New DATEV Challenge Roth date from 2018

New DATEV Challenge Roth date from 2018
Change in the best interest of the sport

ROTH. DATEV Challenge Roth will move to a new fixed date from 2018 onwards and will be held permanently every year on the first weekend of July (1 July in 2018).

TEAMCHALLENGE Managing Director Felix Walchshöfer confirmed this decision following repeated date clashes from Ironman Frankfurt. This year, again, the two key German long distance triathlon events will take place on the same day, 9 July. The DATEV Challenge Roth organisation have tried repeatedly to come to an agreement with Ironman, with the involvement of the German Triathlon Union, but have ultimately remained unsuccessful with Ironman Frankfurt repeatedly scheduled for Challenge Roth’s traditional weekend of the past 15 years. DATEV Challenge Roth is now actively moving away from its traditional second weekend in July date (third weekend in football’s European Cup years) to avoid unnecessary scheduling problems in the future.

Walchshöfer said, "It is more important for us to act in the best interests of the sport than to insist on our traditional race schedule. Athletes and the public should not be forced to choose between the two major German triathlon events. Both events should have their permanent place in the race calendar. This is the respect our great sport of triathlon has earned.”