Having previously reported significant growth from international markets, this year’s DATEV Challenge Roth in Bavaria, Germany, has put down a marker as ‘the world’s largest triathlon’.
The 15th anniversary of the race, which took place on Sunday 17 July, was also a golden one, as Jan Frodeno delivered a world record performance over the 226km distance. Frodeno’s time of 7:35:39 undercut Andreas Raelert’s former record of 7:41:33 by almost six minutes on the same course. Daniela Ryf of Switzerland took the women’s title at her first Challenge Roth with the third fastest women’s time ever achieved over triathlon’s long distance.
The fast times achieved by the pros in recent years have certainly helped to boost media attention on DATEV Challenge Roth. The course has been the home of a number of past long-distance tri world records. (Chrissie Wellington lowered the world record time on all three occasions, 2009–2011, she raced Challenge Roth in Germany.)
In addition to fast times, Challenge Roth has built scale. This year, the organising team at Challenge Family have highlighted strong growth in participation at Roth from emerging triathlon nations, but also from well established markets such as the USA and New Zealand.
In addition to a mass of participating athletes, the event has a significant amount of spectator support and one of the world’s largest event expos, which extends around the DATEV Challenge Roth finisher stadium.
By the numbers:
- 72 nations were represented at DATEV Challenge Roth 2016
- Over 4,000 athletes registered for DATEV Challenge Roth 2016 across individual and relay teams
- There were over 6,500 athletes when including other events associated with the main race
- Male finishers accounted for 84% of individual athletes racing at DATEV Challenge Roth 2016
- Female finishers accounted for 16% of individual athletes racing
- 92% finisher rate for individual athletes at DATEV Challenge Roth 2016
- 96% finisher rate for relay athletes
- Overall, 93% finisher rate
- More than 250,000 visitors on race day
- More than 6,000 volunteers from the local county
- More than 4,500m² expo area
- 150 exhibitors
- 35,000 visitors at the expo
During his run, race winner Jan Frodeno reportedly experienced “many highs and lows” in the final kilometres; but in the end, the highs prevailed. And in his first interview at the finish line he said, “Now I understand why this is the greatest of all races.”
Next year’s DATEV Challenge Roth takes place on 9 July 2017. Online registration for next year’s event opens on Monday 25 July 2016, at 10:00 CET.
