There has never been such a top field at a long distance race outside Hawaii. With Anne Haug, Daniela Ryf and the reigning Kona winner Chelsea Sodaro, three world champions and two Roth winners will fight for the title at DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep 2023. Laura Philipp will also make her debut at the Home of Triathlon. In addition, Fenella Langridge, Laura Siddall, Lisa Norden and Ruth Astle will ensure an exciting race at an absolute world-class level on 25 June.
Title hat-trick for Anne Haug?
Anne Haug will face the strongest possible competition as the exceptional women’s talent meets on the start line. The competition is led by none other than the reigning Hawaii winner, Chelsea Sodaro. Her start in Roth will be only her third long-distance race. The 33-year-old mother won Kona in October with the second-fastest time in history in 8:33:46. Triathlon fans around the world will be curious to see whether the American can repeat her coup in the Home of Triathlon.
World best time in danger?
Of course, the triathlon series winner of the last few years would not want to miss such a race. With five world championship titles over the long distance, two Roth victories and the double award as Swiss Sportswoman of the Year, Daniela Ryf is considered by many to be the best triathlete of all time. After 2016 and 2017, the 35-year-old will be on the start line at the world’s biggest long-distance triathlon for the third time. She also set her personal best of 8:22:04 in Roth in 2016. After finishing eighth in Hawaii, she certainly wants to attack the top seeds again in a major race in 2023. Behind Anne Haug, Daniela Ryf is currently ranked second in the PTO world rankings.
Like Chelsea Sodaro, Laura Philipp will make her debut at DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep in 2023 after having to cancel her start in 2019 at short notice due to injury. Of all the current female athletes, Philipp has the fastest personal best time with 8:18:20. This was only seven seconds slower at IM Hamburg 2022 than Chrissie Wellington’s world best time in Roth set in 2011.
Wide range of favourites
Much can also be expected from Fenella Langridge, Laura Siddall, Lisa Norden and Ruth Astle.
Fenella Langridge showed she loves racing in Roth, not least with her enthusiastic ride over Solarer Berg – one of the triathlon moments of last year. On her Roth debut in 2021, she headed straight to the podium. In 2022, she came second only to Anne Haug. The fans in Roth can also look forward to watching crowd favourite Laura Siddall. This will be her sixth start in Franconia. After securing second place in 2021 in a thrilling duel with Langridge and a phenomenal chase, she narrowly missed the podium last year, finishing in fourth place.
Even closer than the race between Langridge and Siddall in 2021 was the finish at the 2012 Olympics, where Lisa Norden secured the silver medal. Norden finished fifth in Hawaii and sixth at the IM World Championships in Utah in May 2022 and could certainly cause a surprise at her first race in Roth.
Ruth Astle already pulled off a surprise in 2019 when she finished eighth in Roth as the fastest non-professional athlete. After her victory at IM Israel in November 2022, she will return as a professional to DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep 2023.
Close race also expected in the men’s race
It will also be difficult to identify a clear favourite in the men’s race. As TEAMCHALLENGE announced on Tuesday, the best male athletes in the world will also line up. Among the favourites are last year’s winner Magnus Ditlev, Patrick Lange, Hawaii silver medallist Sam Laidlow, Daniel Bækkegård and Ben Kanute.
At DATEV Challenge Roth powered by hep on 25 June 2023, hundreds of thousands of spectators are again expected along the course. In 2023, title sponsor DATEV will celebrate its tenth anniversary as a partner of Challenge Roth.
Elite women’s starting list:
Anne Haug
Chelsea Sodaro
Daniela Ryf
Laura Philipp
Laura Siddall
Fenella Langridge
Ruth Astle
Lisa Norden
Debbie Greig
Janien Lubben
Camille Deligny
Vanessa Pereira
Margie Santimaria
Margrit Elfers
Maja Betz
Lina-Kristin Schink
Elisabetta Curridori
Annika Timm
Elena Illeditsch
Johanna Ahrens
Henrike Güber
Hannah Arlom
Line Borsinski
Leonie Zumhasch
Jamie Albert
Katrine Græsbøll Christensen
Magda Nieuwoudt