Over 1,000 athletes from 40 nations will race for the ultimate title in the Challenge Family series on Sunday 22 May at The Championship, in Šamorín, Slovakia.
Both current champions, Lucy Buckingham (GBR) and Florian Angert (DEU), are returning to defend their titles. An already stacked field has, in recent days, seen the addition of Fenella Langridge (GBR) and Magnus Ditlev (DEN) adding further heat to an already exciting battle.
In the women’s Emma Pallant-Browne fresh off her win from Challenge Riccione, Lisa Norden (SWE), Sarah Perez Sala (ESP), Daniela Bleymehl (DEU) and Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) are all there for one reason only, the same as Buckingham and Langridge – to take the win.
In the men’s field Frederic Funk (DEU), current World Triathlon Long Distance Champion Kristian Høgenhaug (DEN), Kyle Smith (NZL) and Thomas Steger (AUT) will be joining Angert and Ditlev in trying to ensure the top spot is theirs.
The Championship Livestream presented by Triathlon Today will broadcast for free on www.challenge-family.live, allowing triathlon fans around the world to watch some of the best athletes in the world fight it out for the title of Champion of The Championship. The livestream, commentated by Belinda Granger and guests, will start at 8:45am CET on 22 May 2022 with race start at 9:00am for pro men and 9:10am for pro women.
Athletes, both age group and professional, have qualified at one of Challenge Family’s 33 races over the past 12 months, finishing in the top six to earn a place at the prestigious The Championship, based at the renowned Olympic training centre, the x-bionic® sphere. The single loop 1.9km swim takes place in the River Danube while the fast, flat 90km bike travels east along the Danube, through typical Slovak villages in a single loop. The 21.1km is entirely within the x-bionic® sphere complex and is testing due to its multiple surfaces before finishing in front of the main grandstand where professional and age group champions are decided. The day before the main event on Saturday 21 May, there is the opportunity for supporters, friends and family to be involved with the choice of Olympic, Sprint, Tryathlon and Junior events ensuring a true celebration of triathlon for all abilities.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES 2022
| SURNAME | FIRST NAME | NATIONALITY |
| WOMEN | ||
| Aspesletten | Julie | Norway |
| Bailly | Alexia | France |
| Bleymehl | Daniela | Germany |
| Buckingham | Lucy | United Kingdom |
| Byram | Lucy | United Kingdom |
| Corbova | Nikola | Slovakia |
| De Vries | Sarissa | Netherlands |
| Gentle | Ashleigh | Australia |
| Jedrzejewska | Aleksandra | Poland |
| Langridge | Fenella | United Kingdom |
| Lee | India | United Kingdom |
| Lehrieder | Carolin | Germany |
| Leisner | Shiva | Denmark |
| Norden | Lisa | Sweden |
| Pallant-Browne | Emma | United Kingdom |
| Perez Sala | Sara | Spain |
| Reng | Franziska | Germany |
| Reischmann | Anne | Germany |
| Santamaria | Margie | Italy |
| Thek | Grace | Australia |
| Watkinson | Amelia | New Zealand |
| Zelinka | Gabriella | Hungary |
| SURNAME | FIRST NAME | NATIONALITY |
| MEN | ||
| Amberger | Josh | Australia |
| Angert | Florian | Germany |
| Arnold | Leonard | Germany |
| Bahlke | Philipp | Germany |
| Bendix Madsen | Thor | Denmark |
| Böttinger | Samuel | Germany |
| Breinlinger | David | Germany |
| Ceccarelli | Mattia | Italy |
| Chartier | Collin | United States |
| Clavel | Maurice | Germany |
| Dahl Thomsen | Tobias | Denmark |
| Davis | Thomas | United Kingdom |
| Dels | Christopher | Germany |
| Draper | Will | United Kingdom |
| Erhardt | Julian | Germany |
| Frommhold | Nils | Germany |
| Funk | Frederic | Germany |
| Goetstouwers | Stenn | Belgium |
| Hentschel | Felix | Germany |
| Heinrichs | Jesse | Germany |
| Keulen | Youri | Netherlands |
| Löschke | Franz | Germany |
| Moreno Molins | Albert | Spain |
| Neumann | Max | Australia |
| Philipp | Bahlke | Germany |
| Sanchez | Roberto | Spain |
| Smith | Kyle | New Zealand |
| Sowieja | Dominik | Germany |
| Steger | Thomas | Austria |
| Stein | Boris | Germany |
| Taagholt | Miki | Denmark |
| Teagle | James | United Kingdom |
| Van Egdom | Jorik | Netherlands |
| Wade | Sam | United Kingdom |
| Weiss | Michael | Austria |
