"Walk of Triathlon" keeps on running and running...
With a building block on the "Walk of Triathlon" the City of Roth shows its closeness to the triathlon sport. The foot prints of the Challenge winners of the year 2017, Daniela Ryf and Bart Aernouts, were first presented milled in Corten steel at the award ceremony on 2nd July 2017 (see picture above). In the following years, the footprints of the winners from 2018 and 2019 have been eternalized already, too.
In the summer of 2020, the heavy Corten steel plates with the footprints of Lucy Charles-Barcley and Andreas Deitz found their new place in the city’s pavement. This will mark the starting point of the circular triathlon route “Walk of Triathlon”, known as the “Gallery of Winners”, through the city center of Roth.
The basic concept of the "Walk of Triathlon" resulted under the expert guidance of the Roth municipal architect in cooperation with the representatives of the triathlon sport. It consists of different elements, such as the “special places” or the circular route of the Gallery of Winners that has been laid out before. In a two-stage ideas competition, organized in 2016, the concept was filled with life. The first prize went to the architect Anne Rumetsch from Nuremberg. She developed various elements made of Corten steel, with each of them including the spatial logo for the triathlon in the City of Roth (see picture below).
The footplate, as an element from the competitions winning design, was then further developed in cooperation. It ended in the idea of depicting the Challenge winners’ footprints. They broke completely new grounds with their design, material and execution. Fortunately, partners could be found, without whom the first prototype of the last year’s footplate would not have been possible. It was Lothar Leder, a former several time winner of the triathlon in Roth, who made his "victorious feet" available to the test footplates. It was in the person of Alexander Zetterer and his company from Unterheckenhofen that selflessly performed pioneering work, investing countless hours in the development of a milling technique and it was the architect Anne Rumetsch, tirelessly engaged, that contributed her pronounced design principles to its realization.
With the prototype being successful last year, it was then presented to the public on the stage of our market place on the occasion of our city’s popular welcoming party on Challenge Friday. It has been exposed to the weather for a few months in order to test the typical corrosion of the Corten steel before being built in. And it was also in this year that, with everybody’s active support, the foot prints of the last year’s winners were created, with the company Zetterer explicitly mentioned here.
The film linked here illustrates the technical development of precession manufacturing at the Zetterer company in Roth-Unterheckenhofen.
We wish you a good time watching!
2016
A sensation at the 15th anniversary of the DATEV Challenge Roth: the reigning world champion Jan Frodeno (GER) presents Roth with the finest birthday gift, winning the legendary race in a new world record time of 7:35:39 hours and so succeeding the record set by Andreas Raelert (GER) in 2011 by six minutes. Frodeno too extends his lead of more than 20 minutes over the runner-up Joe Skipper (GBR, 7:56:23 hours). The defending champion Nils Frommhold (GER) earns the well-deserved third place with 7:57:49 hours.
The women's race is decided by the Ironman Hawaii winner Daniela Ryf (SUI) in an unbelievable time of 8:22:04 hours - the third-best time ever achieved on the long-distance course and only four minutes behind the unrivalled Chrissie Wellington (GBR) with her world record in 2011. The Australian Carrie Lester delivers a top time also as the second-placed triathlete with 8:42:13 hours, relegating the defending champion Yvonne van Vlerken (NED, 8:49:35 hours) to third place and Laura Siddall (GBR, 8:51:59 hours) to fourth place.
2017
The Belgian Bart Aernouts and the reigning world champion Daniela Ryf from Switzerland make their mark on the DATEV Challenge Roth 2017 in hot and humid temperatures and despite a new, more challenging course.
An entirely exciting race throughout is seized by Bart Aernouts the surprise winner completing in 7:59:07 just under the eight-hour mark. Joe Skipper (GBR) comes in second with exactly 8:03:00 hours and slightly ahead of the long-distance rookie Maurice Clavel (GER, 8:04:53 hours). The fourth-placed triathlete also receives a standing ovation in the Roth Triathlon stadium: Timo Bracht (GER, 41) concluding here in Roth his highly successful, long-standing professional career at the finish line.
In the women's race, the world-titleholder Daniela Ryf defends her Roth title from the preceding year by commanding a clear lead from start to finish in 8:40:03 hours. The second-placed Laura Siddall (GBR, 8:51:38 hours) remains effectively under the nine-hour mark. The third place goes to Yvonne van Vlerken (NED) with 9:07:40 hours.
2018
German double win at the DATEV Challenge Roth for Sebastian Kienle and Daniela Saemmler.
Time stood still at 7:46:23 hours for Sebastian Kienle in the city garden of Roth. The only athletes that have ever been faster were Jan Frodeno with his world record in 2016 of 7:35:39 hours and Andreas Raelert in 2011 with a time of 7:41:33 hours. Even behind Kienle there was an absolute performance explosion. Andreas Dreitz made the German double win complete after coming in second in 7:53:06 and this was only his second long distance race! The American, Jesse Thomas and Joe Skipper from England, along with the Australian, Cameron Wurf and James Cunnama of South Africa, brought four more men under the magical 8-hour mark.
Even more exciting than the men’s race was the development of the race among the women. The race was only decided during the last few kilometers. Daniela Saemmler saved herself with nine seconds crossing the finish line in front of Lucy Charles – a half round in the stadium after 3,8 kilometers swim, 180 kilometers bike and 42,195 kilometers run.
2019
The second placed winners in the men’s, as well as in the women’s field from last year – Andi Dreitz from Germany and Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) can stand a step higher on the winner’s platform and fulfill their dreams in 2019. Dreitz crossed the finish line in 7:59:02 as a very happy man. A first-class international pro field with six top ten athletes from Hawaii 2018 couldn’t stop him. A dream became reality. Jesper Svensson (SWE) and Cameron Wurf (AUS) made places two and three of the Triathlon-Dream Factory in Roth.
Lucy Charles-Barclay pretty much had a safe Start-Finish-Win in the women’s category. She had a huge lead coming out of the waters of the Main-Danube-Canal and kept it through to the finish line in the Triathlon Stadium in her hands. The 25-year old crossed the finish line, beaming and with a loud joyous scream under the frenetic jubilation, with a new personal best time of 8:31:09. The women’s platform was completed by Sarah Crowley (AUS) and last year’s winner Daniela Bleymehl (GER).
2021
The Triathlon 2021 finally returns to Roth following cancellation of the event due to COVID-19. Patrick Lange and Anne Haug attain the winning titles of the DATEVChallenge Roth powered by hep 2021, which took place with a reduced starting field amid COVID restrictions, yet realised under perfect race conditions and radiant September weather in the triathlon stronghold of Roth.
An exciting competition sees the 2018 World Champion Patrick Lange triumph in his Roth debut after an outstanding performance in 7:19:19 hours, albeit with a 10km shorter distance in the cycle leg. The second place is awarded to Nils Frommhold at 7:30:31 hours. Felix Hentschel (7:31:12 hours) helps to achieve a German triple success.
In the women's race, the reigning world champion Anne Haug crowns her Roth inauguration with a brilliant victory, crossing the finish line in 7:53:48 hours. Laura Siddall, the British triathlete well-renowned in Roth, takes second place in 8:25:24 hours. Fenella Langridge (GBR) completes the podium with her Roth premiere of 8:27:04 hours.
2022
The legendary passage of the Solarer Berg is back, and with it the innumerable triathlon fans who, after the COVID-19 pandemic, may ultimately return to the course for the 20th anniversary of the challenge. To conclude an extremely exciting race, the Dane Magnus Elbæk Ditlev surprisingly wins in the men‘s field of the DATEV Challenge Roth. With his astonishing time of 7:35:48 hours, Ditlev missed Jan Frodeno’s course record from 2016 by merely nine seconds –despite temperatures around 30 degrees. Defending champion Patrick Lange (GER) accomplishes second place with 7:44:52 hours, while Brazilian Reinaldo Colucci comes in third with 7:52:36 hours, also well under the eight-hour mark.
The women’s race is decided following an ambitious pursuit by world champion Anne Haug (GER), her time: a sensational 8:22:42. Fenella Langridge (GB), who had been leading for a considerable time, deservedly takes second place after finishing third the previous year. Judith Corachán (ESP) crosses the finish line in the Roth Triathlon stadium in third position.
