2013 Challenge Roth – race
Beautiful weather and a massive crowd of spectators greeted the almost 5,000 athletes at the 2013 DATEV Challenge Roth and Dirk Bockel and Caroline Steffen came away with the wins. And at 3am the next morning athletes already lined up again to register for the 2014 edition.
Every year a song also seems to become the theme music of the race, and while there is not really an official category for this subject, it is perceived by this editor that the DATEV Challenge Roth song for 2013 should be Wake Me Up by Avicii. Based purely on it being played many times throughout the week at the venue, and this editor now humming it more often than he should.
We also added quite a few more images to our Facebook page.
All images © Herbert Krabel / slowtwitch.com
The crowds at the Solarer Berg were unbelievable and even veterans of this race said they had never seen anything like it.
Earlier in the day defending champion James Cunnama tried to find a calm place to get ready for the race.
With neither defending champion Rachel Joyce, nor Kona champion Leanda Cave at the start the expectations were on Caroline Steffen's shoulders.
Legends Andreas Niedrig and Jurgen Zack had a laugh before the race.
As the first was already in the water the second all female wave gathered to get ready for a long day.
Timo Bracht had many fans on the course.
Dirk Bockel was first on the bike and showed the competition and out of sight in no time.
As the athletes headed out on the bike course they were cheered by thousands of fans.
The chasing group at one point was about 15 athletes but diminished to seven athletes at the end of the first lap.
Coming up the Solarer Berg on the first lap.
Julia Gajer was doing her third long course race and again would finish on the podium.
Caroline Steffen was caught late by Yvonne Van Vlerken and the two of them reached T2 with seconds of each other.
Once Timo Bracht flatted Konstantin Bachor set off in pursuit of Dirk Bockel, but it was a tough challenge.
Bockel steadily pulled away and looked very strong all day.
Lothar Leder and Jurgen Zack coming up the Solarer Berg on the second lap with some fast age groupers and lapped traffic.
Caroline Steffen is more familiar with the role of the hunted, but in Roth she was the hunter.
Yvonne Van Vlerken initially extended her lead but was reeled in by Caroline Steffen.
With only a few miles to go Dirk Bockel was virtually guaranteed the win, and did indeed take it.
James Cunnama was shocked when he found out that he was starting the run more than 11 minutes behind race leader Dirk Bockel.
Caroline Steffen was very emotional during the award ceremony.
