The Challenge Family team looks back on a very nice 2024 season: as the management team highlighted the top three of their greatest moments. We reproduce them in full below.
Jort Vlam (CEO)
1: Racing the Challenge Istanbul
One of the oldest capitals of the world provided me personally a unique experience. Swimming in the Bosporus River was majestic. To jump into the water just after sunrise, swimming between the cliffs of two continents is pure magic. And then crossing the bridge riding your bike from Asia to Europe and back, is something you’ll remember for a long time!
2: Challenge Beijing
A new step for Challenge Family was opening a race in mainland China. The Olympic capital Beijing was the backdrop of a super high quality race experience. From the first press conference till the closing ceremony the team did their utmost to show where Challenge Family stands for: all about the athlete.
3: Challenge Cap Quebec
We couldn’t celebrate our return to North America better than with the brand new event in Quebec City. With a welcoming community, a scenic race course, a dedicated team and a large field of enthusiastic athletes it was a true Challenge Family experience. The ‘Tunnel of Love’ 100 meters before the finish line symbolised this all.
Zibi Szlufcik (President of the Board)
1: Challenge Taiwan becoming the biggest triathlon event in the world, selling out in minutes and hosting over 8500 athletes during race weekend.
2: Extending our Global Partnership with Red Bull and realizing an amazing portfolio of Global Partners in general.
3: The sprint finish at Challenge Salou
Richard Belderok (CTO)
1: Return to mainland China. Seeing racing return in mainland China and with Challenge Family being a part in both Beijing and Xiamen was a great experience. So cool that our sport is truly a global sport with so many athletes around the world united by passion.
2: Recordbreaking performances. Whether they were Age Group athletes setting new PRs, first-timers reaching the finishline and PRO athletes breaking national and world records, there were so many great stories and achievements. So in this position: everyone that met or exceeded their personal goal this year at a Challenge Family event.
3: The support and development of upcoming PRO’s, the way how Challenge Family events helped grow the careers of many PRO’s this year, most notably of the World Bonus winners Jack Moody and Alanis Siffert was great to see throughout the season. Seeing them race multiple times and climb in the world rankings was very cool to witness and play a part in as Challenge Family.
Tomas Vrzak (Head of Global Operations)
1: Global Race Director Meeting
What an incredible couple of days we shared with Race Directors from around the globe at the start of the year in Barcelona! The event was a perfect blend of deep discussions, inspiring talks, and plenty of fun moments with an amazing group of people. Looking ahead to 2025, we’re thrilled to announce that the next Global Race Director Meeting will be held during The Championship in Slovakia. We encourage as many Race Directors as possible to join us and even compete in one of the open categories—see you there!
2: Outstanding Return to China
Our return to China couldn’t have been more remarkable! After dedicating time to finding the right local partners, together with local teams we delivered unforgettable experiences. Beijing set the stage with an incredible event and a $100,000 prize purse, followed by a spectacular race in Xiamen. Athletes were treated to breathtaking courses and the unparalleled hospitality that defines the local culture. This was a comeback to remember!
3: Behind the Scenes
So much has been happening behind the scenes, and it’s all thanks to our incredible team’s hard work and dedication. While many of these efforts may go unnoticed, they are crucial to continuously improving our races and shaping the future of Challenge Family as a brand. Highlights include welcoming two talented new colleagues, the successful process of our logo and identity rebranding, and implementing enhanced organizational and safety protocols. We’ve also developed new tools to elevate race quality reporting. A big thank you to the entire team for making it all possible!
Belinda Granger (Pro Athlete Liason)
1: Watching both Kyle Smith win and India Lee defend her title at The Championship
2: Witnessing Magnus do the three-peat in Roth and break his own race record along the way
3: Sprint finish at Challenge Salou between Guillem Montiel and Kurt McDonald
Juanan Fernández (Quality Management South Europe & South America)
1: The Sprint Finish at Challenge Salou.
2: The feeling I had during The Championship was very special.
3: Challenge Roth because of the records, the Canyon documentary and watching the World Cup soccer game between Germany and Spain: the full atmosphere at the expo was amazing!
Tim Moria (Editor in Chief Challenge Home)
1: In Salou I witnessed live the sprint finish between Guillem Montiel Moreno and Kurt McDonald and for me the tension you felt there, which lasted until the very last centimeter of the race, epitomized the essence of the sport of triathlon. The goosebumps were all over my body and the post-race interviews were unforgettable.
2: I have had the luxury of traveling to many wonderful Challenge Family races around the world this year. Challenge Cap Quebec was one of them and the experience was very special. The fact that Belgian triathlete Valerie Barthelemy won the women’s race, after an exciting battle with Jodie Stimpson, made the race perhaps even more special. Barthelemy made headlines after she had some problems with her national triathlon federation and was not selected for the Olympics. This win showed to me that Challenge Family will always be an organization where triathletes can be their best and have the opportunity to race at the highest level.
3: At Challenge Samarkand watching the duel between Kristian Blummenfelt and Gustav Iden – and the dozens of other big names. The days before the race were already special, including a joint run with the two Norwegians (I’m still recovering from that ‘easy run’ ;-)) and over fifty other triathletes. To follow Blummenfelt and Iden on the motorbike during their bike part of the race was magical: the pace those guys managed to squeeze out was unprecedented.
Josep Balana Rovira (Partnerships & PM Race)
1: Comeback to China, and specifically in an Olympic venue, Beijing, with an outstanding 100k prize money
2: Magnus Ditlev destroying the world record in Roth, again!
3: Challenge Family comeback to North American market with three amazing events.
Victoria Murray-Orr (Global Marketing & Communications)
1: Having a Kiwi take the win at The Championship – coming from New Zealand, you can call me a little bit biased but it’s always great to see a little country punching above its weight and Kyle Smith has had a stellar season. The emotion on his face after winning The Championship showed just how much this victory meant for him and it was awesome to witness.
2: It always blows me away that after 113km, the win can be decided by a split second – last year we had the sprint finish at Challenge Vieux Boucau, and this year, at Challenge Salou there was less than a second separating Guillem Montiel Moreno and Kurt McDonald – an amazing athletic performance from these two and the atmosphere was electrifying – a finish to remember!
3: Standing on the shores of ANZAC Cove at the inaugural Challenge Gallipoli gave me goosebumps – not only is it spectacularly beautiful but it’s a privilege to be able to race in an area so steeped in history. Every year thousands of Antipodeans make the pilgrimage here to honour those who paid the ultimate price in one of the most famous battles of World War I. This weekend was definitely a triathlon experience that extended far beyond the sport itself.
Zsanna Funk (Marketing Assistant)
1: The sprint finish between Guillem Montiel and Kurt McDonald at the OTSO Challenge Salou had me holding my breath in those final meters! It was incredibly exciting to watch!
2: I had the opportunity to be on site for the inaugural Challenge Beijing. It was an incredible cultural experience, complemented by a well-organized sightseeing program featuring professional athletes. The race itself was thrilling, especially watching Kyle Smith fight until the very end and ultimately outrun Henri Schoeman.
3: Frederic Funk riding the world-best time on the 90 km course at The Championship. Although the bike course may appear relatively easy, it is incredibly demanding. Fred made a bold move by riding away all alone from a field of exceptionally strong competitors
