On Sunday 18 September, the Challenge Family will launch in the UK with up to 1,000 athletes competing in the inaugural Challenge Henley-on-Thames, completing a 3.8K swim, 180K bike and 42.2K run in the picturesque English countryside.
The Swimovate swim, starting at Henley Business School, is a straight out and back, on the famous Henley Royal Regatta rowing course. The three-lap bike course on closed roads through the rolling Chiltern hills promises to provide a test of bike skills combined with fast times.
The four-lap run is a flat course through the quintessentially English town of Henley on Thames, and over the Henley Bridge, which will afford great views down the river. The run will then head through Remenham on to private land along to Aston, and back to town along the Thames towpath passing the iconic Temple Island.
Pro male athletes include: the UK’s Stephen Bayliss, who recently won Challenge Vichy; local athlete Sam Gardner, XTERRA Champion; as well as the legendary Lothar Leder from Germany, winner of nine ironman races; plus Aaron Farlow who won this year’s Ironman UK. The women’s field includes Yvette Grice, winner of Ironman UK 2010; and local girl Lou Collins, age group winner in Hawaii, who will be up against athletes including Susanne Buckenlei winner of the Norsemann Triathlon and Candice Hammond from New Zealand who came 4th at Challenge Cairns.
Live results are available on race day at www.challengehenley.com.
Challenge Henley-on-Thames is part of the global Challenge Family series of long distance triathlons that features 13 races over three continents and includes the world’s largest iron distance race, Challenge Roth.
