Feb. 28, 2007 --
Press Release: Australia’s Chris McCormack, a three-time champion at the Quelle Challenge Roth, will be chasing more than a fourth title when he returns to the race in June. He will be working to break the world record of 7:50:27—set over this course by Luc van Lierde in 1997—and win a US$100,000 bonus on offer to the athlete who can break the record.
McCormack, who won his third consecutive Quelle Challenge Roth in July, first started in Roth in 2003 and has twice gone under the coveted eight-hour barrier over the classic German course. He has committed to doing the race for the next two years and will also serve as the ambassador for the Challenge series worldwide.
“Luc van Lierde is one of my triathlon sporting idols. I grew up watching him race and admired his courage and his conviction. His performance in Roth in 1997 when he broke the world record was incredible,” McCormack said. “The passion of the people in Roth and the team behind the race is inspiring to me. Like me, they would love to see this record surpassed. It has been a long time since anyone has got close to this time and by putting up this kind of money the incentive is now.”
McCormack has never been shy about wanting to set a new world’s best mark in Roth, often saying he believes as an athlete it’s his duty to strive to go better than his predecessors. “I for one am very excited about the prospect of going for a huge time, and the 100k makes this as much an economical decision as it is emotional. This is just what the sport needs to see us evolve and again it is Roth that continues to push in this direction. It is just incredible and I look forward to the challenge—$100 000 would look great in anybody’s bank account. It is very exciting."
The women will also be chasing a record that has long stood in Roth: Paula Newby-Fraser’s world’s best time of 8:50:53 set in 1994. Defending champion Jo Lawn and 2005 champion Belinda Granger will be working hard to come in under nine hours—Lawn was close last year with her 9:01:17 finish—and attack Newby-Fraser’s record.
In addition to the world record bonus, the race will be offering a total prize purse worth 73,500 euro—paid 10 deep—with 15,000 for first, 8,000 for second, 5,000 for third, 3,000 for fourth, 2,000 for fifth, 1,100 for sixth, 800 for seventh, 700 for eighth, 600 for ninth and 550 for tenth.
“Ten years after Luc van Lierde made history here in Roth, we’re thrilled to see Macca and the rest of our fantastic athletes attempt to lower that record,” said race director Felix Walchshöfer. “It would be a great new chapter in the history of our race.”
As it always has been, the course’s accuracy has been verified by the insurance company that provides coverage for the race, he said.
Roth, the former Ironman Europe, celebrated its fifth anniversary as an independent race with its July 2006 running and a field of 2,700 individual athletes and 1,700 relay teams. Race day will be Sunday, June 24, 2007. To learn more, visit the race website at www.challenge-roth.com.
Quelle Challenge Roth’s sponsors include: Quelle AG, Deutsche Post AG, N-ERGIE, PRO4, Newline, Nürnberger Nachrichten (Nürnberg Newspapers), Bayrische Versicherungskammer, Erdinger Alkoholfrei, Sparkasse Mittelfranken-Süd, Arndt, Mavic, County of Roth, City of Roth, City of Hilpoltstein, Coca-Cola, Frankenbrunnen, Zeus Copy, Paladin, Hofmann, Jura Kaelte, Guttenberger & Partner, and Spedition Heinloth.