The adventurer and multiple world record holder, Jonas Deichmann, is embarking on his biggest challenge yet: “Challenge 120”. The goal is 120 long distance triathlons in 120 days on the DATEV Challenge Roth course. That’s 3.8 km of swimming, 180 km of cycling and 42 km of running. Every day for four months.
Jonas will start his project on 9 May 2024 and will then complete an entire long-distance triathlon every day until he completes his last lap on 9 September after a total of 456 km of swimming, 21,000 km of cycling and 5,063 km of running with a new world record. The route corresponds to the route of the world’s largest long distance triathlon, DATEV Challenge Roth. Deichmann will also join the professionals and 3,500 individual athletes on the course at the halfway point on 7 July 2024, before completing 60 more days of laps.
The extreme athlete is already used to long distances and, after setting several cycling world records, completed the first triathlon around the world in 2021. He circumnavigated the globe in 14 months with a total of 120 long-distance triathlons and achieved worldwide fame. This time he wants to go a little faster, but in ideal conditions. “I will always be an adventurer, but I want to find out what is really possible and where better to do that than at the legendary Challenge Roth,” explains Deichmann.
The adventurer will not be bored despite the same lap every day, because with his fame there will be no shortage of company. “I’m happy with any company, whether for a day, a discipline or a few hours,” said Deichmann, who has already become known as the German Forrest Gump during his run through Mexico.
Challenge Roth 120 times in a row
From 9 May, the extreme athlete will start every day early in the morning with a 3.8 km swim in the Rothsee. He will then ride 180 km on the original Challenge Roth course and run 42.2 km on the original course through the “Home of Triathlon”. Due to shipping restrictions, the swim will only take place in the Main-Danube Canal on DATEV Challenge Roth race day. Anyone interested can follow Jonas Deichmann live over the 120 days via tracking.
“Unrivalled endurance performance”
Felix Walchshöfer, Race Director at DATEV Challenge Roth, feels honoured: “Jonas is an absolute inspiration. There are thousands of unique stories at DATEV Challenge Roth every year. However, Jonas’ endurance performance is unrivalled. We are incredibly proud Jonas has chosen Roth to attempt such a record and is doing good for the district in the process.”
World record attempt for a good cause
With his project, the motivational coach is collecting donations for the Roth youth fire brigade and the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. A book and a film about the project will be published and Deichmann will appear as a multilingual speaker afterwards.
Every year, around 3,500 individual athletes and 700 relay teams fulfil their triathlon dreams at DATEV Challenge Roth. The Roth district stands for the sport like no other and is celebrating 40 years of triathlon this year. The sports festival in the triathlon stronghold has been home to triathletes from all over the world since 1984. 7,500 volunteers and hundreds of thousands of supporters provide a goosebump feeling year after year. For 2024, the race was fully booked within 40 seconds.
