It was an amazing day right from the start at the 20th anniversary of the Quelle Challenge Roth. It was an all-star international field and the weather could not have been more perfect.

Just last year Aussie Chris McCormack and German Lothar Leder staged the race of the year, with the closest Ironman finish in the history of the sport, that ended with McCormack just three seconds shy of the German at the finish line.  It would not be the same this year! 

At the news conference on Thursday, Amy White reported that McCormack again threw down the gauntlet to his fellow competitors—he wants to break that elusive eight-hour mark, a feat that was accomplished on this course back in 1996 and 1997.  McCormack, who became a three-time winner at Ironman Australia in April, wants to join that club, and he's not shy about it.

“My aim this year is just to get from A to B as quickly as I possibly can”, McCormack said.  “That is always my goal. Last year, I was just three seconds slower than the guy that was in front of me. I think I'm faster than I was last year, I think I'm stronger. I'd like to go fast. I want to go under eight hours—I don't care if I come fifth doing it. I'm up for a fast race if you guys are”, he said to his fellow competitors alongside him on the stage.

Just 8 days ago, McCormack won the German Olympic Distance Triathlon championship, taking that title for the second year in succession.  Just as he did in 2002, Chris McCormack has once again won a major Olympic Distance, Half Ironman, and Ironman all in the same season.  In fact, he’s done it in only two months!  A feat no other athlete has accomplished in this modern age of racing Triathlon with today’s distance specialist.

Australian Chris McCormack is the reigning 3-time Ironman Australian Champion as well as the reigning 3-time Wildflower Half-Ironman Champion.  Before making the move to long course racing, McCormack dominated the short course world with 7 World Cup Victories, 14 National Championships, 4 Escape from Alcatraz titles, and was the former ITU World Champion as well.  His string of 26 wins in a row (2000-2002) made him internationally famous, but he continues to dominate the sport even today.  With two National Championships and two Ironman victories under his belt in 2004, McCormack continues to dominate the world of Triathlon.

"What a race! I'm still amazed at how well it all went. I came to Germany with one goal and that was to win this event. No other non European has been able to do it, so I was determined to give it a big go. Last year I missed out by three seconds and the taste for victory here was big."

When asked of his approach to the race, McCormack commented, "I tried a completely different build up for this race. I've been up in Bend Oregon in the USA training and I decided to build my intensity more for this race and reduce the mileage. I have been getting out on the bike with Steve Larson, Conrad Stoltz and Chris Horner and riding hard and fast. The mileage has been there but I think my strength from all the work I did with my Ironman Australia preparation has stuck with me. The goal was to stay fresh and I arrived here in Germany feeling great."

"I felt absolutely ordinary on the first lap of the bike, but had set myself up with a good swim," said McCormack when asked of his winning day.  "I didn't find my legs on the bike till about 60 miles in.  I finally picked up the tempo and Lothar was starting to struggle, so I attacked at about the 75 mile mark and dropped him."

McCormack was still over 5 minutes back of Al-Sultan heading out of T2.  "I can’t explain it, but I got off the bike and just felt incredible. I decided immediately to just throw away any tactics and just go out after Faris."

It still took McCormack over 18 miles to catch the young German.  Both men were flying on the run and on record setting pace.  "I've never felt so good in a marathon before and was just knocking over the miles easily", said McCormack.  "The crowd was going berserk and yelling to us to go for under 8 hours. They kept screaming we were on world record pace. I just never seemed to fatigue."

Needless to say, as this is Europe biggest Triathlon the news is just incredible here in Europe.  McCormack's winning time of 7:57.40 is the 6th fastest time in history and his marathon run time of 2.39.50 is the third fastest time in history.  There are only 5 athletes to ever break the 8 hour mark.

"To do an Ironman under 8 hours and have done it with a sub 2:40 marathon gives me a great since of confidence going into Kona.  It's an amazing feeling to be a new member of an elite club", said McCormack.  “Being the only non European athlete to ever break 8 hours is also very cool.  To win in Roth is just an incredible feeling and a dream come true.”

2.4 Mile Swim – 112 Mile Bike – 26.2 Mile Run

Top Ten Men:
1. Chris McCormack (AUS) 7:57:50
2. Faris Al-Sultan (GER) 7:58:57
3. Timo Bracht (GER) 8:08:03
4. Michael Lovato (USA) 8:21:45
5. Lothar Leder (GER) 8:25:14
6. Christophe Bastie (FRA) 8:26:38
7. Swen Sundberg (GER) 8:32:36
8. Bernd Eichhorn (GER) 8:35:04
9. Dave Harju (CAN) 8:37:56
10. Norbert Huber (GER) 8:39:55

For more information on McCormack: http://www.chrismccormack.com/

For more information on FMG:
http://fairchildmanagementgroup.com/