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James Cunnama and Rachel Joyce win 11th Challenge Roth Timo Bracht and Rachel Joyce are Official ETU European Champions in Long Distance Triathlon South Africa’s James Cunnama won the 11th Challenge Roth in 7:59:59 ahead of Germany’s Timo Bracht who secured the title of Official ETU Long Distance Triathlon European Champion.
Third place went to Mike Aigroz from Switzerland who is now vice European Champion. Third place in the European Championship went to Stephen Bayliss who finished fifth behind Cameron Brown from New Zealand. Cunnama already explained during the press conference on Thursday that he had unfinished business in Roth after he did not finish last year. As this year’s winner he explained at the finish: „This is an iconic race, you hear about it, you dream about it. You read the names of the big ones that win and now I am standing here. I am extremely happy!“ Konstantin Bachor from the German city Wolfsburg was the surprise of the day after he got off the bike more than 10 minutes ahead of the favorite athletes and was in the lead until halfway through the marathon- he finished in sixth place. Rachel Joyce from Great Britain won the women’s race in 8:45:04 ahead of Germany’s Sonja Tajsich and last year’s second place finisher Julia Gajer. Thus, the Brit also won the title of Official ETU Long Distance Triathlon European Champion and the championship podium equals that of Challenge Roth. Joyce dominated the race from the beginning. She was the second woman out of the water, took the lead during the first kilometers on the bike and defended it all the way to the finish line. The „Best Old Race“ could register a new record in spectator numbers. About 200 000 spectators along along the course and in the Triathlon park in Roth watched the race in bright weather and comfortable temperatures of about 23 degrees- there was no rain throughout the entire day- and once again created the unique triathlon atmosphere Roth is so well-known for. Especially at the swim start, the Solar Hill, the Lände, Marktplatz Roth and during the finish of the winners and the European Champions the crowd roared. The audience will go on cheering and celebrating the roughly 5000 athletes who took on the 3.8k swim, 180k bike ride and 42.195k run individually or as a relay team.
