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Sindballe, Vuckovic and Jacobs line up to challenge McCormack in Roth; Women's field promises fireworks

On the 13th of July in Roth, Germany, Chris McCormack will attempt to make the impossible possible as he sets out to defend his title at the Quelle Challenge Roth only one week after racing at Ironman Germany in Frankfurt. While some in the triathlon world might view the task as nearly impossible, the four-time Roth champion and the reigning Ironman world champion said he’s determined to make a go of it.

“For me it's important to try something that has never been done before,” said the always-tough Australian. “It's a huge undertaking, and I'm not even sure myself how it will go. But mistakes don’t count for me - I can't fail.”

After years of work and consistently improving performances, in October McCormack achieved his long-held dream of winning in Hawaii. And so it is in Roth this year - McCormack has set himself a lofty goal of facing former Hawaii winners Normann Stadler and Faris Al-Sultan at home in Frankfurt and just a week later defending the title he's held for four years in Roth.

To achieve it, he'll have to first go through a very classy Roth field that includes the man who came third behind McCormack in October-Danish triathlon ace Torbjørn Sindballe. The fearsome cyclist put together a very complete race in Kona last year and with his scientific approach to training and racing has set his sights on Roth's legendary potential for speed and taking a crack at the world- best mark of 7:50:27 set here in 1997 by Belgium's Luc van Lierde.

Also lining up is Germany's Stephan Vuckovic, silver medalist at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and a fairly recent convert to long-course racing, along with Australia's Pete Jacobs, who was third in Roth last year in his debut over the course. The hard-charging South African and five-time Ironman winner Raynard Tissink will also start along with New Caledonia's Patrick Vernay, a two-time winner of Ironman Australia. Back for another go on the course will also be legendary German triathlete Thomas Hellriegel, who returned to Roth last year and finished a fantastic fourth after driving hard on the bike all day. Australia's Chris McDonald, ninth last year in his first trip over the Roth course and winner of Ironman Louisville, will be returning while Kieran Doe of New Zealand, winner of Ironman Canada last year, will take all the advice he gets from his coach, McCormack, to put together another strong attack in Roth, where he was third in 2006. The field also includes Frenchmen Francois Chabaud and Sebastian Berlier, Canada's Luke Dragstra and Germany's Marc Pschebizin, recent winner of the Challenge Wanaka race in New Zealand. Fellow Germans Markus Forster, Olaf Sabatschus, Steffen Liebetrau, Sven Sundberg, Konstantin Bachor and Christoph Fürleger will round out this deep field.

One of the strongest women's fields this year The women's race promises fireworks with one of the toughest fields put together this year. Leading the charge will be defending champion Yvonne van Vlerken of the Netherlands. While van Vlerken may have surprised some last year when she came through on the run to claim her first Roth crown in 8:51:55, this year her adversaries will be marking her every move. Among those lining up against her will be German star Nina Eggert and the popular Aussie Belinda Granger, winner of the Quelle Challenge Roth in 2005 and recent winner of Ironman Malaysia ahead of van Vlerken. Hungary's Erika Csomor, a frequent top-five finisher in Roth, has a new coach and is showing her true talents after several injury-plagued seasons with wins at Ironman Arizona and the Ironman 70.3 California.

Up-and-coming Kiwi star Gina Ferguson, winner of the Challenge Wanaka race in January, will step up as will American Hillary Biscay. Also vying for top honors in Roth will be Charlotte Paul, a fast-closing Aussie who recently broke through with a win at Ironman Western Australia, former Ironman Australia winner Rebekah Keat (sixth in Hawaii last year), Leanda Cave, another recent convert to long-course racing who was eighth in her Kona debut last year, and New Zealand's Merryn Greenwood. They'll be facing a host of Germany's best long- course exponents, including Celia Kuch, Christine Waitz, Anja Ippach und Ute Mückel, who was unable to start last year after a bike crash.

Joining the elites in the world's largest long-course contest will be 2,800 individual athletes and 515 teams from 50 countries-a new nationality record for this international race. Visit the race website at www.challenge-roth.com for more and for live updates on race day.

Sponsors of the Quelle Challenge Roth include: Quelle, Deutsche Post, N-Ergie, Sponser, Sparkasse Mittelfranken-Süd, Verischerungs Kammer Bayern, Erdinger Alkoholfrei, Wöhrl, Arndt, Fiegl & Konrad, Mavic, Hofmann, Franken Brunnen, Pyraser, B&C Collection, Jura-Kälte, Heinloth, Nürnberger Nachrichten, Arvena Hotels, Zeus Copy, Landkreis Roth, Stadt Roth, Stadt Hilpoltstein, Der Beck, Guttenberger-Partner, M. Reithelshöfer, Burkhartsmaier, Henglein, Perfetto, Frei, and SanLucar.