Leder, Schumacher breeze in Frankfurt
August 19, 2002, Frankfurt, Germany (First reported in TriBiz Reader)
Katja Schumacher kept up her impressive streak of wins by taking the title at Ironman Germany on Sunday. Schumacher had to overcome a monstrous six-minutes assessed for blocking--certainly a difficult call to accept in a large mass-start race, where a pro woman is invariably a magnet for the age-group men.
"It was a hard day--at the end I felt pretty bad. I think it was probably the heat. It's been so cold here, so I felt totally overheated. It didn't feel that good at the end" said Katja. "I was really nervous. I did not know how I would do … I haven't run much more than 10 miles in the last three weeks."
At the bike-run transition smart money would've been on Paula Newby-Fraser, who caught Katja on the bike and had 6 minutes in hand with Katja's penalty. However, suffering from the affects of a lingering stomach virus, Paula couldn't keep food and fuel down and checked herself into a medical tent at a run turn-around. After she was finally able to keep some oranges down she went back out on the course and ran a lap with her fiancée, Paul Huddle, and then ambled to the finished with a friend racing in the age-group division.
It was just another day at the office for Lothar Leder, the German who's done everything but win Kona. For Jurgen Zack, though, this was a significant result. Zack, who's been up and down in recent years and is on the lee side of an impressive career, was able to swim and ride well, and ran an acceptable 3:09 to claim second place.
The biggest surprise of the day may've been Liz Vitai, and American who was a mid-level pro back in the late 80s. Vitai was absent from triathlon for upwards of a decade, and reemerged as an age-grouper in recent years. She finished a startling third overall in the women's field.
(RESULTS)
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Quelle Challenge Roth protests date change for IM Germany
June 4, 2002, Frankfurt, Germany (First reported in TriBiz Reader)
The Quelle Challenge Roth is fighting a proposed date change by Ironman Germany that would put both races on the second weekend in July.
Roth has held down that date for 14 years, including all the years it was affiliated with the World Triathlon Corporation as the wildly popular Ironman Europe, a Kona qualifier and home of the iron-distance world record. Roth's organizers ended that affiliation after last year's race, opting instead to lower entry fees and bump up the race's festival atmosphere. It has drawn a field of about 1,800 athletes, including relay teams, and a top pro start list despite the absence of Kona slots.
The World Triathlon Corporation set up another Ironman race in Germany this year, in Frankfurt. The race makes its debut this year on August 18 and also has a strong pro field and about the same number of competitors thus far.
But Roth's Felix Walchshöfer said Saturday that Ironman Germany is seeking a date change for its 2003 race to the second weekend in July. Walchshöfer appealed to the Deutsche Triathlon Union, Germany's national governing body for triathlon, for help but was told the schedule was out of its hands.
"According to current legal practice the DTU has no influence whatsoever as regards the time schedule of the big triathlon events, so no protection of the date can be granted to the Roth organizers, and the existing confusion regarding the schedule would have to be solved among the organizers themselves," Walchshöfer said in a statement. "After the Ironman license had been returned last year, [Roth] had expected to and did actually lose about 800 to 1,000 starters. Nevertheless, the new concept of a triathlon festival including children's and family races as well as a relay competition will make the Roth triathlon on July 14 the biggest triathlon event in Europe."
Walchshöfer said Roth will not surrender its date.
Ironman spokeswoman Robyn McLeod confirmed Monday that the date for next year's Ironman Germany is currently set for July 13, 2003, but added: "We are checking with the organizers today to see if the date will stick" given the conflict with Roth.
The race in Roth was rescheduled once in its history at the request of television broadcasters, Walchshöfer said, with a resulting drop of almost 30 percent in registration.
(OPINION)
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With or without slots: Big names, reg numbers for iron-distance races in Germany
March 6, 2002, Roth, Germany
Iron-watchers were eagerly anticipating the matchup between the Quelle Challenge Roth and the new Ironman Germany in Frankfurt this summer. Would Roth, with its history, loyal following and thousands of spectators, be able to draw competitors without Kona slots? Would athletes be willing to try a new Kona-qualifying venue in Frankfurt?
The World Triathlon Corporation-affiliated Frankfurt race replaces the former Ironman Europe in Roth on the WTC's qualifying calendar. Longtime Roth race director Detlef Kühnel decided last summer not to renew his contract with the WTC and instead strike out on his own, lowering entry fees and boosting the festival atmosphere already in place at Roth. The race, which turns 15 this year, already has a place in triathlon history as the site of the first sub-8-hour Ironman. It's famous among athletes for the throngs of spectators lining the Solarer Berg and the Biermeile on the bike course.
The competition appeared to shake out this way: Frankfurt has a lot of Kona qualifying slots on offer - 120, the most of any race this year - but is a brand-new race. Roth has a loyal following but no more Kona slots.
In the early going, it appears that there's room in the market for both - and then some.
The Quelle Challenge Roth has signed on some heavy hitters in the pro field for its July 14 race. It's also registered more than 1,400 athletes and 120 relay teams so far, said Roth's Felix Walchshöfer. The elite field includes Thomas Hellriegel, Lothar Leder, Cameron Brown, Andreas Niedrig, Markus Forster, and Mika Luoto among the men and Nina Kraft, Nicole Leder, Tara-Lee Marshall, Gillian Bakker, and Ute Mückel among the women.
New sponsors also have come on board, he said.
"We are very satisfied," Walchshöfer said. "We are also extremely happy about the top athletes who already signed [up for] the race."
Frankfurt's Kai Baumgartner reports that some 1,420 athletes have already signed for the August 18 race, along with pros Lothar Leder, Jürgen Zöck, Normann Stadler, Spencer Smith, Paula Newby-Fraser and Katja Schumacher.
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There's a new Ironman Germany in Frankfurt am Main
August 23, 2001, Tarpon Springs, Florida
In a battle royal that will tell once and for all how strong the M-dot is when added to a local race organizer's efforts, World Triathlon Corporation, owners of the Ironman license, have announced a new "Ironman Germany" to be held on August 18 in Frankfurt, Germany.
In a press statement just releasesd, WTC said that, "Martin Koller and Peter Boll, organizers of Ironman Switzerland, and Kurt Denk, president of Hawaii Holiday Service, will manage the event."
"We knew we'd have to find a great location for the German race and we've found it in Frankfurt,? said Lew Friedland, president of WTC. "It's a great city, they have lots of experience in accommodating major sporting events and they have pledged their full support in continuing the success of Ironman in Germany.?"
Ironman Germany will offer 100 qualifying slots for the Ironman Triathlon World Championship being held on October 19, 2002, as well as a $50,000 (USD) prize purse. Registration is limited to 2000 athletes.
The swim will take place at Langener Waldsee, located 15k outside of Frankfurt. The two-loop bike course will take athletes through Frankfurt and then out to the east and the towns of Maintal-Hochstadt, Bad Vilbel, Taunus and up to the historic Saalburg Castle.
Following the transition at Main Kai, the athletes run along a flat out and back course that takes them along the Main River.
The race will take place a month after the QUELLE Challenge Roth, which was the "old" Ironman Germany. In choosing a new licensee, WTC is going head-to-head with a formidable ex-partner. In reality, the name "Ironman" means less to Europeans than it does to Americans, based on the popularity of non-Ironman races of that distance in Denmark and the Netherlands. What is undeniably important, however, is the 100 qualifying slots.
Roth's owner, Detlef Kuhnel––who lost his Ironman license because of (among other things) an unwillingness to reduce his field size to 2000 athletes and agree to a single mass athlete start––has on his side of the ledger a long race history, and more prize money than Frankfurt will have.
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It's the QUELLE Challenge Roth now
August 19, 2001, Roth, Germany
The former Ironman Germany in Roth—home to world-record-breaking performances and the first sub-eight-hour Ironman—has given up its World Triathlon Corporation franchise and will stage next year's race as the "QUELLE Challenge Roth—The International Triathlon Festival."
The race is set for Sunday, July 14, 2002. Race organizers announced that the newly named race will keep its course—which draws thousands of enthusiastic spectators each year—its start time of 6:10 a.m. and its festival atmosphere. Because it no longer has ties to WTC, it will lose its Kona qualifying slots. The 14-year-old race will lower its entry fees to 180 Euros ($165) for folks who enter before the end of the year, and 195 Euros ($179) thereafter. Teams will pay even less.
The triathlon festival will start July 10 and continue through until Tuesday, July 16, with family and kids' triathlons also planned for race week.
Online registration will open Nov. 1 at www.challenge-roth.de.
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Leder defends, Kraft first-time champ at Roth
July 8, 2001, Roth, Germany
Germany's Lothar Leder defended his Ironman Europe title Sunday under cool and rainy conditions in Roth. His time of 8:10 included the day's fastest bike split—a 4:32—and a 2:49 marathon, one minute slower than the day's fastest.
Behind him was countryman Andreas Niedrig—improving on his third-place finishes here in recent years—in 8:18. While he came off the bike with Leder, the pace was too hot and Niedrig was dropped just 1K into the marathon.
The fastest marathon split, a 2:48, went to New Zealand's Cameron Brown, third overall in 8:25. Behind him were Germany's Ralf Eggert in 8:28 and Thomas Hellriegel, famous for hating cold and wet conditions—just the sort of weather Roth can occasionally deliver.
Hellriegel, in 8:31:48, held off a fast-closing Stefan Holzner, just five seconds back at the line.
The men's race also served up two notable DNFs from pre-race favorites Normann Stadler of Germany, who dropped early in the day with stomach problems, and Canadian Peter Reid, who dropped on the bike.
Leder, who has already notched one Ironman win at South Africa this year and a second at Ironman Malaysia, ups his winning record at Roth to three. He was most notably the first man to break the 8-hour barrier, a feat he accomplished at Roth in 1996 when he posted a 7:57:02. The record stood for a year until Belgian Luc van Lierde came to Roth and dropped it to 7:50:27, a record that still holds today.
In the women's race, Ironman South Africa champ Nina Kraft of Germany took the lead during the marathon and held off late charges from several fleet-footed competitors behind her to win her first Roth crown in 9:24. She was fourth at Roth last year and second in '99.
Kraft came off the bike three minutes down to Australian Robin Rooke, who posted the fastest bike split of the day, a 5:16. Rooke's effort clearly cost her, however, and she was caught 6K into the run before fading to seventh.
California's Gina Kehr continued to improve her long-distance resume with a second-place finish, in 9:27. Kehr was third at Wildflower this year and tenth at Kona in 2000.
In third was Nicole Leder in 9:30. Her 3:01 marathon, the day's fastest, was strong enough to move her through the field from eighth place after the bike. In fourth was Canadian Lisa Bentley, in 9:34, and American Karen Smyers, in 9:40.
German Ute Mueckel, another pre-race favorite, dropped out during the run.
(RESULTS)
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Kühnel saves (what may be) best for (what may be) last
July 6, 2001, Roth, Germany
The last M-dot branded Ironman Roth will send some 2,500 athletes up the infamous Solarer Berg and along the Beer Mile among thousands of cheering spectators on Sunday.
The race’s future is now no longer linked to the Florida-based World Triathlon Corporation after longtime race organizer and license holder Detlef Kühnel decided not to renew its contract beyond the expiration this year—the first serious defection from the "WTC family" in the corporation’s history. It remains to be seen if the hugely popular race will continue to draw the crowds in future, but smart money says it will.
The pro races feature deep fields not surprisingly tilted toward German and European competitors with some Canadians and Kiwis thrown in for good measure.
In the men’s race, Ironman World Champion Peter Reid of Canada will line up against former champion Thomas Hellriegel of Germany and a couple of competitors who already have one Ironman win under their belts this year: Germany’s Normann Stadler (Ironman Australia) and Lothar Leder (IM South Africa), and New Zealand’s Cameron Brown (IM New Zealand). Germany’s Faris Al-Sultan, the surprise second-place finisher at IM Brazil, will also toe the line.
But as any good infomercial host would say, "But wait, there’s more!" Stefan Holzner, third at New Zealand this year and a top-five finisher at three Ironman races last year, will be on hand, as will countrymen Andreas Niedrig, third in Roth last year, Powerman ace Olaf Sabatschus, and multi-distance vet Ralf Eggert.
The women’s field, while not as deep, is still brimming with top-drawer talent. American Karen Smyers, rebounding remarkably from thyroid cancer, will face Canada’s Lisa Bentley, champion at Ironman New Zealand this year, and a host of German women with the potential to turn in a great performance. Among them: Nicole Leder, winner of the inaugural Ironman Asia last year, Nina Kraft, who took the win at Ironman South Africa this year, perennial contender Ute Mueckel, and Katja Schumacher, third at IM South Africa this year. California pro Gina Kehr, third at Wildflower this year and tenth at Kona in 2000, also should be in the mix as the day progresses.
Ironmanlive.com, which had planned to carry the race live, has pulled out of that broadcast. Kjerag.com has said it will provide some live coverage from its website.
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Friedland cancels hotel rez, not IM Europe contract
July 6, 2001, Roth, Germany
News around Roth was that WTC chief Lew Friedland had canceled his hotel stay in Roth, thus signaling––it seemed––that IM Europe's chief Detlef Kühnel's announcement was the true and final word: Roth was no more an Ironman after this year.
But WTC sends a different message: "No," said WTC's spokesperson Priscilla Fraiegari, "Lew's not cancelling the deal, just the trip. He's had an emergency––but minor––outpatient medical procedure. He's out of the office recuperating, but he'll be back in quickly, and then he'll take up the issue with Detlef Kühnel."
Fraiegari acknowledges that Kühnel has a "first right of refusal" on renewing his Ironman license, and that he's exercised his right to "refuse." But WTC is by no means of the belief that that's necessarily the end of the relationship.
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Detlef Kühnel, IM Germany, out after this year
June 28, 2001, Vista, California
Longtime European Ironman license holder Detlef Kühnel has announced in a press conference today that his deal with World Triathlon Corporation is up after this year, and won't be renewed. Kühnel's company, Freizeit & Sport Promotion GmbH, couldn't reach an agreement for continuing with the license past 2001––reports Kühnel––and the small bavarian town of Roth will host its last Ironman early in July.
This came as news, however, to surprised officials at WTC. "Lew [Friedland, president of WTC] was just on his way to Germany, " said Priscilla Fraiegari, head of public relations for WTC. "He'll sit down with Detlef when he gets there. We're stunned. This was the first we heard about it."
WTC did not deny that it'd been talking to Triangle Show & Sport Promotion––organizers of IM Austria and the just-announced Ironman France––about granting it the license for Germany. But WTC does deny that it had closed the door on Kühnel and his popular Quelle Ironman Germany.
Kühnel's Ironman, staged in Roth, has been the stage of some of the best-assembled fields in Ironman history. Both men's and women's Ironman "world bests" have been set there, including Lothar Leder's sub-8-hour race, first in the history of the sport. Top prize money has also been a hallmark of the event, as well as large amateur fields. As many as 2500 athletes have been shoe-horned onto the Roth course, which was the first Ironman to feature wave starts and multi-lap bike courses.
Kühnel has also developed a reputation for being irascible, and has had well-documented––especially in the German press––feuds with people such as popular German triathlon star Jürgen Zack. There have also been reports during the last dozen years that Kühnel has occasionally knocked heads with WTC folk because of his determination to stage his races in the ways he saw fit, often in spite of protests from WTC. One such case stemmed from frequent athlete complaints of rampant drafting on the bike leg during the event's early years. This reportedly caused former WTC president David Yates to go to Germany, view the race, and suggest changes in the way the event was marshalled.
While Kühnel may have occasionally caused headaches with his business contemporaries, there is no doubt he puts on a fine show. In addition to the landmark achievements above, his race has also wowed the sport with its ability to generate spectators, as numerous as 150,000. This has caused Kühnel to say that, "They come to Roth because of Roth." For this reason the race will go on, says Kühnel, but without the Ironman name.
Inasmuch as the news was issued without WTC's knowledge or agreement, it is entirely possible that Kühnel was simply posturing in advance of Friedland's trip. Friedland's business style is one in which he prefers to deal with the fewest number of customers, and the great majority of Ironman's 17 races worldwide are staged by only three entities: IMG, Graham Fraser's Ironman North America, and now Triangle Sport. While it may be intuitive to assume that Friedland may have wanted to move the license over to Triangle, WTC insists that it was far from taking that step. Notwithstanding Kühnel's announcement today, it may not be known for several weeks whether in fact Roth continues as an Ironman.
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Peter Reid commits to Ironman Europe
November 16, 2000, Roth, Germany (by correspondent Dirk Kantlehner for www.slowtwitch.com):
Detlef Kühnel, race director of the Ironman Europe, has announced a special coup for the 2001 event on 8 July: Two-time Hawaii Ironman champ Peter Reid will race there.
The Canadian has already filled his career with eight Ironman titles. He plans two Ironmans for next season -- Ironman Europe and, of course, a return to Kona on October 6.
In Roth in 1999, Germans filled eight of the top-10 places. Some even say that the race is entirely in German hands. Even Kühnel shows respect: "Peter Reid has got courage to challenge the Germans. I'm very proud that he will race here in 2001."
It has been since 1997 that the last current Hawaii champion raced in Roth -- and that was Belgian Luc van Lierde. The result was a world-record 7:50:27 -- plus three more athletes going sub-8 hours.
Reid already has some experience over the generally flat Ironman Europe course. In 1996 he placed fourth, on the same day that Lothar Leder broke the 8-hour barrier for the first time.
Ironman Europe has developed from its start in 1987 to the world's largest and most competitive Ironman. It has had as many as 2,704 starters, and some 120,000 spectators cheering them.
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Zack leads the stacked pack in Roth
July 6, 2000, Roth, Germany (www.slowtwitch.com):
Germany's Jurgen Zack leads a traditionally deep field for Sunday's Ironman Europe as he chases his fifth title in Germany's biggest race.
He highlights the 2,500 starters, which also includes women's co-favorites Heather Fuhr (Canada) and Fernanda Keller (Brazil).
Weather allowing, the course is known for producing the fastest times in Ironman racing. Luc Van Lierde holds the men's record (7:50:27) over the course, from 1997). The women's mark stands at 8:50:53, established also at Roth by Paula Newby-Fraser in 1994.
Here are the starters for the race:
- Men from Australia: Francois Modave
- Men from Austria: Georg Hochegger
- Men from Brazil: Alexandre Manzan
- Men from Czech Republic: Jaroslav Hyzl
- Men from Denmark: Alex Pedersen
- Men from Finland: Tero Hyppola, Kai Soderdahl, Tom Soderdahl
- Men from Germany: Faris Al-Sultan, Andreas Benstein, Daniel Blankenfuland, Tim Christmann, Markus Dippold, Wolfgang Dittrich, Ralf Eggert, Siegi Ferstl, Ralf Gieser, Jürgen Hauber, Thomas Hellriegel, Bernd Kirchenmaier, Lothar Leder, Steffen Liebetrau, Marcus Melcher, Alexander Mugge, Rainer Mueller-Hoerner, Andreas Niedrig, Ulrich Nieper, Alfred Rahm, Olaf Sabatschus, Ingo Sabatschus, Peter Schneider, Arnd Schomburg, Thomas Sonntag, Normann Stadler, Thomas Webber, Uwe Widmann, Juegen Zack
- Men from Hungary: Balazs Polonyi
- Men from Italy: Federico Girasole
- Men from Netherlands: Guido Gosselink, Menno Oudeman
- Men from Ukraine: Igor Ishchuk
- Men from Poland: Roman Pustueka
- Men from Switzerland: Beat Brechbuhl, Christoph Mauch
- Men from USA: Eric Kappes
- Women from Australia: Jan Wanklyn
- Women from Brazil: Fernanda Keller
- Women from Canada: Lisa Bentley, Heather Fuhr
- Women from Denmark: Susanne Nielsen
- Women from Germany: Laura Bieger, Ulrike Blank, Julia Brengel, Tina Christ, Sabine Heinrich, Claudia Hille, Nina Kraft, Astrid Kuhnert, Ute Mueckel, Heike Neuburger, Gabi Pauli, Sabine Stelter
- Women from Switzerland: Rebecca Spycher
- Women from South Africa: Sonja Terblanche
- Women from Ukraine: Tamara Kouzulina
- Women from USA: Leslie Bentson, Laura Drake, Jeanne Krizman
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Zack is Ironman Europe headliner - again
May 4, 2000, Roth, Germany (www.slowtwitch.com):
Jürgen Zack, the irrespressible German who pulls wins out of Ironman Europe like no one else, will try for a fifth title on July 9. Thomas Hellriegel, winner of the Air New Zealand Ironman in February, and Switzerland’s Christoph Mauch, winner of Nice Triathlon last September, line up as co-favorites.
Germany’s Nina Kraft, second last year to Australia’s Joanne King, heads the women’s field, alongside Brazil’s Fernanda Keller (fourth in ‘99) and Denmark’s Susanne Nielsen (second in ‘97).
- Men from Austria: Georg Hochegger
- Men from Belgium: Danny Simons
- Men from Brazil: Alexandre Manzan
- Men from Czech Republic: Pavel Rohlik
- Men from Denmark: Alex Pedersen
- Men from Finland: Tero Hyppola, Kai Soderdahl, Tom Soderdahl
- Men from France: Francois Modave
- Men from Germany: Faris Al-Sultan, Daniel Blankenfuland, Sebastian Blecke, Tim Christmann, Markus Dippold, Wolfgang Dittrich, Siegi Ferstl, Ralf Gieser, Florian Greckl, Jürgen Hauber, Thomas Hellriegel, Bernd Kirchenmaier, Marcus Melcher, Alexander Mügge, Ulrich Nieper, Alfred Rahm, Olaf Sabatschus, Ingo Sabatschus, Peter Schneider, Thomas Songgtag, Thomas WEber, Uwe Widmann, Jürgen Zack
- Men from Hungary: Balazs Polonyi
- Men from Italy: Federico Girasole
- Men from Netherlands: Guido Gosselink, Menna Oudeman
- Men from Poland: Roman Pustueka
- Men from Switzerland: Beat Brechbuhl, Christoph Mauch, Konrad Von Allmen
- Men from Ukraine: Igor Ishchuk
- Men from USA: Eric Kappes, Steve Tappan
- Women from Brazil: Fernanda Keller
- Women from Denmark: Lonnie Andersen, Susanne Nielsen
- Women from Germany: Kirsten Altfeld, Ulrike Blank, Julia Brengel, Sabine
Heinrich, Claudia Hille, Melanie Hohenester, Nina Kraft, Tina Krause,
Astrid Kuhnert, Martina Lang, Anke Mueller, Carola Mueller, Heike
Neuburger, Susanne Niemeyer, Gabi Pauli, Miriam Rau, Sabine Stelter,
Bettina Tarrach
- Women from Italy: Paola Lenzi
- Women from Switzerland: Rebecca Spycher
- Women from South Africa: Sonja Terblanche
- Women from Ukraine: Tamara Kozulina
- Women from USA: Leslie Bentson, Jeanne Anne Krizman
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• Leder, Schumacher breeze in Frankfurt
• Quelle Challenge Roth protests date change for IM Germany
• Big names, reg numbers for iron-distance races in Germany
• It's the QUELLE Challenge Roth now
• It's Leder, Kraft at Ironman Europe
• Kühnel saves (what may be) best for (what may be) last
• Friedland cancels hotel rez, not IM Europe contract
• Detlef Kühnel, IM Germany, out after this year
• Peter Reid commits to Ironman Europe
• Zack leads the stacked pack in Roth
• Zack is Ironman Europe headliner - again