- Challenge Roth has long been a bucket list race
for athletes all around the globe
whether that be the amateur or professional fields alike.
Now the history of this race,
coupled with the chance to get a very fast time
alongside the unrivaled, on-course race atmosphere
is what draws athletes back to this race year upon year.
Now add in the sizeable prize purse
plus the incredible hospitality from the organizers
and you have all the ingredients
to bring a world-class professional field
to your race
and this year is no other, that's for sure.
So, today I'm going to run through a list
of the big hitters
that are on that start list for this race,
talk to you about who I think
is going to feature in this race
and once the racing is all done and dusted,
who might be the winners.
(dramatic music)
Now I'll get started with the women's race
and the start list this year is fairly small actually
due in most part to some notable withdrawals
of key athletes who more than likely
would have featured highly in this race
and possibly even for the win
such as home favorite Laura Philipp from Germany
who certainly had her eyes
on doing really well at this race
as her big summer goal.
And also, fifth place finisher from last year,
Laura Siddall from the UK
who also had to pull out
and both of those were unfortunately due
to stress fracture injuries or broken bones.
Now that in my eyes at least leaves this race
down to a two-horse race
and that's between Lucy Charles from the UK
and Sarah Crowley from Australia.
Now these two athletes last had a notable head to head
in Frankfurt at the 2017 European IRONMAN Championships.
Now on that occasion Lucy was using her very usual
front running tactics, leading at the swim,
all the way through the bike
and into the marathon
but it's at that point
that Sarah overhauled her about midway through the marathon
to go on and take the win on that occasion.
Now I have a feeling
that Lucy won't be allowing Sarah
to get in on the act nearly as easily
on this occasion and I say that
because at this race, Roth 2018 last year,
Lucy was doing exactly that,
leading the race deep into the marathon
and then she was overhauled on that occasion
by Germany's Daniela Sammler
how then went to win the race
by an agonizing from Lucy's point
of view at least eight-second victory.
So, as I say, I do not think
that Lucy will be letting Sarah in on the act nearly
as easily this year,
so that will be her tactics.
Now I really do feel that this is going to be a two-horse here
in Roth this weekend
and I'm going to nail my colors to that mast
but as for third and the battle for that
which is basically the best of the race
in this reduced field,
if I can call it that
is going to be going to Lisa Roberts from the US.
Now noted for her incredible run speed
and she often posts run splits close
to or even under the three-hour barrier,
so if she's able to replicate even anything similar
to that sort of urn speed on this very fast run course
here in Roth let's not forget,
then I really feel that there's not going to be
many others who won't be passed by her,
save from those two front headliners in my opinion.
(upbeat music)
So, let's move onto the men's race
and as a little bit of a recap,
I'm going to take a step back to the 2018 race
because the first six men
who raced here last year
all broke the eight-hour barrier
which just goes to show
how fast this course can be,
indeed the winning time last year,
it was seven hours 46 and 23 seconds.
However, the winner who set that time,
Sebastian Kienle, he's not racing this year,
meaning we're going to have a new men's champion in Roth
and second place from last year,
German athlete, Andy Dreitz,
he will be returning here to Roth
and I am sure that he is desperate
to climb one step further up that podium
and another athlete who's returning this year
who had a great race last year
is Australia's Cameron Wurf,
he came fifth place en route
to going sub eight hours
for the first time in his career.
But there are only two athletes out
of in my opinion, six or seven
who could possibly take the victory here in Roth
and that's even considering
there is two red-hot favorites I would said
in Cody Beals and Ben Hoffman
who have to to withdraw recently
unfortunately due to injuries.
So, I'm going to get stuck into having a look
at how those six or seven athletes might do
and give you my predictions.
So, let's start off with what I'd call the uber bikers
in this field.
You've got Andi Boecherer from Germany
alongside Cameron Wurf.
Now Andi Boecherer has got a slightly stronger swim
on than Cameron,
so there's a very good chance when he gets to T1,
he's going to have a bit of daylight
or quite a lot of daylight perhaps
to really work with
as he gets out onto the bike course
but I do see these two
as being a real sort of head-to-head battle out
on that bike course
that could really progress
as we get towards T2
and I really think that's going to be an interesting strand
to this race.
Cameron is coming off a race in IRONMAN, France
in Nice just a week before
which he by his standards didn't do
as well in but I've got a funny feeling
that was all in prep towards this weekend in Roth.
He's already won IRONMAN Australia this year
and is of course the IRONMAN
Bike Horse record holder in Hawaii.
So, these guys, I think they're going to be motoring.
Now another very strong bike rider
that it would be remiss of me
not to discuss when talking
about the fast cyclers is Bart Aernouts from Belgium.
Now he was the 2017 champion here in Roth,
let's not forget, so he absolutely knows
how to get it done on this course.
But by his own admission,
Bart is not the strongest of swimmers,
so he has to play to his strengths
over the bike and the run
and work his way through a race.
So, I definitely think that's what we're going to see happening
from Bart and who knows,
maybe he'll be back on that top step yet again.
So, moving onto another big hitter
that's on the start list
and that is New Zealand's Braden Currie.
He is hot off having won the 2019 Asia Pacific Championships
in Cairns, Australia
plus he was fifth at IRONMAN Hawaii last year,
so he has got the results behind him
to go for the win here in Roth.
He's got an excellent repertoire
across the board of swim, bike and run,
so if has the day that he is capable of,
there's no doubt in my mind that he could certainly
if not be challenging for the podium,
be going for that elusive win here in Roth.
Now another athlete who is really keen
and got his eyes on doing well here in Roth,
actually a rookie athlete here in Roth
and that's my good friend David McNamee from Scotland.
Now David has been third twice
the last two years at IRONMAN Hawaii,
quite incredible results
that he has and be builds on those
with his fantastic foot speed on the marathon.
So, if David brings that sort
of run speed to here
on this fast run course in Roth,
who knows, hopefully by my standards at least,
he will be sneaking his way up into the upper echelons
of this race.
So, another pair of athletes
I'm going to chat about now that I've picked out
of this start list as potentials
for doing very well here in Roth
are both Americans
and both rookies to here at the race in Roth.
Now first up, Andy Potts.
He has been around the world racing
but far as I'm aware hasn't spent very much time
racing here in Europe,
so it'll be interesting to see how he copes
with the different dynamics that you get
in these types of races
but Andy has an excellent swim,
he's always hung his hat on that,
so he'll be out of the water
amongst the lead group without a doubt.
He'll then ride very well
and he has if he's on his best form,
an excellent run tucked into his back pocket,
so I don't doubt that we will see Andy in the mix
during this race.
Now the second athlete that's coming in
from the States is Matt Russell.
Now he's been racing far sooner,
in fact, just last weekend
at IRONMAN European Championships in Frankfurt,
so he's just going to drive down the motorway
and start again by the sounds of it
for his debut race here in Roth
and he isn't the best of swimmers,
so he always has to work his way through a race
often solo or quite far back
and picks his ways past athletes
into the marathon.
So, we could see Matt working his way
up into the top five
and possibly further if he has recovered himself
from IRONMAN Frankfurt last weekend.
So, we've talked about the women's race
and the men's, so I think I should be brave
and try and predict a podium.
I'm a little bit more confident
about the women's race,
I'm going to go with Lucy Charles for the win,
Sarah Crowley for second and Lisa Roberts in third.
The men's race, well, that;'s a bit more tricky
but my picks are going to be Andi Boecherer
and Cameron Wurf coming into T2 together
much like what happened last year
when Cameron caught Sebbie Kienle
and as happened last year,
I'm going to tell you that Andi Boecherer
will pull away and lead on the marathon
to go for that victory.
Cam I think might fade a little
and I'm hoping my good friend David McNamee
will come through, take that second place,
no man is going to catch Andi
with Cameron holding on for third.
But who knows.
Please let me know what you think
in the comment section below.
One thing for sure is there's going to be
some tantalizing racing this weekend
with the prospect of some epic head-to-head duels
both in the men's and women's side of the fence
but of course there's plenty other athletes
who could get in amongst it
and upset the apple cart
to take the victory here in Roth.
One thing's for certain though.
I know how exciting this course is
to race on and I am delighted
to be here to watch the racing unfold on race day.
Hope you've enjoyed this video,
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and if you want to see a video about everything
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well, you can find that here
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