One of the biggest triathlon weeks of the year started in fantastic fashion after it was announced that reigning 70.3 World Champion Lucy Charles-Barclay will line up at Challenge Roth this Sunday.
The Briton, who won the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona in 2023, will return to the legendary German race for the first time since her victory there in 2019, having been pipped to the title by nine seconds in 2018.
She underwent surgery at the start of the year to remove a plantaris tendon and only made her pro comeback in May with an emphatic victory at IRONMAN Lanzarote.
“My body is saying ‘yes'”
It is also a huge boost for the women’s race at Roth after defending champion Laura Philipp ruled herself out last week.
Quoted in a press release from Challenge Roth, Charles-Barclay said: “Challenge Roth is incredibly special to me. Winning there in 2019 was one of the most important moments of my career. It changed so much for me, and it is honestly up there with winning the IRONMAN World Championship as one of the proudest moments I have had in the sport.”
And speaking on the short Instagram video which is embedded below, LCB added: “I am happy, I’m healthy, my body is saying ‘yes’ and after a weekend of training which proved to me I’d be happy to put my body on the start line I sent Felix [Walchshöfer, the race director] a little video to which he called me back almost immediately.
“And we had a very exciting and emotional phone call – and after that phone call I have decided I will put myself on the start line on Sunday at Challenge Roth.”
Pure box office
Walchshöfer himself added: “What a sensation. When I received a completely unexpected video from Lucy last night, in which she said she’d love to compete, I could hardly believe it. The way Lucy got in touch with me really moved me.
“Lucy’s participation will raise the standard of the race even further. My anticipation for Sunday knows no bounds.
Her last-minute confirmation further enhances what is already the strongest professional field in recent years. In the women’s race, Charles-Barclay will face, amongst others, Britain’s Kat Matthews and numerous other top international athletes, raising the possibility of a first-ever sub-eight time.
The men’s race is also box office: Kristian Blummenfelt, Patrick Lange, Sam Laidlow, Jonas Schomburg and many other top stars will battle it out for victory on Sunday on the fast course in Roth.
