Anne Haug aiming to ‘seize the opportunity’ after ‘spontaneous’ decision to race Challenge Roth

Anne Haug is looking to seize the opportunity and grab a third victory at Challenge Roth after her late change of plan to take part on home turf.

Haug, who won the 2019 IRONMAN World Championship, is a two-time winner at Challenge Roth and was runner-up last year when Daniela Ryf shattered the previous fastest women’s time for the full distance.

Haug’s top-level consistency is simply astonishing – she last finished off the podium back in 2018 when fourth at IRONMAN Frankfurt.

But this season has been a struggle. Injury and illness has prompted a very different schedule than she expected but she’s still managed to claim a record-breaking win at IRONMAN Lanzarote.

And last time out she took part in the age-group event at IRONMAN 70.3 Nice in order to test the fitness and get a look at this year’s IMWC course.

‘I’ve grown up with Roth’

And speaking at Thursday’s press conference ahead of Roth she admitted: “It was really spontaneous to be here! My season has gone completely differently to how I planned but life sometimes tells you different things and new opportunities open up.

“I had to cancel my first races this year and I was happy to get back to training. This went well and I had a feeling that the form was right – I just wanted to do a high quality race and to be at Roth.

“I felt well and fit enough and I just wanted to compete with a strong competition. I’ve grown up with Roth and I wanted to seize the opportunity to start.”

Tactical battle?

On paper at least it looks like a battle between Haug and fellow German Laura Philipp, with the pair second and third respectively 12 months ago.

And Haug added: “I’m looking forward to Sunday with such a fantastic field.

“I think it’s going to be a tight race all of us are on the same level – there’s no super swimmer who might tear up the field.

I think it will really need an excellent day to be at the top and that makes it ultra exciting and I think it will be a very clean race.

“There are a lot of tactics involved and we just have to push each other. Daniela set a benchmark last year and you grow with this challenge.”