Courtesy: Quelle Challenge Roth

When in the first light of dawn on July 14th about 1500 triathletes as well as 100 relay teams, split up into ten starting blocks, get into the Main-Donau-Kanal, it will be a common scene for many spectators and athletes, but nevertheless this procedure will be a premiere.

What had been regarded in Roth under the term Quelle Ironman Europe as the biggest triathlon event of its kind worldwide is now called Quelle Challenge Roth and is indeed a challenge for those who want to undergo the procedure of a long distance race on this day. After the starting signal in front of about 100,000 spectators 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles on the bike and 26.2 miles of running - a complete marathon run - have to be absolved.

The fastest athletes will finish the complete race in about eight hours' time but with this year's strong list of participants and maybe perfect weather it is absolutely possible to finish below the world record time. This time is 7:50:27 and was put up in Roth by the Belgian Luc van Lierde five years ago. Therefore, but also because of the fabulous time of 7:57:02 one year before by Lothar Leder, who therefore was the first athlete to finish under eight hours, Roth is regarded as the European mecca of triathlon

The strong German athletes Lothar Leder, Thomas Hellriegel (winner of Ironman Hawaii 1997) and Andreas Niedrig will be chased on their home course by last year's second Hawaii finisher Cameron Brown from New Zealand.

In the women's competition third finisher of Hawaii 2001, Germany's athlete Nina Kraft, will be at the starting line. She will have to compete against the winner of Ironman Florida 2000, Tara Lee Marshall, and the winner of Ironman Canada, Gillian Bakker.

All competitors will be cheered on this day by 100,000 fans, who will especially wait for their favorites along the bike course. Particularly the "Solarer Berg" in Hilpoltstein enjoys a reputation compared to the most famous course parts of the Tour De France. The athletes will properly be carried up the mountain.

The secret of Roth lies especially in the fact that in the evening hours the places in the "Triathlon-Stadium" of the district town Roth are totally booked up; because there the true heroes of Roth are greeted at dusk: athletes from 30 countries of the world, who will be cheered as much as those who finished best. The fact that in Roth the Ironmen are now called Challengers will not influence the flair and atmosphere of this great event.