for top honors.

The race also announced the return of two-time Roth champion Chris McCormack of Australia, who won his second crown here in July with a second sub-eight-hour performance. In a star-studded field, he’ll face current Kona champion Faris Al-Sultan in a rematch of their incredible race from 2004: The pair battled all day until McCormack caught Al-Sultan in the late kilometers of the run. Both men broke the eight-hour barrier and were separated by little more than a minute at the finish. Al-Sultan was recovering from injuries sustained in a bike crash and wasn’t able to start this year in Roth, so the 2006 matchup promises to be a stirring one.

For more information about the Quelle Challenge Roth, visit www.challenge-roth.com.

Quelle Challenge Roth’s sponsors include: Quelle AG, Deutsche Post AG, N-ERGIE, PRO4, Newline, Nürnberger Nachrichten (Nürnberg Newspapers), Bayrische Versicherungskammer, Erdinger Alkoholfrei, Sparkasse Mittelfranken-Süd, Arndt, Mavic, INKO Energy, County of Roth, City of Roth, City of Hilpoltstein, Coca-Cola, Frankenbrunnen, Zeus Copy, Paladin, Hofmann, Jura Kaelte, Flor & Sohn, Spedition Heinloth, and BIESTMILCH.