Roth has a long history in the Ironman distance game. Roth was the site of Ironman Germany, known as Ironman Avia from 1988 to 1990 and as Quelle Ironman Germany from 1991 through 2001. After Ironman split from the Walchshofer family, from 2002 to the present day, the Walchshofer family has run their race as Challenge Roth.
All told, Challenge Roth 2022 will be the 34th Ironman-distance race held in Roth – 14 as an Ironman, 20 as a Challenge race.
Roth is among the most prestigious, well-attended, and richly rewarded Ironman-distance triathlons in the world. Spectator estimates by local police are approximately 250,000 for Roth. Roth has a total prize purse of 62,000 Euros with 14,000 Euros going to the men’s and women’s winners.
Since its inception as an Ironman event and its continuation in 2002 as a Challenge race, Roth is famed as the fastest Ironman-distance course in the world. In 1996, Lothar Leder became the first man to break the 8-hour mark at Ironman Germany in Roth. In 2016 Jan Frodeno set the men’s Ironman-distance record at 7:35:39 and Chrissie Wellington set the women’s Ironman-distance record at 8:18:13 in 2011.
This year’s pro field is one of the strongest of the year – in particular triathlon fans are licking their chops in anticipation of one of the first duels between German Iron superstars Jan Frodeno and Patrick Lange – it has been a long time since Frodo and Lange have been healthy and in top form.
While Anne Haug is the prohibitive women’s favorite, the biggest duel will be between Haug and history.
Chrissie Wellington’s regular Ironman record remains 8:18:13, which she set at Roth in 2011. For a decade this mark seemed invincible, but earlier this year Laura Philipp of Germany won Ironman Hamburg in a time that was just 8 seconds slower. Of all current women Ironman contenders, Haug appears to be the only one in this field capable of breaking Chrissy’s mark.
The favorites
Men
Jan Frodeno, 40, Germany
Frodeno, 2008 Olympic Champion, 3-time Ironman World Champion, and two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion, holds several other triathlon landmarks. Frodeno set the second-fastest regular Ironman mark of 7:35:39 at Challenge Roth in 2016 (recently broken by Kristian Blummenfelt of Norway with a 7:12:21 mark last year at Ironman Cozumel); top solo special event Ironman at 7:27:53 (set at Zwift Battle Royale in 2021) and fastest Ironman World Championship at Kona – 7:51:13 set in 2019.
Frodeno is particularly eager to take on Challenge Roth this year because he has been out of action for over a year due to a small partial tear of the Achilles tendon. "Of course, when you have a partial rupture there is always a danger of more happening, so I’ve decided to hopefully play it smart and prepare well and get myself ready in the best way I can… Inevitably when you seek the limit, at some point sooner or later you will find it… and I’ve taken that step too far once again! But you know what, that’s a part of my nature, it’s how I’m made up and mediocrity is and will be the enemy.”
Patrick Lange, 36, Germany
The two-time Ironman World Champion (2017, 2018) and former Kona course record holder - 7:52:38 – set an impressive Roth course record in 2021. But Lange’s 7:19:19 mark is not official as the bike course that year was 10 kilometers short (20 minutes) because that section of road was washed out due to flooding,
Like Frodeno, Lange’s results have been cut short due to injury – a bike crash this February forced surgery in his shoulder. Lange just recently healed up in time for the 34th edition of Iron-distance Roth.
”I hurt my shoulder after a bike crash and needed surgery, but it didn’t reduce my motivation,” Lange told Challenge Media in a pre-race press conference. “I had some disruption but a couple of weeks after the surgery I called Felix [Challenge Family honcho Walchshofer] and said I want to come back. Ever since I have been watching videos of Solarer Berg and can’t believe I’m going to experience this for myself this year. We have a great field here and this is fitting for this legendary race.”
Since Lange’s win at the 2016 edition of Ironman Texas, he has amassed a stellar set of wins with course record marathons: 3rd at Kona with a new course record run of 2:39, a course record 8:01:40 win at Kona in 2017, a course record 7:52:39 at Kona in 2018 with a 2:39:45 run split, a 2021 win at Challenge Roth and a 7:45:22 record victory at 2021 Ironman Tulsa.
Sam Long, USA, 27
Like many potential stars of the Ironman World Championship in St. George, Sam Long suffered a debilitating injury in the run-up to the event – a bike crash – which led to a 15th place finish. In 2021 and 2022, Long showed a lot of promise - a win at Ironman Coeur d’Alene, a course record win at Boulder 70.3, a 2nd at Ironman 70.3 St. George, and win at 2022 CLASH Miami.
“I heard about Solar Hill and it captured my imagination as soon as I started triathlon – it’s always been a dream to come here and here I finally am! I expect a great race – fast and furious. We all know I’ll be chasing from behind but that is how I like it. Is it possible to beat Jan? Of course it’s possible!!”
Magnus Ditlev, 24, DEN
In 2021, Ditlev won Ironman 70.3 Cascais, finished 3rd at Ironman 70.3 St. George, 8th at 2021 Ironman 70.3 Worlds, and 2nd at 2022 Ironman Texas 14 seconds behind Ben Hoffman.
This is only my second full distance only and I raced pretty well in my first. When I heard about the start list it was a no-brainer for me to come here. Hopefully I’m the strongest overall. We are not competing just in a bike race but of course I will try and use my bike strength to my advantage. It’s a completely amazing field but anything can happen.”
Cameron Brown, 50, NZL
In a salute to his longevity, Cameron Brown is hitting the start line at age 50. “I had to come back for the 20th anniversary – I was 29 when I finished second in 2002 and I’m now 50 and still racing pro! Plus, I love the sport and I continue to challenge myself every year. But my time is coming and my last race will probably be IMNZ in 2023. It’s been a fantastic career and I’ve enjoyed every minute it, but now it may be time to get a real job!”
Women
Anne Haug, 39, GER
“I know what’s possible on this course and I want to share at the least the same performance which puts pressure on me of course,” Haug spoke at the pre-race press conference. “The world record shouldn’t a topic on Sunday as if you get into the race with this in mind it can be a disadvantage – I have to do my own race. We have other great athletes in the field and I want to just give my best and we’ll just have to see what happens. You can’t force a world record; you have to see what happens on the day – in long distance racing there are a hundreds of thousands of possibilities and they all have to fit together to get the best race. Roth is just as important to me as the world championships. I’ll do what I can and the fastest woman will win – we can’t do more than that!”
Laura Siddall, 41, GBR
When she suffered a collarbone break and a calf tear in 2019, Siddall considered retirement. But then things started to look up again. In 2021 she finished 2nd at Ironman Lanzarote and 2nd at Challenge Roth. In 2022, she was 7th at Ironman Worlds at St. George. Suddenly, she experienced a return to mid-career top form, in which she won Ironmans in Australia and New Zealand. Now she arrives at Challenge Roth with buoyant optimism. “It’s always great to come back here to see so many friends, it’s very special this place and the community is so welcoming,” she told Challenge Family media. “It’s always an honour and privilege to stand on the start line. It’s a tough field this year, as always. It’s going to be a pretty close race but that makes it exciting - but that’s why we want to be here, to race the best and get the best out of ourselves.”
Maja Stage Nielsen, 34, DEN
“I’m really excited to be here and have the whole experience. I expect to have a fast race and hope to be in the mix with these girls – I dream to be on the podium and want to do my very best.”
Stage Nielsen began to hit her stride in 2019 with 2nd place at Ironman Lanzarote, 3rd at Ironman Copenhagen, and 5th at ITU Long Distance Worlds. This year she placed 10th at the 2022 Ironman World Championship and 3rd at CLASH Miami.
Fenella Langridge, 30 GBR
“I thought last year was pretty spectacular, so to know that this year it’s going to be double the experience with Solar Hill and with everyone here. I am so excited to get on that course and get a few more places up the podium!”
Langridge finished 8th at the Ironman World Championship in St. George, she won Challenge Salou, placed 3rd at Challenge Roth in 2021, and 2nd at 2021 Ironman Coeur d’Alene.
