Long before Tongyeong became a home of triathlon, it was a city of poets. Indeed it was in Tongyeong that Kim Chunsu, one of South Korea’s leading 20th century poets, was born. In 1946 he wrote Flower and with it one of the most famous lines in Korean poetry: “Before I called its name, it was nothing but a gesture; When I called it by name, it came to me and became a flower.” Chances are Jolien Vermeylen (BEL) may not have had that line in her head when she stepped onto the starting pontoon at today’s World Cup, yet it encapsulated her race nonetheless.

Today was the day Vermeylen called to her race in a way she had not before and in doing so was rewarded with a first gold medal on the world stage. Her pre-race protestations that she hated running up hills and her tinge of pessimism over her 10km running form may have cast some doubt over her chances. Nevertheless, she set all of that aside and, when she called, her race certainly came forth in full bloom.

“I still don’t like running up hills,” she insisted after the race. “I was so happy with my 10km as very often I say I kind of fly and die. I go out super-fast and then after 2km feel like it wasn’t the best plan in the world. I was watching my watch and was like, ‘ok, this is the pace my coach told me I could do.’ I thought it was going to be too hard but in the end I could accelerate so I guess the coach was right.”

Summer Rappaport (USA) led through the first lap of the swim at the head of a group of five women. Her compatriot Tamara Gorman (USA) emerged in no man’s land between the lead quintet and the main group, although the gaps were still easily recoverable. Any prospect of the chasers making up time, however, faded over the second lap. Rappaport maintained her grip on the lead while Emma Jeffcoat (AUS), Eva Goodisson (NZL) Vermeylen, Sian Rainsley (GBR) and Sara Guerrero Manso (ESP) followed in quick succession. The lead pack of six then cleared T1 before chasers entered, the non-wetsuit swim making for some rapid transitions.

Despite losing Guerrero in the opening lap, the leaders continued to develop their advantage over the chase pack. Vermeylen in particular was in no mood to hang around, taking the descents on with real gusto. When the gap between the first two packs hit 45 seconds at the end of the opening bike lap, the signs were ominous for the chasers. The situation worsened as the gap surpassed a minute after only a third of the bike. Recent World Cup medallist Alissa Konig (SUI) headed up the chase pack with the American trio of Gina Sereno, Erika Ackerlund and Gorman, yet their work brought little reward.

When the leaders eventually returned to T2, the damage was extensive. A good 2 minutes stood between the lead and chase groups, with the medal hopes of the latter being read their last rites.

Vermeylen was the first through T2. Only Rappaport and Rainsley were able to hang with her early pace and that trio seemed set to battle out the medals. Goodisson held a slender lead over Jeffcoat, while the chasers pushed to make up time. Rappaport looked best up and down the sharp hill on the first of the four run laps. There was plenty of time, though, for Vermeylen and Rainsley to make the moves. Further back, Sandra Dodet (FRA) was absolutely flying and closed in on Jeffcoat. 

Another small dig from Rappaport on the downhill segment put Vermeylen under some pressure although Rainsley was equal to the effort. The Belgian athlete gradually made up the few lost metres as the leaders arrived at the midpoint of the run. Meanwhile, Dodet had Goodisson in her sights. An improbable medal still seemed too tall an order. However the way she breezed past Goodisson early in the third lap was enough to offer the slightest hope of catching the three women ahead.

As it happened, there were only two leaders at this point as Vermeylen launched a stinging attack on the downhill to dispatch Rainsley. Rappaport, too, found herself on the ropes and threw her all at keeping touch with the Belgian athlete. At the start of the fourth lap Vermeylen went again and this time Rappaport had no answer. After coming so close on multiple occasions, including by a matter of milliseconds at the 2022 Bergen World Cup, Vermeylen at last claimed her elusive maiden World Cup win. Rappaport followed in 2nd place for the first medal of her season while Rainsley secured the bronze medal with a comfortable margin over the charging Dodet.

What they said:

In addition to her run, Vermeylen added, “I think all three disciplines were really good. We had a great swim. We rode so well on the bike; everyone kept taking turns even when we were tired and we had a pretty big lead.” 

“I’m really overjoyed with my race,” said Rappaport. “Every time I’ve lined up this year before today was just absolutely horrendous. I was really injured at the end of last year. I had a hard time getting healthy again this year. Even after I started training well I couldn’t put a race together and after Torremolinos last week I told my husband, ‘I think I’m done with triathlon’.” Although it was the first time she had not won in Tongyeong, after two previous gold medals, Rappaport acknowledged, “But I’m pretty happy with 2nd today!”

Such was the satisfaction with her performance, when asked if her attitude had shifted from a possible post-Torremolinos retirement, Rappaport said with a wry smile, “I think it might have.”

For her part, Rainsley said, “On the run I was just trying to hold on for as long as possible. On the third lap going up the hill I got dropped and I was like ‘oh god, 3km to go, try and hold the gap’. But yeah, I’m really happy with that.”

There will be no respite for many of the world’s best triathletes after the WTCS Finals in Torremolinos as the Tongyeong World Cup comes knocking. The popular South Korean event has attracted a talented field with no fewer than eleven athletes out to impress for the home team. The race will be a standard distance affair consisting of a two-lap 1500m swim, a six-lap 40km bike, and a four-lap 10km run. Tune in on TriathlonLive at 11:00 local time (04:00 CEST) to catch all of the men’s action.

Learning from the past

On the surface, the lesson to be taken from the men’s history of the Tongyeong World Cup is that there is no lesson. In total, there have been sixteen previous editions of the event while Tongyeong also played host to a WTCS stop in the inaugural Series back in 2009. With events spanning a twenty year period, there has been plenty of variety in the racing.

Other than the 2022 race, this will be the first time the Tongyeong World Cup has been held over the standard distance since 2015. With that in mind, we can look at three clusters of events: those between 2021 and 2023 for a more recent insight and those from 2013 to 2015 for a greater emphasis on the standard distance. The point to be made is that Tongyeong is one of the few races that, despite seldom seeing great changes to the course, the racing tends to veer between outcomes from one year to the next.

In 2021 and 2022, a large pack formed in the men’s event, resulting in a running race. By contrast, in 2023 a smaller pack stayed away in the sprint distance event. In 2013 and 2014, breakaways were also present, with the 2014 breakaway determining the medallists entirely. In 2015, however, another running race arose from a large main pack. The different men’s race dynamics can also be seen by whether the fastest runner wins the race. In 2013, 2015, 2021 and 2022, the fastest runner won the race. The breakaway stayed clear until T2 in only one of those instances (2013). On the other hand, the fastest runner did not win in 2014 or 2023, reinforcing how the breakaways have equally paid off.

With the above in mind, the top contenders racing this weekend fall into two distinct groups.

Hoping the field stays together

An impressive Spanish quartet will be starting in Tongyeong. Fresh off claiming the World U23 title, David Cantero del Campo will be the most obvious threat for the win should the field stay together. As he proved in Torremolinos and with his victory at the Valencia World Cup, if Cantero is anywhere near the front out of T2, there are few that can keep up with him.

His compatriots Roberto Sanchez Mantecon, a WTCS medallist in Bermuda two years ago, and Esteban Basanta Fouz likewise have plenty of running speed to burn. Intriguingly, they will also be joined by Izan Edo Aguilar, a rising talent making his World Cup debut. Edo claimed a hat-trick of European Junior Cup victories earlier this year and while making his World Cup debut will be a step up it will be interesting to see how he will fare.

Other fast runners such as Louis Vitiello (FRA) and Aurelien Jem (FRA) will be present but on paper Cantero will be the man to beat in a running race.

Pushing for a breakaway

On the other side of the spectrum, there are those that will attempt to force a breakaway to stay clear. With two hills on each of the six bike laps, there will be scope for a group to stay away. At the same time, the record of Tongyeong shows there is no guarantee that a pack of escapees will be able to defend a lead.

Dylan McCullough (NZL) was part of the breakaway last year as he finished 4th place. Shortly after, he earned a maiden World Cup medal. The Oceania champion over the sprint distance is currently in form too, as shown by his 8th place finish at WTCS Weihai. Valentin Morlec (FRA) is another World Cup medallist that will look to push the pace in the water and on the bike. Morlec has been extremely consistent on the World Cup stage this year, with multiple top-8 finishes. Like McCullough, he is a quick runner but would likely favour a smaller front pack. 

Other athletes with plenty of swimming speed could also play a hand in breaking the race up early. Keep an eye on the likes of Nicola Azzano (ITA), the European champion over the super sprint format; Brandon Copeland (AUS), the bronze medallist at the Oceania Championships over the standard distance; and Takumi Hojo (JPN), a World Cup winner in Yeongdo last year. As adept as each is in the third discipline, they may possibly prefer not to go head-to-head with Cantero.

The men’s race at the Tongyeong World Cup could therefore go either way this weekend and the history of Tongyeong makes it almost impossible to know how proceedings might pan out. Stay up to date with all the action from Saturday’s racing across all World Triathlon channels and on TriathlonLive.

A staple of the Asian triathlon scene, the Tongyeong World Cup is back for yet another edition. This year will be the seventeenth time Tongyeong has welcomed athletes to the event and it has drawn a field brimming with potential winners. As was the case in 2022, the race will be contested over the standard distance. Two laps in the sea covering 1500m will start things off. Next up will be a 40km bike course made up of six laps, and with climbs containing 13% and 15% gradients the bike will be a real test of late-season resolve. The race then concludes with a four-lap 10km run around the harbour.

The women’s race will get underway at 08:00 local time (01:00 CEST) this Saturday and you can watch every minute live on TriathlonLive.

Autumn form

Among the women starting are a group of athletes that have already made it onto World Cup podiums within the past two months. Alissa Konig (SUI) goes again after claiming a stunning silver medal in Rome, renewing her battle with Jolien Vermeylen (BEL) who came away with the bronze medal in the Italian capital. Whereas Rome represented Konig’s maiden World Cup medal, Vermeylen has made it onto multiple World Cup podiums over the past few years. Having come close on to gold repeatedly, she will arrive in search of a first win at this level.

Gina Sereno (USA) is another to have recently excelled on the World Cup circuit. She took the bronze medal in Karlovy Vary in early September. Notably, Sereno’s medal came over the standard distance, unlike the Rome World Cup, which is a promising indicator. Furthermore, she then finished 8th at WTCS Weihai, which stands by far as her best ever WTCS performance. Sereno is therefore clearly in form and will be tough to beat.

On the way back

Two of Sereno’s American teammates are currently working their way back to their top form after injury absences. Tamara Gorman (USA), the former World U23 and World Junior champion, returned to the World Cup level earlier this season after missing all of the 2023 season. Gorman has won multiple World Cup medals hitherto and should she recapture that form she will be a tough opponent. Likewise, multiple WTCS medallist Summer Rappaport (USA) cannot be counted out. After an injury-hit winter, she has been working her way back to her best this year. Still, she was a WTCS medallist only last summer and won in Tongyeong back in 2016 and 2017.

Meanwhile, Sandra Dodet (FRA) will also look to make her mark. The World Cup gold medallist is also building back after an injury-hit 2023 but the signs are promising. After all, she recently became the European champion over the super sprint format. Having won World Cup golds in Vina del Mar and Arzachena in 2022, she certainly has the credentials to win this weekend.

Not to be ignored

Sian Rainsley (GBR) won the Hong Kong World Cup at the start of the year while Ainsley Thorpe (NZL) is another World Cup medallist to enter the fray. In addition, Tereza Zimovjanova (CZE) will look to repeat her huge performance that gave the bronze medal in Tongyeong last year. Finally, one younger athlete to watch out for might just be Manami Hayashi (JPN). The youngster is on a run of four straight wins at Asia Cup events and her form in the region should not be overlooked.

What the history says

In recent times, standard distance events have been a little on the rarer side in Tongyeong. Other than 2022, we would have to look back to 2015 and earlier for any direct points of comparison. Nevertheless, there is still a very obvious pattern that can be seen from recent events.

Since 2013, nine of the ten women’s races have been won by the fastest runner. While there has been some variety in how the race played out before the run, the quickest runner has essentially always come out on top. Last year, Gwen Jorgensen won in a running race while the same was largely true of Audrey Merle’s victory in 2022. In 2021, exp:tag_this}Beth Potter{/exp:tag_this} finished in 1st place so you would be forgiven for thinking she won in a running race. In actuality, she was part of a two-woman breakaway with Kate Waugh. The duo gained over 20 seconds in the water and led by over a minute into T2. From there, Potter had the fastest run; as such the pattern of a top run split coming in handy still held true.

If we look back to the last cluster of standard distance events, a similar story can be seen. Emma Jackson won in 2013 from a breakaway in an admittedly quite small field. She still logged the fastest run by almost a minute. Jackson won again in 2014 as the field came together on the bike. The only time the fastest runner did not win was when Yuka Sato triumphed in 2015. As a result, while there may be potential for a breakaway in Tongyeong, it has fundamentally been a runner’s race to win, a point many of this weekend’s top contenders may keep in mind.

Track all the action in Tongyeong across all World Triathlon channels and catch the racing live this Saturday on TriathlonLive.

World Triathlon is disappointed to learn that Triathlon will not be included in the sport programme for the 2026 Commonwealth Games that will take place in Glasgow. The Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) has communicated to World Triathlon that the decision not to include triathlon in the 2026 sports programme does not impact or set a precedent on the sport’s position in future Games and there will be the opportunity for sports to return for future editions.

According to the CGF, the 2026 concept has been developed on a core offering of 10 sports, and they have been working hard to balance flexibility for the host city, with an approach that supports athletes and sports over the long term and excites fans.

They understand that any reduction in the sports programme for the 2026 Games will be disappointing for some sports. World Triathlon will continue to work in close cooperation with the Commonwealth Games Federation and the local organising committees to return to the programme in future editions.

World Triathlon strongly believes that triathlon is the best sport to showcase cities and venues, as has happened before at Olympics and Commonwealth Games.

Triathlon has been part of the programme of the Commonwealth Games since 2002, and has been held in each edition since, except in Delhi 2010, due to the lack of suitable venue for swimming.

On Monday afternoon in Torremolinos, Spain, Antonio Fernandez Arimany was elected by members to become the third President of World Triathlon at the 37th Congress of the sport’s world governing body. Mr Arimany succeeds Marisol Casado, who steps down after 16 years.

Following four days of incredible Championship Finals racing, the Congress saw elections held to the Executive Board and all nine Committees and Commissions and the Tribunal.

Gabriela Gallegos (USA), Shin Otsuka (JPN), Antonio Alvarez (MEX) and Debbie Alexander (RSA) were elected Vice Presidents.

Elected to the remaining four ordinary Board positions were Leslie Buchanan (CAN), Bernard Saint-Jean (FRA), Caterina Vacchi (ITA) and Marco Antonio La Porta (BRA).

Promising a new era for the sport of triathlon, Mr. Arimany said; “I am truly honoured to accept this responsibility and to lead our beloved sport into a new era. This is an exciting time for triathlon, and I am ready to embrace the challenges ahead. Together, we will work to elevate triathlon to the next level, ensuring that our athletes, coaches, and communities have the support they need to thrive.”

Emphasising the importance of following on from Marisol Casado, Mr. Arimany thanked the full support of “the Spanish National Federation and every National Federation that has voted for our project, but this is not only for them. Our project is open for everyone, and I would love for everyone to feel part of it.”

“I promise to make the changes needed to make this organisation even greater. It is essential that we work together with National Federations, Continental Confederations, and all members of the triathlon community. By fostering strong partnerships, we can continue the great governance of our organisation and establish new horizons for the sport. Together, we will create an environment where everyone can succeed and where the spirit of triathlon flourishes.”

The Congress members were presented with the event schedule for 2025, including the Championship Finals in Wollongong, Australia, and Multisport World Championships in Pontevedra, Spain, as well as the new year’s Championship Series, World Cup, Winter World Championships, Para Triathlon and eSport events.

The following were elected to World Triathlon Committees and Commissions:

Audit, Risk and Integrity Committee
Beth Friberg (SWE), Victoria Brumfield (USA), Jamie Gordon (GBR), Marc D’Hooge (LUX), Mounir Benyarmak (MAR)

Credentials Committee
Alicia Garcia Perez (ESP), Winston To (CAN), Eligio Cervantes (MEX), Reita Kanagarajah (MAS), Liangjie Li (CHN), Mohammad Hojaji (IRI), George Selman (LBN)

Legal and Constitution Committee
Johan Druwe (BEL), Shawn Rempel (CAN), Jan Sterk (RSA), Suzanne Tang (MAS), Sylvia Borunda Firth (USA), Tamimount Karim (ALG)

Medical and Anti-Doping Committee
Marie-Claude Gregoire (CAN), Humberto Aguilar (MEX), Luis Coira Nieto (ESP), Sergio Migliorini (ITA), Dana Shubat (SYR), Maria Jose Fraile Villarrasa (URU), Abdelrahman Yasser Hosny (EGY)

Multisport Committee
Tomoko Wada (JPN), Olivier Henz (BEL), Stephen Bourdeau (CAN), Jianqiu Qin (CHN), Mohamed Sayed (EGY), Melody Tan (MAS), Debbie Clarke (GBR)

National Coaches Committee
Kate Murray (RSA), Stephen Sheldrake (NZL), Hideki Yamane (JPN), Adele De La Rey (NAM), Claudia Beristain (MEX), Rodrigo Milazzo (BRA), Matteo Torre (ITA)

Para Triathlon Committee
Beryl Campbell (RSA), Yannick Borseaux (FRA), Masamitsu Tomikawa (JPN), Grant Darby (CAN), Nadia Ali (EGY), Christine Palmquist (USA), Samuel Garcia Fraile (ESP)

Technical Committee
Jorge Garcia (ESP), Kiriyo Suzuki (JPN), Janice Ryan (CAN), Jamie Cadaval (MEX), Bela Varga (HUN), Azouz Assia (ALG), Ahmed Saad Allah (EGY)

Women’s Committee
Duncan Hough (GBR), Yelena Kun (UZB), Zhang Chen (CHN), Saliha Yuksel Tama (TUR), Graciela Jurado (BOL)

Tribunal
Monique Houten (BEL), Barry Lipp (AUS), Angelo Rigopoulos (ITA), Julia Wilkes (CAN)

The Mediterranean Triathlon Association and Association des Pays Francophone de Triathlon were approved as new Associate Members.

After the electrifying performances seen during this Olympic and Paralympic year and throughout 2024, get your agendas ready and save some dates! With a commitment to sustainability and an ambitious racing schedule, World Triathlon has announced the 2025 season calendar, which is set to engage athletes and fans alike around the globe.

The World Triathlon Championship Series season will commence slightly earlier than usual, with the WTCS Abu Dhabi opening event taking place on 14-15 February. This vibrant city has a rich history of hosting top-tier World Triathlon events, and this year it will also host a World Triathlon Mixed Relay Series on the same weekend, setting the tone for what promises to be an unforgettable year.

The WTCS, the pinnacle of short-course racing, will continue to showcase the world’s elite athletes competing in the sport’s most iconic locations. Following Abu Dhabi, the Series will continue with another classic stop on the calendar, WTCS Yokohama, on 17 May, a race that will be followed by a new addition to the Series, in Sardinia, Italy, at the end of May, with the new location to be announced shortly.

Another classic event in the calendar, Hamburg, will host once again a leg of the WTCS season as well as the Mixed Relay World Championships in July, while Karlovy Vary, in the Czech Republic, is stepping up from a World Cup favourite to a future WTCS classic. It is a Series-hosting debut that will delight athletes and spectators alike, with a challenging course in a beautiful setting in September.

The Championship Finals return to Australia in 2025 for the first time since the magnificent display of Gold Coast in 2018, with Wollongong ready to crown the next World Champions in October.

World Triathlon Cups
The World Triathlon Cup circuit will continue to provide a perfect racing scenario for emerging talents and seasoned athletes to compete in a variety of locations in Europe, South America, Asia and Oceania.

Para Triathlon Events
Inclusivity is a cornerstone of the World Triathlon ethos, and the 2025 calendar will deliver another robust and extensive calendar of Para Triathlon Series and Cups, fostering opportunities for Para triathletes of all classes to showcase their talents on the world stage.

Multisport World Championships
The Multisport calendar will include competitions in different regions, with the Winter Triathlon and Duathlon World Championships returning to Pragelato, Italy, and the Multisport World Championships to be held in Pontevedra, Spain. Alsdorf, in Germany, will host the Middle Distance Long Distance Duathlon Championships, while Zofingen weill organise once again the 2025 Long Distance Duathlon Championships.

A Sustainable Vision
World Triathlon is committed to making the events and the season calendar as sustainable as possible. This commitment not only reflects the organisation’s values but also enhances the overall experience for athletes and fans alike, ensuring that the events leave a positive impact on our host communities.

Reflecting on the upcoming season, World Triathlon President and IOC Member Marisol Casado said: “I want to express our gratitude to every single city and LOC that has stepped forward to host a World Triathlon event in 2025, from the smaller ones to the Championship Finals. We know the effort that hosting an event takes for these great cities, the LOCs and National Federations, but we will continue to work to put together season calendars that are sustainable, while offering magnificent scenarios for athletes to showcase their talents on a global stage.”

The 2025 World Triathlon season promises to be a remarkable journey, showcasing the pinnacle of triathlon through the WTCS, culminating in the World Championship Finals in Australia. Following a thrilling Olympic year, the stage is set for athletes to shine in a packed and sustainable calendar of events. Whether you’re a competitor or a fan, the excitement of the upcoming season is undeniable. Prepare to witness great performances as the world comes together once more for triathlon in 2025!

2025 CALENDAR

WTCS
February 14-15 Abu Dhabi (UAE)
May 17       Yokohama (JPN)
May 31       TBC (ITA)
July 12-13 Hamburg (GER)
September 14 Karlovy Vary (CZE)
September TBC (China)
October 15-19 Wollongong (AUS) – Championship Finals
(One more event potentially to be added)

Mixed Relay Series
February 14-15 Abu Dhabi (UAE)
July 12-13 Hamburg (GER) - World Championships

World Triathlon Cups
February 22-23 Napier (NZL)
April 12-13 Vina del Mar (CHI)
April 19-20 Brasilia (BRA)
May 24-25 Samarkand (UZB)
June 21-22 Huatulco (MEX)
July 5-6       Tiszaujvaros (HUN)
September 20-21 Valencia (ESP)
October 4-5 Rome (ITA)
November 1-2 Tongyeong (KOR)
November 8-9 Miyazaki (JPN)
(Two more locations to be potentially added - 1 in Africa and 1 in Asia)

Para Triathlon
February 14-15 Abu Dhabi (UAE) Para Triathlon Cup
March 14-15 Devonport (AUS) Para Triathlon Championship Series
May 17       Yokohama (JPN) Para Triathlon Championship Series
May 24-25 Samarkand (UZB) Para Triathlon Cup
June 7-8       Taranto (ITA) Para Triathlon Championship Series
July 12-13 Magog (CAN) Para Triathlon Cup
July 19-20 Montreal (CAN) Para Triathlon Championship Series
TBC       Tata (HUN) Para Triathlon Cup
TBC       Alhandra (POR) Para Triathlon Cup
October 15-19 Wollongong (AUS) World Championships

Multisport
February Pragelato (ITA) - Winter Triathlon and Duathlon World Championships
April 26-27 Alsdorf (GER) - Middle Distance Duathlon Championships (Powerman)
June 21 - 29 Pontevedra (ESP) - Multisport World Championships
September 7 Zofingen (SUI) - Long Distance Duathlon Championships (Powerman)

T100 Triathlon World Tour
April 12-13 T100 Singapore
31 May-1 June T100 San Francisco
2-3 August T100 London
27-28 September T100 Ibizaa
25-26 October T100 Las Vegas
November T100 Dubai

Date TBC T100 French Riviera

Not to be melodramatic, but the WTCS Finals in Torremolinos were rather good. After a season of fantastic racing across five previous Series stops, as well as the electrifying Paris Olympic Games, the best triathletes in the world came together to deliver the captivating finale the 2024 WTCS deserved. Both the women’s and men’s races had their fair share of moments in which heads were scratched, eyebrows were raised and jaws were dropped. And that is not to mention the excitement also seen across the U23, Junior, Para and relay events. In this article, we will take a look at five of the many talking points to emerge from the WTCS Final, plus a small bonus point that has to be addressed.

The trend lives on

Ever since Henri Schoeman (RSA) charged past a stumbling Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) to win the 2016 WTCS Final in Cozumel, a trend has held that the winner of the men’s Series Final has claimed the gold medal having not won a WTCS race in the same season. Kristian Blummenfelt’s 2021 triumph in Edmonton is the only instance since 2016 in which a man has won the Final after winning another WTCS race that year.

Heading into Torremolinos, the smart money was on the trend being broken by Blummenfelt’s successor as Olympic champion. After all, Alex Yee (GBR) had not lost a world level race all year and arrived on the back of a superlative victory at WTCS Weihai. The trend, however, is not so easily dismissed.

In the biggest win of his career so far, Hayden Wilde (NZL) powered to a sensational gold medal. He produced a near-perfect race with his success largely built upon his work as part of the five-man breakaway. Having not won a WTCS race since July 2023, Wilde thus upheld the male WTCS Final pattern. Moreover, he made another piece of Finals history. His winning margin of 62 seconds stands as the largest ever at a men’s WTCS Final; the previous best stood at 20 seconds. Wilde’s win, then, was significant in more ways than one.

The unbreakable streaks

If the modern history of the men’s WTCS Finals has been a story of rotating winners, the women’s Series is in a different place. By claiming gold and silver, respectively, in Torremolinos, Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) and Beth Potter (GBR) cemented their iron-grip on the podium.

Potter has earned five medals from five world level races in 2024. For her part, Beaugrand finishes the year with four wins from four. As a result, they have extended their WTCS medal streaks that date back to Cagliari 2023 when Beaugrand finished 4th and Potter placed 6th. Since then, Potter has accrued 8 WTCS medals (of which 3 were gold) and Beaugrand has taken 7 medals (of which 5 have been gold). Note, these numbers do not include the Olympic Games.

Looking back at the history of the women’s WTCS, Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR), Flora Duffy (BER) and Emma Moffatt (AUS) share second longest medal streaks with 8 apiece. Right now, Beaugrand sits in tied 3rd place with Katie Zaferes (USA). While the pair still have a way to go to catch Gwen Jorgensen’s record of 18 straight medals, their ongoing streaks highlight how they have dominated the Series lately. When we factor in that no one else has ever won more than 4 medals in a row, Beaugrand and Potter can consider themselves in rarefied company indeed.

We need to talk about Hugo

When Hugo Milner (GBR) arrived in T2 at the WTCS Final, it was understandable that he did not command a lot of attention. Being almost 3 minutes behind Wilde’s lead pack and over a minute behind the chase group, Milner was barely in the race. Then he did something ridiculous.

Over the course of the 10km run, he climbed all the way up to 10th place, logging the best WTCS finish of his nascent career. The story, though, is his split. He clocked 28:47 in the third discipline, a full 30 seconds faster than Alex Yee. Let that wash over you for a second. On the same course, against the best runner in the sport who had to throw everything he had at the race to protect his world title hopes after being put on the back foot by the breakaway, Milner was a full half minute faster. Wilde was a further 12 seconds slower albeit having taken the time to luxuriate in his hard-earned victory. Milner’s speed is no surprise. He has clocked remarkable times at multiple races this season and his performances befit an athlete with international experience in cross country. Nevertheless, he found a new level yesterday as he ripped the fastest ever run at a WTCS Final.

We therefore have to talk about Hugo. This time last year, he claimed a maiden World Cup win in Miyazaki. Unsurprisingly, that gold medal came off the back of a tremendous run split. At the time, the question to be asked was whether Milner would be able to translate his speed to the WTCS. Looking ahead to 2025, the question arguably concerns how many races it will take for him to land on the podium.

To break down his Torremolinos performance further, he exited the water only 1 second behind Yee. Milner then lost 9 seconds in T1 and missed the initial lead pack on the bike. Notably, early power on the bike was also a problem for him back at WTCS Cagliari. In the big picture, though, he only has a small problem to correct as his swim is essentially good enough to make the podium while it is fair to say his run is also up to scratch. Thus, when the 2025 WTCS gets underway, Hugo Milner might soon become the name on everyone’s lips.

The glorious farewells

A different 2025 awaits two legends of the sport. WTCS Torremolinos marked the final appearances of former world champions Vicky Holland (GBR) and Vincent Luis (FRA), and they certainly signed off in style. Having won the European title a month earlier, Holland produced a vintage display to seal 4th place in Torremolinos. The 2016 Olympic bronze medallist made the lead group out of the water and consolidated her position on the bike. She had a slightly iffy T2 by her own admission but then reeled in her rivals on the run to rise through the field.

Meanwhile, Luis rolled back the years as he worked tirelessly as part of the five-man breakaway in the men’s race. His efforts lifted him to 8th place on the day and 7th overall in the Series standings, successfully capping his comeback season after an injury-hit 2023. Ever the team player, his work on the bike also helped Leo Bergere (FRA) to the silver medal in Torremolinos.

Holland made her first WTCS start in Sydney back in 2010 while Luis’ Series debut came in Kitzbuehel a year later. In the time since, the pair have grown into two of the defining faces of the sport and, having driven triathlon’s growth through their battles with their contemporaries, they leave the WTCS in a far stronger place than that in which they found it.

Double duty

Over the years, the Norwegian team has developed a reputation for toughness, in both training and racing, that few can match. The latest manifestation of this was to be found at the WTCS Final as Sebastian Wernersen took on a brutal double. On Thursday, he raced at the World U23 Championships, claiming 13th place. A mere 72 hours later, he was back for more at the WTCS Final. In a nice piece of numerical symmetry, he finished 31st.

Perhaps the chance to race on the course in the U23 race gave Wernersen valuable insights ahead of the Final. Impressively, he did not shirk from getting stuck into the Final. Wernersen’s Norwegian tri-suit was a frequent sight at the front of the chase group as he tried to use his strength on the bike to bring back the breakaway. 

Elsewhere, Emma Lombardi (FRA) was another to take on a surprising double. Having finished 3rd in the WTCS Final on the Saturday evening, she was up bright and early to race in the World Mixed U23-Junior Relay Championships on the Sunday morning. There was no thought to resting as she anchored Team France to another gold medal and hopefully now she has had the chance to celebrate her success.

Bonus talking point: the world champions

We could not really go through all of this without giving Cassandre Beaugrand and Alex Yee their dues. Both survived scares at the WTCS Final, with Beaugrand veering wildly off course in the swim and having to rise from last place and Yee facing the Wilde-led breakaway. Both found the solutions they needed to secure their world titles.

Furthermore, both have been worthy champions after phenomenal seasons. If we are to be pedantic, Yee’s bronze medal in Torremolinos denied him a perfect season. Similarly, Beaugrand did manage the perfect year in terms of wins, although her Hamburg win was only worth 750 points as a sprint distance event and so she did not log a perfect year in terms of points. However, the fact that perfection is even a realistic target for the pair is a signifier of how impressive they have been. Indeed, they were the only athletes to win multiple WTCS races this season and were truly thrilling to watch. Although they will have plenty of strong opponents to confront in 2025, it will be a brave call to bet against them as their era might only be getting started.

The 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Championships Awards Ceremony marked the official closing of a thrilling event, with thousands of athletes celebrating the success of their podium finishers, in Playa de los Alamos. Over the course of the World Championships weekend, 5,500 athletes from 70 nations competed in Torremolinos, Spain, delivering outstanding performances and creating unforgettable memories. The Closing Ceremony included the traditional handover, as Torremolinos passed the flag to the City of Wollongong, Australia, the host for the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Finals and World Triathlon Age-Group Championships.

World Triathlon President Marisol Casado congratulated all the Age-Group medallists for their remarkable achievements and took a moment to express her appreciation.
“I want to congratulate every athlete who competed this weekend, you have made your nations proud and represented the very best of our sport. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the city of Torremolinos for their incredible hospitality and dedication in hosting the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Finals. It has been a truly unforgettable event.”

On 17 October, it was the Sprint Distance World Championships that began the Age Group racing. The tragic passing of two athletes during the competition was marked with a minute of applause during the medal ceremony that evening, with Marisol Casado adding; “Our thoughts go to the family and friends of the World Triathletes who we lost on Thursday, and I would like to send them the love of the entire World Triathlon community.”

During the ceremony, Marisol flew the World Triathlon flag and handed over the Championship Finals role to Wollongong, with Kerry Hunt, Director of Community Services at Wollongong City Council in attendance to receive the flag. The Mayor of Torremolinos, Margarita Del Cid, expressed her gratitude to the World Triathlon community for bringing the world’s best athletes to race in her city, highlighting the success and excitement the event brought to Torremolinos.

Alex Yee came in to challenge for the world title at a fourth successive Championship Finals on Sunday, knowing that a top-six finish would be enough to secure him the world title, but that since 2021 he has not quite been able to see out his opportunities. In Torremolinos on Sunday, it was Yee’s time at last, the Olympic Champion rallying after title rivals Hayden Wilde and Leo Bergere had blown the race wide open on the bike.

Yee was not to be outdone on the run, however, and was soon picking his way towards the safety of the top three, none of the rest of the chase pack getting anywhere close enough to influence the title race.

Up ahead, Hayden Wilde had put together the best race of his career so far, the Olympic silver medallist soaring over the 10km run off a blistering bike to take the tape by a minute from Bergere. Second for the Frenchman saw him hold on to the Series silver, bronze likewise seeing Wilde finish the season with Series bronze.

“We always put on a show for the Grand Final, and fair play to the guys who made it a hell of a show,” said a thrilled Yee. “I was proud to be part of that. Getting out of T1 I wasn’t in the best position or the best legs to get out. These boys are the strongest in the game and if they go you’re in danger, and I just had to play to my strengths and bike as hard as I could and run as hard as I could. This has evaded me for the last three years and makes it even sweeter. It is probably something that has haunted me day in day out and I wanted to put on a show and a smile on peoples’ faces and I’m World Champion. There’s always going to be pressure in these races… but pressure makes diamonds.”

Hauser sets early pace

Yee took up position on the right side of the beach start with Bergere and Wilde for close company, Matthew Hauser and Vincent Luis opting for the far left, and it was Hauser setting the early pace on up front.

At the Aussie exit after the first 750m it was Hauser, Kenji Nener, Mark Devay, Vetle Bergsvik Thorn and Dorian Coninx, Miguel Tiago Silva and Max Stapley out front, Bergere 7 seconds back, Wilde 14s and Yee 17s off the front.

The pack bunched up somewhat on the way back to the beach for the second time, Wilde maintained his position, Yee’s deficit went out to 22 seconds.

Power move from Bergere

A fluid T1 saw Hauser and Silva out first, but after some serious power and commitment from Bergere and with Wilde on his wheel, suddenly five men had hauled away early on lap one, Vincent Luis, Tayler Reid and Simon Westermann making it five strong men on the bikes fancying their chances of maintaining the break. As the unfortunate Hauser crashed out, the chasers grew further adrift.

Yee was at the front of the chasers working to keep the gap under 15 seconds after one lap and knowing that if he let them go, his title chances could go with them, the likes of Vasco Vilaca, Tim Hellwig and Morgan Pearson also pulling some turns out front.

After chasers slip further back, Yee delivers

At the end of lap two, the lead was out to 25 seconds, growing to over a minute by the end of lap five. The gap kept going out and threatened to hit two minutes as the front five burst into transition for the second time.

Hayden was fluid in T2, out and away just ahead of Bergere, and it was another 100 seconds until Vasco Vilaca led the chasers into transition.

Yee also blew out of the gates, eager to hammer home that top 6 position that he knew the title required, Wilde’s pace out front just as hot, the gap to the front never shrinking.It was, however, nearly a minute less to Luis, Reid and Westermann after just one lap, and he reeled that trio in after 6km.

At that point, the best three triathletes in the world settled in to their medal positions and Yee knew the world title was his even as in the world settled into their podium placed for the final 2.5km lap.

Wilde entered the finish chute with a minute of daylight to Bergere and soaked up the probably the most complete race of his already glittering career, Bergere taking the silver and Yee bronze. Dorian Coninx and Pierre Le Corre moved into fourth and fifth, Csongor Lehmann in sixth and Tayler Reid seventh. Vincent Luis and Tyler Mislawchuk held on for eighth and ninth as a flying Hugo Milner clocked the quickest run of the day of a ridiculous 28m 47s, a fully 30 seconds faster than Yee to round out the top ten.

HAYDEN WILDE:
“I came out of the swim in a good position and had a plan to sit on the fourth wheel then Leo went out like a bat out of hell and I saw a gap and just thought, ‘why not?’, and we just worked so well together. I had the same sort of plan as the Olympic Games really, two laps hard, one lap easy then go and had a really nice gap. It’s a bit disappointing not to win the World Championships but to win the Grand Final is something special.”

“It’s a bit of redemption for Paris, but more so for Weihai, that course was perfect for me. Today I turned up with my bike legs back on and executed all three disciplines really well. I knew there was a little gap on the bike and I just put my head down and it was nice to go with Vince in his last race.”

LEO BERGERE:
“I was surprised the gap got so big so early on the bike. We continued to push with the guys and made the race exciting and I had a lot of fun… but my legs were hurting so much on the run. I knew I had to secure silver to be second in the world and took it at my own tempo. I’m enjoying 2024 and the season has been the most exciting for me of my career and what a pleasure to share the breakaway with Vincent in his last race.”

Full results available here

Belgian wildcard Jelle Geens claimed his first T100 win at his very first attempt in Lake Las Vegas during a dramatic duel in the desert with compatriot and close friend Marten Van Riel, winning by just 38 seconds.

Geens’ debut win came courtesy of a blistering run leg, where he averaged 3:13 minutes per km on a brutal run course around the stunning Reflection Bay Golf Course, which had 500 meters in elevation of savage inclines and steep descents.

Speaking after crossing the line, Geens, who also broke Van Riel’s unbeaten 6-race winning streak in middle distance triathlons dating back to November 2019, said:

“It sounds crazy, but a month ago I wasn’t sure if I could even start here, so now to win here, it’s a great honour – and it was a hard and tough battle with Marten. We said for years when we were still doing short course it would be cool to be on the podium together and it never happened in short course, but it’s happened now in our first battle over middle distance.”

“To be honest I felt really good on the run,” the 31-year-old continued.  “Even when Marten came back I felt in control and felt I was going to go for it on the last lap. I kept trying to put pressure on the uphill because that’s where I’m strongest and I tried to get every lap better at the downhill but it really wasn’t easy for me. My knees are really hurting now. But I felt confident. I was still running a bit on fear during the downhill sections. But once I had a gap on the downhills, I started believing it.”

“It was very tough from the start to the end actually,” said Van Riel, also 31 and who has been racing Geens since they were teenagers in Belgum. “The course is brutal…but I was actually suffering on the bike already. I saw Jelle was yo-yoing with the group and then it was the same on the run. He’s lighter than me so on the uphills he had the advantage but on the downhills I tried to use the gravity to pull him back. But in the end I cracked, I didn’t have it. So I’m very happy it’s Jelle that takes away the [winning] streak.”

However, the second place still puts Van Riel in pole position at the top of the T100 standings to win the first T100 men’s World Championship crown in Dubai next month. Where a first, second or third place result will secure him the inaugural series title.

“That’s obviously very important. I was quite scared on the bike because I felt like midway on the bike my watts were very high and I was starting to suffer a little bit and I was thinking, oh, it’s better to finish high than completely burn myself and completely fade. It was definitely playing a little bit in my head. But I’m in a very good position going into Dubai so that’s obviously a nice cushion.”

Asked whether he would follow through on his pre-race promise to put his winnings – which are $16,000 USD for finishing second – on red in a casino later tonight, Geens was quick to answer for him:

“I’m keeping him to it. We’ve figured out how to get enough money out of everyone’s credit card, so it’s happening.”

Third was German Justus Nieschlag, also on his T100 debut.

How the Race Unfolded

South African flier Henry Schoeman led home the swim in Lake Las Vegas in warmer conditions than the women, with the water temperature up from 20.7 to 22.9 degrees Celsius and the air temperature up from a cooler 16.4 when the women started, to 21.1 degrees Celsius. In the front pack with him were Australian Aaron Royle, Marten Van Riel, Britain’s Alistair Brownlee, Justus Nieschlag and American Marc Dubrick; all 21 seconds ahead of Australia’s Josh Amberger and Max Neumann, Jelle Geens, France’s Mathis Margirier and Americans Matthew Mcelroy, Justin Riele and Jason West. Plus German Max Sperl. Flat last was American Sam Long, 5:40 back from the leaders.

After a slow transition, where he took extra time to put his socks on, it looked like Marten Van Riel had lost the first group, but he immediately powered back to second spot. To then set the early pace at the front with double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee.

Then the drafting penalties – which had started this morning with three in the women’s race – continued, with Alistair Brownlee collecting his second one minute drafting penalty in two races. Clearly frustrated, he rode back with vengeance to re-establish himself, settling in the third group just over two minutes back from Van Riel and Margirier. But it looked like it had lit a match too far as he later DNF-ed on the run.  Then it was Pieter Heemeryck’s turn to collect a 30-second penalty for not putting his goggles and hat in the swim box. Before Max Neumann also got a one minute drafting penalty.

Jason West was probably the surprise package on the bike leg. Having been nursing an injury since London which has meant more bike training, it seemed to be suiting him as he tucked in behind Brownlee in the third group.

On the fourth lap Van Riel made his move from second place, upping his heart rate percentage to 90% and powering past Mathis Margirier to set the pace. Meanwhile, starting from the very back after the swim, American Sam Long started to move through the field on the penultimate bike lap.

Marten Van Riel was quickly out of T2 to get away from Margirier and Geens. But it wasn’t long before Geens was up to and past him. His legs bouncing and stride popping. Especially uphill.

Geens and Van Riel played cat and mouse on the run. With Van Riel determinedly holding on up the climbs and then squeezing the gap down on the descents. But the efforts to catch back up took their toll and the heart rate percentages told the story, with Geens averaging high 70 percents to Van Riel who was consistently pushing over 90% and reaching 99% as he gave one final effort on the last lap to bridge the gap.

Explore all the twists and turns of the race on the T100 Triathlon Live Data Dashboard as well as the final positions at t100triathlon.com/live/ It’s packed with lots of useful statistics and extra information on the races. Including the addition of athletes’ gearing setups and a ‘Race Facts’ tabs showing all the pivotal moments in the race, such as lead changes, fastest discipline times, penalty information and more.

Fans can also stay abreast of how the action will affect the T100 Standings as the race unfolds via the ‘Virtual Standings’ tab. All this is on top of the live leaderboard, which shows key data such as splits to leader, groups, speeds, positions gained and Heart Rate effort.

The seventh and final race of this first T100 season will be the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final on 16-17 November where inaugural T100 World Champions will be crowned.

American superstar Taylor Knibb won the Lake Las Vegas T100 Triathlon to live up to her pre-race billing as an overwhelming favourite and complete the first-ever hattrick of T100 race wins – following her successes in San Francisco and Ibiza earlier this season – and surge to the top of the T100 standings.

She now needs to finish first or second in next month’s Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final (16-17 November) to become the inaugural T100 women’s World Champion.

Asked about her levels of confidence after the win, Knibb said:

“Oh, I’m not sure. But I’ll spin the answer and say that all three of us on the podium today could have raced somewhere else. But we choose to race here. At this point in the season I’m just trying to enjoy myself and enjoy the process, enjoy the journey and this is what I’m choosing to do.”

And the opportunity to win a first-ever T100 World Championship crown? “It’s just one step at a time. I’m just grateful for today and to have another race.”

Breaking down her performance, she said: “I would kill to have that swim start every single time. I have a team of people here. My swim specialist and my movement specialist and they are each taking credit for that start. So they both have to come to every race now. On the bike I loved how broken up it was.”

Then, turning to ask second-placed Julie Derron what the run course was like, the Swiss star loudly agreed with Knibb, saying: ‘I’ll agree with you, it was savage.”

Knibb had earlier described the challenging Lake Las Vegas run course, which had steep inclines and declines and the belied the beautiful golf club setting as ‘savage’. It has both positive and negative connotations she said. “I have respect for savage. Good luck to the men!”

Third placed Flora Duffy from Bermuda was pleased to make her first T100 podium having talked all week about it being important for her to be battling at the front of the race.

“I’m really, really happy to be on the podium,” she said. “It was a super hard day out there. It was really tough. Taylor took off like a bullet in that swim. I thought ‘gosh’ I’m back in a short course race. But then I gathered myself and found some good feet to sit on. The bike is the biggest area I need to improve. Getting stronger and more comfortable on the TT bike and this course is certainly better for me today [than Ibiza].”

“I frustratingly got a penalty. I think I need to control my technical abilities. Go through the corners a little slower I suppose. I guess it’s just one of those things. You go into the corners fast. You come out of it and you’re in the red and try to back off and the ref thinks you’re doing something that you shouldn’t be doing. So it’s a learning experience.”

Fourth placed Brit Lucy Byram recorded her best T100 finish.

“I’m really happy finishing fourth,” said Byram. “Which is my best result of the season so far. I unfortunately got a penalty. I think it was up the hill for me. Paula [Findlay] came round and I didn’t drop back quick enough, even though we were going up an 8% hill. But, yeah, I just need to learn to drop back quicker I guess.”

How the Race Unfolded

Taylor Knibb had led out the swim on a serene Lake Las Vegas, that was significantly calmer than it had been during the week. The weather was also significantly cooler too with the air temperature 16.4 degrees celsius. She was followed by compatriot Taylor Spivey and Bermuda’s Flora Duffy, who had celebrated her own national day yesterday in her homeland with a chocolate brownie and strawberries delivery to her hotel room. Following them was Haley Chura in fourth. This front group gapping the rest of the field by 36 seconds on the first lap.

Haley Chura moved to the front on the second lap and was first out of the water in 24:46 followed by Taylor Spivey, Flora Duffy and Taylor Knibb and with a lead of 1:09 on the second group of De Vet, Derron, Curran, Findlay, Byram and Iemmolo.

Onto the bike course first was Flora Duffy, her intent to push the pace clear, but it wasn’t long before Taylor Knibb was pushing past and into the lead at the 6km mark.

As Taylor powered off to set the fastest bike time of the day in 1:58:09, there was plenty of drama and excitement behind, including three drafting penalties – Lucy Byram, Flora Duffy and Canada’s Paula Findlay; two retirements – Britain’s Emma Pallant-Browne and Australia ‘s Grace Thek and another high profile puncture for Germany’s Anne Haug.

Onto the run and the big question was how quickly Julie Derron could close the 5:20 gap to Knibb, having run four and a half minutes faster than her in Ibiza last month.  Derron powered past Byram and was closing on the American – 20 seconds in the first 2km – but Knibb seemed perfectly suited to the rolling run course – having been a stand-out cross country runner as a junior – and more than held her own to win by 2:15 in an overall time of 3:37:03.  The full, final results are here.

The seventh and final race of this first T100 season will be the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final on 16-17 November where inaugural T100 World Champions will be crowned.

The first ever edition of the World Para Triathlon Mixed Relay Championships took place in Torremolinos today as a stacked American team powered to victory. After being contested as a test race at the 2022 and 2023 WTCS Finals, today’s event was the first time the world title over the Mixed Relay was up for grabs. Each of the four legs consisted of a 125m swim, a single 3.4km bike lap and a run of 850m. In the event that a PTWC athlete was included, they were required to lead off their teams’ relay. Moreover, teams were allowed to consist of three athletes so long as the athlete doubling up on legs was the only team member of their gender. With multiple Paralympic and world champions onboard to contest the relay, a truly thrilling race unfolded.

Leg One

Team USA got off to a flying start courtesy of Kendall Gretsch H2, the newly-minted world champion in the women’s PTWC class. In a superb opening leg, with a total time of 14:16, Gretsch put almost 2 minutes into her great rival Lauren Parker H1, Team Australia’s Paralympic champion. Australia had proven to be a major force in the test editions of the relay in 2022 and 2023 and as such their deficit represented a significant early twist.

In a point of divergence from the classic Mixed Team Relay, athletes of different genders were able to race one another. Thus, Gretsch also had the challenge of racing the likes of European champion Louis Noel H2 (FRA). Noel raced as part of “Team World” alongisde three Dutch counterparts and was the quickest athlete on Leg One, clocking 13:15. Giuseppe Romele H1 (ITA) was another to go up against Gretsch. He finished with a time of 14:08 to narrowly hold off the American.

Leg Two

The second leg was where Team USA really asserted themselves. Paralympic silver medallist Carson Clough (USA) may have had a point to prove after finishing 4th in the individual PTS4 race. He tore into his split and opened up a handy lead. However, Antoine Perel B1 (FRA) and Jairo Ruiz Lopez (ESP) both managed to out-split Clough and pulled back some of the time their teams had lost to Gretsch. Ruiz’s effort of 13:00 was the best of the day, with Perel’s split of 13:04 close behind. Clough stopped the clock at 13:32 which was enough to keep his quartet around half a minute clear.

Meanwhile, Team Britain enjoyed a strong showing from Claire Cashmore as she battled some of the stars of the men’s field. Her total time of 14:13 would prove crucial in keeping the British squad breathing down the necks of Team France.

Leg Three

With the Americans out front, they needed a safe pair of hands to consolidate their advantage. Who better to turn to, then, than the reigning Paralympic, world and Americas champion: Grace Norman? Norman was a vision of serenity through her split, recording a time of 14:26 to continue to heap the pressure upon her rivals. Only fellow world and Paralympic champion, Susana Rodriguez B1 (ESP) managed to out-split Norman (14:19), although the Spanish team remained the best part of 90 seconds in arrears.

Megan Richter (GBR) stepped up for the British team after missing out on her individual event earlier this week. However, she could not do anything against Norman’s advance. Similarly, the best efforts of Camille Seneclauze went in vain as Team France fell further back from the leaders. Thus, at the end of Leg Three, the rest of the field were the best part of 90 seconds adrift of the American quartet and the race seemed over. Being the Mixed Relay, though, a final twist was yet in store.

Leg Four

Clough was back for more as the American team called on their Paralympic medallist to deliver a second leg. He had enjoyed a whole 14 minutes to recover during Norman’s efforts, yet the question remained: would it be enough?

Remarkably, Clough produced an identical swim split in his second dip in the sea (2:04). His second effort on the bike was also nearly identical to his split from his first leg (5:36 versus 5:35). It was on the run, however, that his exertions seemed to catch up with him a little. Problematically, he was now a hunted man.

Dave Ellis B3 has been nigh-on unbeatable in the men’s PTVI class lately and has hoovered up gold medals this season. As the anchor leg for Team Britain, he had a sizeable task to catch Clough but the heroics were by no means beyond him. First he out-split his American rival by 16 seconds in the water. He gained another 22 seconds on the bike. With transition thrown in, the lead had dropped further. And Ellis’ greatest strength was still to come.

Clough put everything he had into the final kilometre but the gap kept tumbling. Somehow, he summoned a final burst and drove for home. Ellis could see him as the blue carpet neared and also pushed harder. There was nothing between them. But there was simply not enough room. Clough hung on with everything he had to win by 4 seconds. His final leg time of 15:01 was comprehensively beaten by Ellis’ time of 13:34, but the numbers do not tell the full story of Clough’s massive performance across two legs. Nil Riudavets Victory anchored Team Spain to the bronze medal, denying Team France, bringing the curtain down on a fantastic race. If this is what the World Para Triathlon Mixed Relay Championships promise to be like, the sport might have unearthed a special race indeed.

Team France continued their outstanding week in Torremolinos as they nabbed the top spot in the World Mixed U23-Junior Relay Championships. A large field containing 22 teams lined up on the beach this morning with plenty sensing an opportunity to make a splash. Foremost among this group was Team Germany as they sought to defend the crown won on home soil last season. Across four legs of a 250m swim, 5km bike and 1.5km run, though, France came out on top in a tight finish that could have gone any of several ways.

Leg One

The opening leg of the relay contained a veritable who’s who of the brightest up and coming talents in men’s triathlon. The newly-crowned World U23 and World Junior champions, David Cantero del Campo (ESP) and Nils Serre Gehri (FRA), were raring to go, although they faced significant opposition in the likes of Mitch Kolkman (NED), the bronze medallist at the 2023 World U23 Championships, and Gergely Kiss (HUN), who struck bronze at the World U23 Championships earlier this week.

Jan Diener (GER) emerged to the fore in the water, giving the defending champions an ideal start. Much of the field, however, remained in touching distance of the front. As was the case in the men’s U23 race, Cantero was simply a cut above on the run. He cruised away from his rivals to hand over a handy lead. Kolkman and Andree Buc (CHI) headed up the chasers some 7 seconds back.

Leg Two

The damage inflicted by Cantero left the remaining teams scrambling to respond. María Casals Mojica built upon her Spanish teammate’s good work until a pack of five eventually formed around her. France, Hungary, Italy and the Netherlands made up this lead group. The Canadian and British teams lurked a little further behind on the bike. Some tireless work saw them latch onto the leaders’ rear wheels before T2.

Candice Denizot (FRA) assumed the lead on the run with Márta Kropkó (HUN) and Casals in pursuit. The French woman ultimately earned a 12 second advantage over her rivals. Meanwhile, Julia Bröcker (GER) made up ground lost earlier in the leg to insert the German team among the top chasers.

Leg Three

Jules Rethoret (FRA) maintained his lead in the swim although a slightly more conservative transition allowed Pelayo Gonzalez Turrez (ESP) to catch him early on in the bike. In the chase pack, the next five teams had work to do. Team Hungary, the nearest of the challengers, faced a 16 second deficit. It was then that Henry Graf (GER) struck. Having spearheaded the chase, he single-handedly rocketed up to the lead pair with an enormous effort. The rest of the chasers were unable to replicate the German athlete’s surge and a lead trio entered transition with a valuable lead.

After a slight stumble in T2, Graf claimed the lead on the run. However, he was unable to completely shake off Gonzalez or Rethoret. The Frenchman started to fade towards the end of the run but hung tough to give his anchor leg the best chance possible to still win. For his part, Gonzalez clung to Graf like a limpet and put the home team in a perfect position to dethrone last year’s champions.

Leg Four

And so, to the finale. Three teams dove into the sea with gold on the line. Or so it seemed. Spain led through the swim with Maria Teresa Jimenez-Orta Guerrero flourishing. Jule Behrens (GER), the 2021 World Junior champion, trailed by only a handful of seconds and then came Team France. However, Hungary, Britain and the Netherlands refused to go down quietly. On the bike, they caught the leaders and transformed the run into a six team showdown.

It was here, though, that Team France’s final trump card came into play. On the original start lists, Ilona Hadhoum, last year’s World Junior champion, was slated to bring the French team home. While Hadhoum is a major talent and impressed at the World U23 Championships earlier in the week, Team France elected for a late change. In Hadhoum’s place came none other than Emma Lombardi. The bronze medallist from the WTCS Final and 3rd place overall finisher in the Series charged into the lead on the run. Behrens found herself at the rear of the pack after a slow T2 while Fanni Szalai (HUN), the World Junior Championships silver medallist, took the fight to Lombardi.

Jimenez-Orta and Robin Dreijling (NED) battled to remain in podium contention but Lombardi was simply too strong. She crossed the line to bring home yet another gold medal for France at these championships, confirming that 2024 has certainly been the country’s year in triathlon. A huge split from Behrens saw her carve through the pack to earn the silver medal for Team Germany. Szalai then held off athletes several years her elder to secure the bronze medal for Team Hungary.

Day four of the World Triathlon Championship Finals in Torremolinos promises to be an exciting one, with a packed schedule of world-class events. The day will begin at 09:00 with the 2024 World Triathlon Junior/U23 Mixed Relay World Championships, where the rising stars of the sport will compete in an exhilarating team race. At 11:00, the Para Triathlon Mixed Relay World Championship will take place, showcasing the teamwork of the world’s best para athletes. Following that, at 13:00, the Age-Group Mixed Relay World Championships will bring together World Triathletes, eager to represent their age groups on the world stage in the exciting show-stopping format. The day will conclude with the highly anticipated Elite Men’s Championship Final at 17:00, where the world’s best will battle for the prestigious title. With such a thrilling line-up, fans and spectators are in for an unforgettable day of racing in Torremolinos.

Event schedule:
09:00: 2024 World Triathlon Junior/U23 Mixed Relay World Championships - Follow the action on World Triathlon YouTube and TriathlonLive.tv
11:00: 2024 World Triathlon Para Triathlon Mixed Relay World Championship - Follow the action on World Triathlon YouTube and TriathlonLive.tv
13:00: 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Mixed Relay World Championships - Follow the action on World Triathlon YouTube and TriathlonLive.tv
17:00: 2024 World Triathlon Elite Men Championships Finals - Watch the full race coverage on TriathlonLive.tv

Check out the race galleries on SmugMug.

Team France claim the world title in the World Triathlon Junior/U23 Mixed Relay World Championships.

Team USA earn gold in the Para Triathlon Mixed Relay World Championships Torremolinos. Great Britain claimed silver and Team Spain capped the podium with bronze.

Team Spain celebrate Para Mixed Relay silver in Torremolinos!

Get ready to follow the Age-Group Mixed Relay action up next!

The 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Mixed Relay Championships delivered a spectacular display of athleticism, teamwork and excitement as athletes from around the globe competed in an exhilarating race format. The relay, comprising two male and two female athletes per team, showcased the diversity and depth of talent across age groups, with each competitor pushing the limits of speed, endurance, and strategy. The dynamic course, combined with seamless transitions and rapid changes in race positions, kept spectators on the edge of their seats. In an event filled with fierce competition and inspiring performances, the 2024 Age-Group Mixed Relay Championships proved once again why this format is one of the most thrilling spectacles in the sport of triathlon.

The World Triathlon Women’s Committee has announced the 2024 World Triathlon Women’s Committee Award of Excellence, which was presented at a gala dinner hosted by World Triathlon President Marisol Casado (IOC Member) in Torremolinos, Andalucía, Spain. The event coincided with the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Finals and the 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group and Aquabike World Championships, taking place this week

The World Triathlon Women’s Committee Award of Excellence is a prestigious honour recognising outstanding contributions to the advancement and empowerment of women in the sport of triathlon. This award celebrates individuals or organisations that have shown exceptional commitment to promoting gender equality, inspiring female participation, and creating opportunities for women to thrive in all areas of the sport, from athletes to leadership roles. By acknowledging these achievements, World Triathlon reaffirms its dedication to fostering an inclusive and diverse community where women can excel and make a lasting impact on the global triathlon landscape.

This year, World Triathlon selected and presented Sara Gross of the USA with the Women’s Committee Award of Excellence.

This year there were a variety of strong submissions featuring inspiring women from all around the world. The World Triathlon Women’s Committee alongside a panel of external experts, reviewed the submissions and confirmed USA’s Sara Gross as the winner of the 2024 World Triathlon Women’s Committee Award of Excellence.

Tomoko Wada, Chair of the World Triathlon Women’s Committee, was in Torremolinos to announce and present the award.

“I am very proud to present TRI Women’s Committee Award of Excellence to Dr. Sara Gross (USAT), on behalf of Women’s Committee this time for her excellent efforts and accomplishment in women’s well being and advancement of their participation. Particularly at the end of my forth and last term as Chair, I am thrilled to present a former ITU (International Triathlon Union) triathlete who continues her “feisty” and pro-active life developing into a great contributor for women’s empowerment through the media platform created by herself. She is a fantastic role model. Finally, I wish the Women’s Committee continued excellent work!” said Wada.

Sara Gross was unable to attend the Gala in person to accept the award; however, a virtual acceptance speech was shared during the dinner in the form of a video.

TRI: How proud are you and what does it mean to you to be nominated for and receive the 2024 World Triathlon Women’s Committee Award of Excellence?

SG: I am extremely proud and humbled to receive the 2024 World Triathlon Women’s Committee Award of Excellence. There are so many people who have worked very hard to advocate and make change for women and girls in our sport. I feel grateful to be among them and humbled to have been selected.

When I first started working as an advocate for women in triathlon, and later when I started Feisty Media, some people said I shouldn’t make gender equity my first priority. They argued that I was “capable of so much more” and that “Triathlon was already gender equal” and didn’t need to change.  Years later, knowing that Feisty Media has helped thousands of women, I’m so glad I didn’t listen.

TRI: What do you consider to be your greatest achievements when asked about making an impact, contributing to equality in sport and triathlon?

SG: When I first started focusing my attention on women in Triathlon, I advocated for women to have equal access at the IRONMAN World Championship. And while I am extremely proud to have contributed to that change, I am most proud of the work we have done at Feisty Media to educate women on getting the best out of their bodies. We no longer need to think of our physiology as something we “survive” or “put up with,” like our hormone cycles, pregnancy and menopause. Instead we can thrive, and even perform,  through all of these stages of life. This is an important aspect of creating gender equity that is often overlooked - it’s not just about having access to events and training - it’s about those environments being created with our needs in mind.

Women often approach me and my colleagues at Feisty to say thank you for sharing diverse stories and helping them celebrate some previously ignored aspect of womanhood. That’s the greatest reward, knowing you made a difference to many individuals in many different ways.

Nominated by USA Triathlon, Victoria Blumfield, CEO of USA Triathlon was present at the Gala event in Spain to receive the award on behalf of Sara Gross.
“On behalf of USA Triathlon, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Sara Gross for receiving the 2024 World Triathlon Women’s Committee Award of Excellence. As the CEO and founder of Feisty Media, Sara has been an unwavering champion for women, using her platform to uplift voices, challenge norms, and build community. Her leadership within the triathlon world is inspiring, and her dedication to advancing opportunities for women in our sport is unparalleled. We are proud to have her as a role model in our community, and this award is a testament to her tireless efforts. Congratulations, Sara!” said Victoria Brumfield, CEO of USA Triathlon.

It’s with great pleasure that I present the World Triathlon Women’s Committee Award of Excellence to Sara Gross,” concluded Tomoko Wada, Chair of the World Triathlon Women’s Committee.

World Triathlon is deeply committed to promoting gender balance and equality within the sport, ensuring that opportunities for participation, leadership, and recognition are equally available to all. By actively advocating for inclusivity, World Triathlon aims to break down barriers and set a global standard for gender equity. In celebrating the achievements of individuals who have made a positive and powerful impact on the sport, World Triathlon recognises the vital role these contributions play in shaping the future of triathlon, fostering a more diverse, inclusive, and inspiring community for generations to come.

Nominations for the 2025 Award of Excellence will open in the new year and National Federations are encouraged to submit their nominations.

She came in as Olympic Champion, she was unbeaten all season, and it was to be the perfect finish to the year for Cassandre Beaugrand as she won a dramatic world title on Saturday afternoon in Torremolinos.

The French star had veered inexplicably far off course to the right from the very start of the swim, seemingly over estimating the current and losing her sighting before correcting her route back to the first buoy and then seizing the race in the same style she has shown all season, eventually pulling clear of closest title challengers Beth Potter and Emma Lombardi over the second half of the run to take the gold and the 2024 World Championship, the first Frenchwoman to do so.

“I made a mistake, and realised it was a big one because I lost so much time!” admitted a delighted Beaugrand. “I was fighting to the end and thinking of last year when I missed out being World Champion so I’m really proud of this. I actually get seasick and the waves were quite high so I couldn’t see the buoys, then I realised I was on my own. I was already panicking, thinking ‘what am I doing’, I thought I was swimming strong but to the wrong buoy, so I had to push hard on the second lap to catch up.”

“I just wanted this world title so badly and have dreamed about it for so many years. Last year I was very disappointed finishing second. Nobody can take this away from me now. I was training hard and fighting all year for this one.”

Silver for Potter saw her also take silver in the 2024 Series, bronze for Lombardi saw her leap from fourth to third in the overall standings for the second time.

Beaugrand had started as number one and as first onto the start line she took up the far right position, not knowing that it would almost be her undoing. From the horn she flew ahead but also quickly steered right, completely unaware that every stroke was taking her further off course and away from the rest of the field.

By the time she had reached the first buoy, she was onto the back of the field. By the time they hit the beach for the halfway turn, she had already made up a big 16 places, passing another strong title challenger Lisa Tertsch (GER) to get back in the race just 30 seconds off Italian Bianca Seregni and Lena Meissner (GER) up front.

After the second 750m swim and back to the long run into transition, Beaugrand was suddenly just in front of Potter in 10th, Georgia Taylor-Brown in 20th nearly 30 seconds back, Tertsch 45 seconds back and languishing.

With Beaugrand, Lombardi and Potter among the 12 riders up front along with powerhouse Lena Meissner and Olivia Mathias, the gap to the chasers went out to over a minute, making for a three-way Beaugrand-Potter-Lombardi title shootout.

And it was that trio that quickly asserted themselves on the run, pulling clear along with Jeanne Lehair (LUX).

But it was on lap two that the French star blew open the race with a now-trademark surge, Potter the first to drop off, then Lombardi.

The elastic now well and truly broken, there was seemingly nothing that Potter could do in her chase for the world title even as she passed Lombardi back into second, Beaugrand crossing the line with a huge 38 second winning margin over the Brit, Lombardi third, Vicky Holland with an inspired run into fourth ahead of Miriam Casillas Garcia.

Beth Potter:
“It was tough out there, but I put a good fight up and I just didn’t quite have it this year. I’m not disappointed with silver, I wanted to leave the course knowing id given everything and I’m proud that I did. I had no idea what happened to Cassandre, I was racing my own race out there.”

Emma Lombardi:
“I’m really pleased, especially as I was 4th before the race, so ending this way is amazing. I still have a long time in this sport, I got a lot of fourth places this year and didn’t want to end the year like that.”

For the full results, click here.

France’s Cassandre Beaugrand has been the embodiment of calm all year, scooping a glittering Olympic title to add to her WTCS Cagliari and WTCS Hamburg golds that collectively see her heading into Saturday’s Championship Finals on top of the Series rankings.

At least, that is how she has looked. How she handled the pressures of a home Games was certainly impressive, but now it is time to reload as the 27-year-old looks to become France’s first female World Champion.

Read who needs what to win the title.
Use our interactive World Champion simulator.

It’s all a far cry from coming so close to the title in Pontevedra 12 months ago, when Beth Potter halted her charge. The Brit, Lisa Tertsch and Emma Lombardi are the best placed to do so again and will be primed and ready to seize their moment.

A beach start ahead of the 1.5km swim - likely wetsuits - then a mostly flat 8-lap and 40km bike and a very flat and fast 10km run, much like the Cagliari course she conquered back in May. Can Beaugrand do the double and win the world title just months after Olympic triumph? Tune in to TriathlonLive.tv from 15:30 on Saturday 19 October to find out.

Gold or silver secures Beaugrand the title

The maths can’t get too much clearer than a top-two finish meaning the world title for Cassandre Beaugrand. But while form suggests that will be straightforward, the post-Games reality is far from it. Having only done shorter racing since Paris, this will be an altogether greater test of her skills in arguably the second-biggest race of her career.

Whether Beaugrand is able to follow the great Flora Duffy into the history books and become France’s first female World Champion the same year as an Olympic gold, we will know on Saturday afternoon.

A big player in that will be Beth Potter, who hits her fifth Championship Finals and has been open about struggling to find her peak form so far in 2024. Given that that still meant multiple Series medals and an Olympic bronze, then she certainly can’t be far off her title-winning best of last year.

Successfully closing out a Finals is also something she has over Beaugrand. The Brit knows that gold, and putting at least one person between her and her rival, would mean back-to-back world titles, but she will want to pile on the pressure over the opening stages of the run.

Tertsch on a tear, Lombardi poisedLisa Tertsch hits her third Championship Finals start fresh from a first WTCS gold in Weihai and looking every bit the title challenger. The German won Mixed Relay Olympic gold in Paris and the self-belief looks to be flowing. Like Potter, if she can win and someone finishes between herself and Beaugrand, she becomes Germany's first female World Champion and first Series podium since Anne Haug in 2012.

Emma Lombardi continues to be the definition of consistency, but Series gold still eludes the 23-year-old. She has, of course, shared a Series podium twice in Cagliari, those silvers on a flat coastal course suggesting that Torremolinos could also be a good fit for the French star.

The winner in Italy on both of those occasions was Georgia Taylor-Brown. Runner-up to Flora Duffy in 2022, injured through much of 2023, the Brit will relish another Championship Finals fling, stamping her influence on the title race and a possible fifth Series podium of her own.

Nobody has won more Finals medals than USA’s Gwen Jorgensen, and she touches down in Spain hungry for another standout showing to head into the off season. Two golds and two silvers, the last in 2016, it was that 6th place on a tough WTCS Weihai course at the end of September that hints at more fireworks to come.

Add the collective talents of past Series medallists like Kate Waugh, Leonie Periault, Kirsten Kasper and Rachel Klamer, plus young guns Selina Klamt and Tilda Mansson, and the Torremolinos showdown looks like being one for the ages. WOMENS 2024 CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 19 OCTOBER 15:35 START LIST WATCH LIVE

Welcome to day three of the 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Championships and World Triathlon Championship Finals (Elite women) here in sunny Torremolinos! The excitement continues as thousands of the best Age-Group athletes from around the world take on the Aqua Bike World Championships and the Standard-Distance World Championships today. With perfect race conditions and fierce competition, we’re in for another thrilling day of action.

What’s on the menu today?
• Saturday 19 October
09:00h: 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Standard Distance Triathlon Championship
11:00h: 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Standard Distance Aquabike Championships
15:15h: 2024 World Triathlon Championships Finals: Elite Women

Athletes have been out and about enjoying the race destination and all that it has to offer. A group of World Triathletes took a break from training and race preparations, during the World Triathlon Age-Group Championships in Torremolinos, immersing themselves in the local culture and scenery. They ascended the nearby mountain to soak in breathtaking panoramic views of the coastline. Later, athletes explored the urban heart of Torremolinos on a guided tour, discovering the rich history and vibrant streets of the city.

The adventure continued with a unique experience aboard a local jabega boat. This was all part of their race, stay and play experience in Torremolinos, Spain.

Whether you’re cheering on a loved one or just love the sport, be sure to follow all the blue carpet finish line moments, streamed on TriathlonLive.tv and the World Triathlon YouTube channel. Don’t miss a second of the drama as athletes leave it all out on the course, racing for glory in this prestigious global event. Stay tuned!

There’s an incredible energy in the air as we stand near the start line, with athletes warming up and looking race-ready, fully focused and prepared for an exciting day of World Championship action ahead.

As the sun rises on race day here in Torremolinos, athletes are busy preparing in transition, meticulously setting up their gear, checking their bikes and mentally focusing on the race ahead. Their warm-up routines are in full swing, ensuring they are physically primed and ready to perform at their best when the starting gun goes off.

That’s an official race start in the 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Standard World Championships!

Extraordinary scenes as athletes, fans and supporters take to the course and sidelines for the 2024 World Triathlon Championships!

Fans are ready to welcome their finishers down the blue carpet!

The race course is lined with spectators as the best Age-Group triathletes and Aquabike athletes in the world set out to achieve personal bests and triathlon dreams!

As the athletes come down the blue carpet to cross the finish line of their Standard Distance race at the World Championships in Torremolinos, a strong sense of accomplishment filled the air. Greeted by cheers from spectators and fellow competitors, they were awarded their well-deserved finisher medals.

What a day! Incredible swim, bike and run action with the most sensational finish line moments with World Triathletes and Age-Group Aquabike athletes!

Be sure to check out all the photo galleries from the World Triathlon Age-Group Standard and Aquabike World Championships, stay social and share. Tag @worldtriathlon and #WorldTriathlete in your race day moments.

What’s left on this action packed World Championships schedule? Follow the action over on TriathlonLive.tv.

Sunday 20 October
09:00h: 2024 World Triathlon Junior/U23 Mixed Relay World Championships
11:00h: 2024 World Triathlon Para Triathlon Mixed Relay World Championships
13:00h: 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Mixed Relay World Championships
17:00h: 2024 World Triathlon Championships Finals: Elite Men

The future of French triathlon was continuing to shine bright on Friday evening, as Nils Serre Gehri became the country’s latest young talent to earn the title of Junior World Champion in Torremolinos.

It had been an enthralling race from the horn, and there was nothing to call between seven men on the final lap of the run, before Serre found a massive final push down the blue carpet to the tape. USA’s Reese Vannerson had rolled the dice earlier and pulled clear only for the door to close, eventually holding on for a fine silver, Achille Besson of France with bronze.

Joao Nuno Batista (POR), Marton Kropko (HUN) and Gregor Rasva (EST) were the three athletes first out of the 750m, the trio swim side-by-side as they made the push up the beach towards transition.

Roy Baron, Alex Robin and Reese Vannerson were 12 seconds back, Serre just off them, but up ahead it was Batista first into the saddle onto the 20km bike.

Luxembourg’s David Lang and Spain’s Eneko De Castro Cativiela were also going well, the lead group ten deep at the end of lap one of four.

A big chase pack was trying to get organised behind but finding themselves 25 seconds off the pace. They were joined by Robin after a crash on the fast right-handed descent, but also started to close the gap over the second 10km.

Over the final lap, the chasers had caught on and the pace dropped off, preparations for what was already looking a crackling 5km getting underway.

Flying in and out of T2 it was home crowd favourite Hector Tolsa Garcia with a slender advantage, Serre, Antoine L’hôte and Besson right on him but with just 14 seconds between the top 20 it was anyone’s race, Vannerson among the last out onto the run course.

But the American and Kropko started to go through the gears to close in on the Spaniard and took to the front, a seven-deep group forming that rolled as one mass at the halfway point.

Kropko made a push down the final long straight before Vannerson took control, only Serre able to go with him, but the sprint started early, Serre detonating, Vannerson unable to respond, and the Frenchman securing a huge win on a memorable afternoon in the Spanish sunshine.

It was silver to go with his Montreal bronze for Vannerson, Besson the bronze, David Lang fourth and Tolsa fifth ahead of Kropko and Batista.

For the full results, click here.

 

The winds whipped up on Friday afternoon, day two of the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Finals, making conditions challenging for the big women’s field of junior talent lining up for their shot at a world title in Torremolinos.

The course packed a 750m beach swim, 20km bike and 5km run, and the women’s race delivered fireworks right down to the finish as Ambre Grasset of France and Hungary’s Fanni Szalai battled over almost every metre. In the end, it was Grasset who emerged victorious, pulling clear after the final turn and Szalai unable to bite back, Lea Houart (FRA) with the bronze.

It was Szalai out of the swim first, 12 seconds back were Houart, Eve Whitaker (GBR) and Pauline Courret (HKG), but the Hungarian lost time in transition and it was Houart out and away first onto the 20km bike.

A four-strong group quickly formed up front with Szalai and Austria’s Tabea Huys driven on by Grasset and Houart. Working together well, they were able to put nearly 40 seconds into the 17-strong chasers that included Whitaker, Merel Veltman (NED), Jimena Renata De La Peña Schott (USA) and María López Faraudo (MEX).

Szalai had to work through some of the turns to stay on the wheels of the French, and the tricolor duo had precious daylight heading out of T2 onto the 5km run.

The Hungarian wasted no time in shutting the gap and left Huys chasing her shadow before then passing Houart and settling in behind Grasset.

It was there that she stayed until the penultimate dead turn when she hit the accelerator, Grasset responding well and then it was side-by side for the pair before the final turn to the blue carpet. There Grasset made the move from the outside to get the crucial gap and never let it go. Szalai visibly disappointed with her silver but with plenty more ahead of her, likewise Houart with bronze, María López Faraudo with a brilliant run into fourth, Swiss Anouk Danna in fifth.

Full results can be found here.