Patrick Lange, Anne Haug in German Sweep at Challenge Roth
Patrick Lange and Anne Haug dominated the men’s and women’s fields at DateV Challenge Roth on a perfect, sunny day after a year lost to the Covid pandemic.
Men
Lange, a two-time Kona winner, emerged from the swim in the Main-Danube Canal shortly behind swim leader Nick Kastelein of Australia followed closely by Britain‘s Thomas Davis and New Zealand’s Braden Currie. Germany’s Ruben Zepuntke took over on the bike to lead Nils Frommhold by 3 minutes at T2, with Lange right on his heels. Andreas Dreitz, the 2019 Challenge Roth winner, trailed by six minutes in 4th.
Lange charged hard out on the run and took over the lead after 10 kilometers and crossed the line in 7:19:19 with an 11:12 margin over Frommhold and 11:53 over third place Felix Hentschel of Germany. The super speedy time was in large part due to road work which cut 10 kilometers (about 20 minutes) from the standard 180km distance. “It was a perfect day,” Lange told Challenge Family media about his Roth debut. "I settled into the race well, and when I crossed the finish line I had tears in my eyes."
After a steady race, 2015 Roth winner Frommhold took second in 7:31:12. In the process former obstacle runner Felix Hentschel took 3rd, 41 seconds behind Frommhold, after setting a new course run record of 2:35:39.
Former pro cyclist Ruben Zepuntke of Germany dominated the bike leg, but Lange passed him after 6.4 km of the run. Pre-race favorite Sebastian Kienle, coming off a good performance at the Collins Cup last weekend, dropped out of the bike due to an Achilles tendon problem. “
"The sun is shining here today, but the sun doesn't always shine in life," Kienle told Challenge Family media.
Women
Langridge, coming off a second place at Ironman Coeur d’Alene earlier this year , led a closely bunched pack of women with a 52:09 swim split, not enough to put any significant distance on Haug, who was right on her toes.
Haug quickly proceeded to put the hammer down on the bike, and led Langridge and Sarah Crowley by12 minutes coming into T2, with Laura Siddall 17 minutes arrears. With 10km kilometers to go, Siddall powered past Crowley, then took down Langridge at the 37- kilometer mark of the run. Famed for her run prowess, Haug finished in 7:53:48 with a 31:36 lead on Siddall and 33:16 on third place finisher Langridge.
DateV Challenge Roth
Roth, Germany
September 5, 2021
S 3.8km / B 170k / R 42.8k
Men
1. Patrick Lange (GER) 7:19:19
2. Nils Frommhold (GER) 7:30:31
3. Felix Hentschel (GER) 7:31:12
4. Philipp Bahlkey (GER) 7:33:19\
5. Franz Loeschke (GER) 7:40:52
Women
1. Anne Haug (GER) 7:53:48
2. Laura Siddall (GBR) 8:25:24
3. Fenella Langridge (GBR) 8:27:04
4. Chloe Lane (AUS) 8:28:22
5. Sarah Crowley (AUS) 8:32:26
