pour juju et phil...en attendant les autres...

Well, the Quelle Challenge Roth is over for 2007 and after a few weeks I thought it would be a great time to write about the race.

Firstly I think this year’s race was the best ever. I don’t just say this because I had a great day, but the enthusiasm and the atmosphere this year around the race and in the build up was enormous. The crowds on the Solarberg were just enormous and this year the run course was littered with huge pockets of hot spots. I have never in my life seen this many people at a Triathlon.

I had a couple of dear friends who did the race this year in Roth for the first time. Many of them had done Ironman races around the world, and I asked them about their experience at the race. Every one of them said this was the greatest event they had ever competed in and could not believe the enthusiasm and the excitement of the huge crowds. My friends from the USA who have done more then 15 Ironman races around the World and more than 200 triathlons around the world said this:

"Macca thanks for talking me into coming to Roth. You tried to describe to us the event but you have to see this race to understand how incredible it is. We have signed up again for next year and will be bringing 3 friends to race with us. Nothing in our sport compares to Roth. Thanks Macca, we had the best time" - Scott and Kari Davis

This year’s event was stellar. I must personally congratulate the entire Team at Challenge. You guys just keep doing it better and better and you must be commended. The Team you have put together is incredible and your event is extremely special. I think this year offering the huge purse as an incentive for the World Record was a great idea and a step in the right direction for all race directors to learn from. They have now followed your lead in Ironman Western Australia this year which is great for the sport. Also I think by offering this money and having the Insurance Company come out and verify your course was a huge positive. It dispels the myths that are put out by people that the course in Roth is in someway shorter than the Ironman distance. It is an open invitation now to anybody to come now to Roth and test yourself on a ratified course.

Well done again and I know you have already begun planning for 2008, when things will be bigger and better again. It is an honour to work with you all and I hope I can play an even bigger role in consultation with you in your plans for 2008.

I would also like to thank all the Volunteers at this year’s race. You are the unsung heroes of this event and you are all just amazing. I have to say to you all, that you play an enormous role in the success of this race and to all of you a huge thank you and congratulations. This is your race and you treat it like it is. This is why you are amazing and do such an awesome job.

For me the race went great. I was hoping to break the World Record set more than a decade ago now by legend athlete Luc van Lierde and although close I was not good enough. I had a very good day. A small problem in the swim set me back a little and frustrated me in the early stages of the race as I had problems with my vision as I swam the entire swim course with no goggles. However when I found my pace, my eyes cleared and my legs loosened up, things got better and I started to really come into my element. I have to acknowledge the incredible race by Thomas Hellriegal. It was so great to see him back racing so well. He is an athlete who inspired me when I was younger and is such a humble and honest athlete I admire and respect him more than anybody in this sport today. Thomas personally I would like to say to you, your performance in Roth was stellar and I hope you carry the same strength and heart into Hawaii this year as I would love to see you put together a performance like your race in 1997 on the big Island . It would be an honour to race you as it was for me in Roth this year. We both rode so well and 4:16 for the bike shows you still have it in your legs. So the record eluded me, but if there is anything I can take from the race that is a positive, it is that I believe the record can be broken and if the conditions are right then the record will topple. Believing something is possible is half the battle and I think for many years many people thought that this record was impossible. I think it is definately an achievable target and I look forward to planning for next year to take it on again.

Anyway a big congratulations to everyone who race this year at the event. I hope you enjoyed your Roth experience and put together the race you were looking for. I really hope to see you back in Germany next year and commend you all for having the courage to start a race of this magnitude. You al should feel very honoured because this race is the most special event in our sport and you have now experienced it. Everything else now will feel just that little bit less. Roth is the greatest.

Safe Training to all of you and Congratulations again,
regards,
Macca


Chris McCormack
World Champion Triathlete
www.chrismccormack.com

J'en ai les larmes aux yeux... mais qu'il se rassure : c'est pas moi qui vait le battre son record !!!!