When returning from the 2015 DATEV Challenge Roth long-distance triathlon in Germany all you can really say is.... whoa.
Don't overlook that statement. We don't use it lightly. We travel to a lot of races and it's hard to stop us dead in our tracks and make us utterly speechless. However the size of this race and it's festival, the caliber of the athletes and the passion of the spectators was unlike anything we have ever seen.
DATEV Challenge Roth is the world’s biggest long-distance triathlon and has long been a legend. Last year the triathlon celebrated a magnificent anniversary of 30 Years of Triathlon in Roth. In recognition of three decades of epic racing their motto is the simple but fitting statement, Race the Legend.
In celebration of our partnership with the event we launched a special edition of our Helix wetsuit in Challenge Family red colors. As official swim course sponsor we offered free trials of our award winning wetsuits at the swim course, met amazing athletes from all over the world and enjoyed some big German beers and bratwurst.
DATEV Challenge Roth starts with a 3.8 kilometers swim in the Main-Donau-Canal, followed by a 180 kilometers bike and a marathon run. Roth is in Bavaria, a small town 25 km south of Nuremberg whose main attraction, outside of this legendary triathlon, is the Schloss Ratibor, a castle built between 1535 and 1538.
This year over 5,000 athletes representing 60 nations took to the challenge with some 250,000 spectators pushing them along the race course and at the triathlon stadium (yes, you read that right - the finish line stadium). We're honored to be part of this first class event and can’t wait to go back.
At this point you’re probably wondering how you can join us in Roth next year. Unfortunately next year's race is already sold out, but we have a starting position for the 2016 event. Want it? We will be giving one lucky athlete the chance of a lifetime to race the legend. Be sure to LIKE us on FACEBOOK to see how you can enter. Contest goes live this winter.
Until next year.... Auf Wiedersehen!