The new 2018 course will combine elements of the old, traditional course with the new course introduced in 2017, and is now just one-lap with only 160 metres of elevation, instead of the 330 metres in 2017. Will this see a return to fast times and another long-course record attempt from Daniela Ryf?
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Büchenbach remains, the canal returns
As previously, the new course heads from Transition Zone 2 to the Roth Canal, through the industrial area before branching off south to the first turn around at Eckersmühlen lock. From there it heads back to Roth industrial area and continues north to the Leerstetten lock (turning point 2), then along the canal back to Roth. After a short loop on the Alte Allersberger road, the athletes run through Rothgrund to the Roth town centre. Then, as in 2017, it’s off to Büchenbach before heading back to the centre of Roth and finally to the finish line stadium.
Better run course design with unchanged spectator-friendliness
With this course, TEAMCHALLENGE combines all the advantages of the previous two courses. The result is a run which is almost as flat as the traditional course with only 160 meters of altitude, but which offers athletes more safety and a higher level of running comfort with less crowding on the canal. Another advantage is that the elimination of last year’s two-way track, again, relieving congestion. But it’s important to note the spectator experience that was so universally welcomed in 2017 is not compromised. 17 hotspots along the course remain with plans to add new ones.
Less altitude equals more speed
The significantly reduced elevation, along with the fast running surface will make the athletes happy. Feedback after the 2017 race from the athletes indicated they found the double trip to Büchenbach very demanding, but they really enjoyed the amazing atmosphere at the hot spot there and the general spectator-friendliness of the course.
Challenge CEO, Felix Walchshöfer, comments, “It was clear to us from the outset that changing a three-decade-long tradition would be an on-going process to ensure the best result. That’s why we planned from the beginning to conduct a post-race interview and take the athletes’ suggestions into consideration. The feedback from our athletes is our most important source of knowledge and it goes without saying our philosophy is respect these wishes. But I think that we have found the ideal route with the combination of the two previous courses. Our anniversary athletes can look forward to a very special running experience on 1 July.”
The 2018 run course in detail:
From Transition Zone 2 to Gartenstraße / ACUNA practice clinic as before (500 meters).
Unchanged via Espaner Berg, past the WÜST hot spot in front of Nüssli to Kanal-Lände and continue Speck hot spot, then branch off to the right along the canal to the Eckersmühlen lock to the outskirts of Haimpfarrich. The first turn around is directly in front of the lock wall at 8km.
From the Eckersmühlen lock the course returns along the canal back to the Roth industrial area and there straight on along the canal to the north to the Leerstetten lock. The second turn around is at 18.1km. It returns back along the canal to Lände Roth.
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Via Speck Pumpen back towards Rothgrund, first straight ahead into the Alte Al-Lersberger Straße. From there you continue to the WÜST-Hotspot and Espaner Berg and back to Roth, then on the Gartenstraße turn left into the Mühlgasse and continue to the right to the Sparkasse.
Past Sparkasse to Kugelbühl, then between the town hall and church to the market square and on to Willy Supf-Platz.
Now heading towards Pfaffenhofen, after “Blumen Basso” turn left into Sandgasse. Straight on to the end of the road, cross over the Rednitz Rive towards the sewage treatment plant. From there follow the road to Büchenbach.
Via school centre continue towards Rathausplatz and from there around the village pond (MemmertWeiherschleife – turnaround 4)
From there back to Roth, through the Sandgasse, past Willy-Supf-Platz, market place, Kugelbühl, along Gartenstraße to the ACUNA practice clinic / Espaner Berg.
There turn right from Gartenstraße into the street “Am Espan” and as before to the finish in the finish line stadium (900 metres).
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The new course is flat except for a rise just before Büchenbach and the recent addition towards Lände and is completely on paved, closed roads. Only (as before) the short wooded area to Lände and the short stretch of the canal is run on gravel paths.