Courtesy: event press release

Australian long-course triathlon star Belinda Granger knows just how she'll attack next Sunday at the world's largest, most historic, and fastest ultra-distance race, Quelle Challenge Roth (3.8 km S/180 km B/42.2 km R). She's done her homework, trained like the usually feared Germans, and taken up residence in Roth to learn the course.

Granger arrived in Germany more than two weeks ago to compete in the Kohler Haardman middle-distance triathlon, a tune-up featuring many top stars racing at Roth, the July 4th main event. She's always found success in using half-iron distance races as final pushes before her main events and that weekend was no different. "It's nice to have a hit out before an Ironman and get out the cobwebs," said Granger. Still a bit jetlagged from the Down Under-Germany flight and completely without training taper, she hammered out a four-minute lead over 2003 QCR champion Nicole Leder (GER), who will be her number one target next weekend.

"I've seen Nicole compete and she is an outstanding runner. Realistically, I'm going to need at least 15 minutes off the bike to beat her," Granger divulged. "There are just a handful of girls who can run under three hours and she's one of them." Offering a bit more strategy, she showed that she's studied the Roth results, the 2004 athletes and their strengths and weaknesses. "Heike Funk (GER, and last year's QCR runner-up) is a great rider and maybe she and I can work together, legally, and get a bigger lead off the bike than the one she had last year over Nicole. She had a big lead, 10 minutes. But when Nicole runs a 2:57 and Heike runs a 3:22 or so, the race is on. Nicole is a class above the rest."

"Some girls like to chase from behind, and that's the complete opposite from me. I like to have a lead of the bike and run scared, and that's the way I succeed," she explained. "Some people say maybe you push the bike to hard, but I don't know any other way. I just ride as hard as I can, I don't know how to do it any other way." Just how strong of a cyclist is Granger? She's a consistent low-five-hour rider for 180 km (112 mi), and scorched a 4:54:51 (22.8 mph) en route to her 9:10:36 second place two months ago at Ironman Australia. As such, Roth, known as a cyclist's course, will suit her well. "There are no major climbs, I know they've got the one (Solarerberg), and so the undulating hills will suit me."

After Haardman, the Down Under wonder trained with her friend, professional triathlete and Ironman winner Katja Schumacher (GER) in the mountains surrounding Heidelberg. "We had a really good week, full-on, and we're quite evenly matched, I'm stronger on the bike and she's stronger on the run, so we pushed each other," said Granger.

Immersing herself in the German way also helped her to feel more comfortable, perhaps ever so slightly reducing Leder's home course advantage. "I know from hometown racing and also knowing the course counts for a huge amount, and that's why I obviously race well in Australia."

Having studied past Roth results and trained the German way, this was one of the last steps - a reconnaissance mission for ranger Granger to feel out the hallowed course. She and her husband, Justin Granger (AUS), also a top pro racing at Roth, have taken up temporary residence in Roth with homestay hosts Ulrike and Jorg Heyl. "Homestay is the star attraction of this place. They've done everything for us, and then some. I would never have thought homestay could be so good," she said, describing the Aussie kangaroo welcome signs at the front door upon her arrival and all the support and comforts prepared for them.

"I've run most of the course, it's good. I think it's going to be tough mentally for me, having the long straights and see where you're going to be, how far it is. I prefer twisty curvy instead of seeing the bridge so far away knowing that's where I have to go. Being 'muscley,' a bit thicker on the bottom end with my strong legs, I like that bit-softer surface," she explained.

If there's one more thing Granger will employ on race day, it will be the 100,000 Roth fans. Certainly most will favor their German uberRunner, Leder, but the fans at Roth love triathlon no matter who is racing and they cheer as hard for the very last athlete as they do for the winner, and they stay until the very end.

"I thrive on crowd support, the more the better," said Granger, the fans' darling back home in Australia. "This course has so many people cheering all the way, and that makes it so much better. As soon as you put me alone, I start thinking about how much it's hurting, and then as soon as I see the crowds I forget about it and start running." All things being equal, Granger might run pain-free on Sunday.

"I came over here with the intention of winning. I know that in long-course distance racing, you can have the fastest time under your belt, but it's not that clear cut. It matters on race day and what you can do then."

Quelle Challenge Roth's sponsors include: Quelle AG, Deutsche Post AG, N-ERGIE, DB Regio, Opel AG, Newline, Nurnberger Nachrichten (Nurnberg Newspapers), Bayrische Versicherungskammer, Maxim, Phillips, Erdinger Alkoholfrei, Sparkasse Mittelfranken-Sud, ADAC, Arndt, Recaro, PowerBar, County of Roth, City of Roth, City of Hilpolstein, Coca-Cola, Frankenbrunnen, Zeus Copy, Paladin, Hofmann, Jura Kaelte, Lorenz & Partner, INKO Energy, Flor & Sohn, Spedition Heinloth, and BIESTMILCH.

For more information on the July 4, 2004 Quelle Challenge Roth and Triathlon Festival, Deutsche Triathlon Union (DTU) ultra- distance International German Championship and Long Distance Triathlon World Championship for Firefighters, the on-line forum and the event's newsletter, visit www.challenge-roth.com.