What a start to the race week at DATEV Challenge Roth: Ironman World Champion Lucy Charles-Barclay has confirmed at short notice that she will take part in the world’s largest long-distance triathlon. The British athlete is returning to a venue that holds very special significance for her career.
With her victory at DATEV Challenge Roth 2019, Lucy Charles-Barclay not only wrote another chapter in her impressive career, but also laid the foundations for her subsequent success as Ironman World Champion in 2023.
“One of the proudest moments”
“Challenge Roth is incredibly special to me. Winning there in 2019 was one of the most important moments of my career. It changed so much for me, and it is honestly up there with winning the Ironman World Championship as one of the proudest moments I have had in the sport.”
Having been repeatedly hampered by problems with her Achilles tendon and plantaris tendon since late last summer, Charles-Barclay underwent surgery on her lower leg at the start of the year. For a long time, it seemed unimaginable she would be able to compete at DATEV Challenge Roth. In May, however, the British athlete made an impressive comeback, winning Ironman Lanzarote at the first attempt. Now, with the race on 5 July, she is set to return to Roth.
Charles-Barclay is also the reigning 70.3 World Champion. She caused a sensation at the DATEV Challenge Roth back in 2018, when, after a thrilling race, she was pipped to the post by Daniela Bleymehl by just nine seconds. Victory finally came a year later. In addition to a total of four second-place finishes at the Ironman World Championships, she was crowned queen of Hawaii in 2023.
“What a sensation. When I received a completely unexpected video from Lucy last night, in which she said she’d love to compete, I could hardly believe it. The way Lucy got in touch with me really moved me. Lucy’s participation will raise the standard of the race even further. My anticipation for Sunday knows no bounds,” said race director Felix Walchshöfer.
Her last-minute confirmation further enhances what is already the strongest professional field in recent years. In the women’s race, Charles-Barclay will face, amongst others, Britain’s Kat Matthews and numerous other top international athletes. The men’s race also promises to be of the very highest calibre: Kristian Blummenfelt, Patrick Lange, Sam Laidlow, Jonas Schomburg and many other top stars will battle it out for victory on Sunday on the fast course in Roth.
DATEV Challenge Roth will take place on Sunday, 5 July 2026. More than 3,500 individual competitors and around 700 relay teams will take on the legendary long-distance race. The entire race will broadcast live and for free at www.challenge-roth.com and on the Challenge Roth YouTube channel with English commentary by Belinda Granger and Sebastian Kienle. The Germany live coverage on BR Fernsehen will broadcast the race live for 9 hours. In addition, Das Erste will once again report live from the world’s largest long-distance triathlon.