Patrick Lange and Anne Haug Power to Wins at Challenge Roth
Patrick Lange and Anne Haug power to wins in the famous DATEV Challenge Roth in the European triathlon metropolis of Roth, Germany on Sunday 5th September
The long-distance Championship race saw for the first time both the German and European titles up for grabs and both titles went to Germany’s Lange and Haug.
The double crowned Germans won over a course that consisted of a 3.8 kilometres swim in the Main-Donau- Canal, followed by a 170 kilometres bike race (10km short of the standard 180km due to road works) and a marathon run of 42.2 kilometres.
Challenge Roth is one of the world’s fastest long distances course which in 2016 saw the world’s best time established by Jan Frodeno for 140.6 miles in a time of 7:35:39 hours while the women’s record was set on the same course in 2011 by Chrisse Wellington in in a time of 8:18:13.
Mens Race
With a stack field of the world’s top triathletes the podium winners were expected to cross the line in less than the magic eight hours with a shortened cycle course. And so, it turned out to be.
Patrick Lange from starting gun to finish-line tape, powered his way to victory clocking a 47:28 swim, 3:50:32 bike, and 2:38:30 run
First out of the water was Nick Lastelein with Patrick Lange 1 second behind with Tom Davis and Braden Currie a further 5 seconds behind.
Out of T1 and onto the bike a lead group of seven formed with Bahlke in the lead, followed by Currie, Kastelein, Lange, Frommhold, Heemeryck and Davis, all within 10 seconds.
Soon pro-cyclist Zepuntke who was riding strongly caught up to the lead group making it a group of eight which became nine at the 20K mark with Dreitz joining the group.
This group of nine men’ group starting to break up motoring with speeds of up to 50kph with Lange, Frommhold, Heemeryck and Zepuntke in the first four.
The cycling prowess of Zepuntke started to show as he took lead of over 1 minute, dictating the pace in the men’s race and looking very comfortable with Dreitz right on his heels. Heemeryck and Frommhold also looking relaxed in third and fourth.
Zepuntke continued to dominate the cycle leg to entered T2 and out onto the run with a 3-minute lead over Lange and Frommhold hot on his heels. The pace set by Lange was considerable faster than Zepuntke, closing the gap of 1:46 within 2km. At 5km Lange had already pulled away from Frommhold and Zepuntke.
Lange running a 3:34/km pace was pulling clear from the race of the field. Frommhold passed Zepuntke into second place. Dreitz is four minutes down in fourth but running considerable faster than Zepuntke.
Lange dominance on the marathon saw him cross the finishing line to the roar of the crowd to take the win in a time of 7:19:19. Frommhold secured his second-place finishing in a time of 7:30:31 despite a late-race threat from Felix Hentschel whose amazing pace in the marathon run saw him snatch third place with the fastest run time and new course record of 2:35:40 finishing in an overall time of 7:33:19.
Womens Race
Anne Haug unleashed a 52:11 swim, 4:14:14 bike, and 2:43:54 run for an overall time of 7:44:46.
Though Haug was untouchable the entire day, a skirmish for the remaining podium spots ensued in the stacked women’s field. Exiting the water first were the two hot favourites with Fenella Langridge leading Anne Haug by 2 seconds.
Haug was relentless on the bike and continued to pull away from her closet rival Langridge with Crowley and Morrison looking to catch her but were not able to make any more time on Langridge.
Haug was into T2 and out on the run, her strongest discipline, and motored away with over a 12 minutes lead on Langridge but a battle brewing for second and third with Crowley under two minutes behind Langridge with Laura Siddall is working her way up the field.
Haug maintained her dominance as she crossed the finishing line with the music pumping, and the crowds cheering, in a time of 7:44:46 beating Chrisse Wellington’s run course record in a time of 2:43:54.
There was battle unfolding out on course with just two minutes separating second place to fifth place featuring Langridge, Crowley, Siddall and Lane – exciting racing.
Laura Siddall put in a huge surge on the marathon run to overtake Langridge to secure a second-place finish with a 2:48:53 marathon and 8:25:24 overall time ahead of Langridge who took third place, finishing in 8:27:04.
