Quelle Challenge Roth Gallery

Roth is known for its history, its speed and for the large, passionate crowds it draws to witness record-breaking drama every year. It is Solarerberg and Bier, Jurgen Zack and Paula Newby-Fraser, Luc Van Lierde and Thomas Hellriegel, Lothar Leder and Chris McCormack, and now Chrissie Wellington and her epochal 8:31.

Quelle Challenge Roth is a lot of things, but it starts with a small town in Bavaria, population about 20,000 located 15 miles south of Nuremberg. Roth's history begins in 1060 with a mention in a document written by bishop Gundekar II regarding the consecration of a church. Roth had a market place in the 12th century, in the mid 14th century it became a city and by the 16th century it had a castle – Ratibor – and a Gothic church that stands today. By 1988, Detlef Kuhnel brought Roth an Ironman, which was taken over by the late Herbert Walchshofer and run today by his son Felix and the Challenge organization as the biggest and most prestigious independent Iron-distance event in the world.

In the past 21 years, this first European Ironman became the stage for some of the most dramatic encounters in the sport of triathlon. It's where Thea Sybesma in 1992 became the first woman to crack the 9-hour barrier, and Paula Newby-Fraser set a women's record of 8:50:53 in 1994 that stood for 14 years. It's where German star Lothar Leder in 1996 became the first man to crack the Ironman 8-hour barrier. It's also the race where in 1997, an epic duel was waged and Belgian star Luc Van Lierde passed Germany'/s Jurgen Zack with 2 kilometers to go in the process of setting a still-standing Iron-distance record of 7:50:27. Zack could console his disappointment with the fact that his second place finish remains the second-fastest men's Iron-distance time ever. To wrap up that incredible year, Lothar Leder took third and Thomas Hellriegel fourth and also broke 8 hours. In 2003, Lothar Leder beat Chris McCormack by three seconds after an Iron-distance race long war that had the crowd at the finish going mad. In 2008, the women took their turn in a mass assault on the old barrier, with four breaking the 9-hour mark and the Netherland's Yvonne Van Vlerken broke Newby-Fraser's old mark and setting a new women's world best of 8:45:48.

And just this year defending two time Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington took a quantum leap for women when she smashed the old mark like Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier with an incredible 8:31:59 finish. The race now serves 4,200-plus triathletes from 51 countries and is embraced by Roth and the surrounding towns so that there is more than one volunteer for every racer.

While it has the numbers and the history, anyone who goes to Roth sees this race is about passion. Standing along with 10,000 other screaming fans on the hill called Solarerberg, cheering each rider as they power up the incline, is race director Felix Walchshofer. All along the route , in 20 or so villages, are fans with brauts and bier, holding their children all cheering these amazing endurance athletes.

All photos © Timothy Carlson.

Two of the 4,200 souls drawn like moths to Roth's triathlon flame.

The gun goes off at 6:20 AM at the Main-Donau Canal near Hipoltstein, and the colorful hot air balloons, grounded last year in the rain, rise into the heavens, along with the hopes and prayers of the Quelle Challenge pilgrims.

The pro wave departs into the epic sweep of the dawn, a fire hose fountain, and the swelling waves caused by the churning mass of swimmers who look like seals in their neoprene skins.

Even through the perspective shortening magic of the telephoto lens, the swim course looks infinite.

Australian pro Pete Jacobs emerges first with a 45:57 swim, and held his lead until Normann Stadler caught him on the bike. Still, he re-passed Stadler on the run and held second at the line for the second year in a row, bowing only to rising German star Michael Goehner. .

Ebullient, genial, generous with her smiles and attention is not the usual mien of a conqueror. But that is Chrissie Wellington.

Wellington, on her way to a world record 4:40 split, rides past a signature German country house.

The legendary Roth bike course rides through some 20 towns and villages – all with churches.

Normann Stadler almost broke Jurgen Zack's bike course record with a 4:14: split that might be the envy of a Tour de France rider.

Narda Liliana Romero Gomez of Colombia rides through the tunnel of love on Solarerberg almost quicker than you can say her name.

Age grouper rides through the famed Beer Mile – without stopping for a refreshing brew.

Chrissie Wellington keeps her cool during a red-hot performance.

First time Iron-distance pro Catriona Morrison of Scotland ran even with eventual runner-up Rebekah Keat of Australia until a pit stop at Km 13, then hung tough for third.

Michael Goehner earned his first Iron-distance win with a 2:41 marathon.

Pete Jacobs bemoaned his 2:49 marathon as "poor," but held off onrushing adventure racer Richard Ussher by 12 seconds to nail down his second straight runner-up finish.

Michael Goehner carries his young child across the line to share his sub-8 \hour triumph.

After putting down his child, Goehner slurped the golden nectar of Erdinger Alkoholfrei bier – until he acquired a thick brushy foam mustache.

Chrissie Wellington held up the victory tape to soak in the moment for at least six seconds.

Staying true to Jon Blais' memory, Wellington doers another Blazeman roll right after her official finish. At 8:31, it's not too crowded for ceremony.

Rebekah Keat, who saved Wellington's Ironman Hawaii victory last October by lending her CO2 cartridges to complete a botched tire change, celebrates her second place finish and her astonishingly fast 8:39 finish by dousing the winner with Erdinger.