The DATEV Challenge Roth team has been busy the last few months to get ready for their crown jewel event and now this popular race is upon us with most racers already arrived in town and the expo getting busy.
3,445 athletes from around the world are scheduled to start in 14 separate waves and that number does not even include the 649 relay teams. When walking trough the DATEV Challenge Roth triathlon park a big variety of languages are heard and many happy faces are abound, plus of course a few nervous ones.
Quite a few Pros are here in Roth to earn a share of the $100,000 purse and take the title of this prestigious race. Among the male pros are defending champion James Cunnama from South Africa, Timo Bracht, Nils Frommhold and Maik Petzold from Germany, Kiwis Cameron Brown and Dylan McNeice and Luxembourg's Dirk Bockel. Some of the women to watch are Caroline Steffen from Switzerland, Germans Sonja Tajsich and Julia Gajer, new Austrian Yvonne Van Vlerken and Brit Yvette Grice.
This event will also function as the German Long Course National Championships.
All images © Herbert Krabel / slowtwitch.com
Hopefully we won't have to suffer on Sunday, but most athletes will enjoy seeing this encouragement with their name on it.
Like at any race it is a popular competition to find your name and bib number quickly.
Everyone who works in the race package pickup tent sports the local traditional outfits and appears utterly friendly and helpful.
This VivoBarefoot One M might be as close to running barefoot as you can go.
The young fans here know the Pros and quickly picked out Timo Bracht.
North Americans may be shocked when the realize that at Euro expos the energy drinks etc aren't just handed out as samples.
The Zoggs Predator Flex Reactor goggles feature photochromatic lenses.
There are various places here to relax and hang out.
Checking out the merchandise very closely.
Many questions and not always directly related to the exhibiting brand.
A happy customer in the Saucony booth. Not sure though when I last saw a Saucony booth at a US triathlon event.
Steve Dunn from ABG flew over to Germany to help out the German Quintana Roo team.
This Woolf Kona 1.0 Tribal shoe is hot off the press.
All this expo time makes folks hungry, and there are various fine solutions.
Big shoes to fill in the Sketchers booth.
Little Georg is getting juiced - legally of course.
Defending champion James Cunnama is also very popular with the fans.
Dirk and Alicia Bockel are clearly ready for the Erdinger party.
Dirk Bockel with Dylan McNeice and Maik Petzold.
The Kiwis and the Aussies always know how to have a good time, and here they are surprisingly close.
