Day one of the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Finals Torremolinos is finally here and the excitement is palpable! Age-group triathletes from around the world are ready to dive into the competition, bringing months of hard work, training and passion to the start line. With the picturesque beaches of Torremolinos as the backdrop, these athletes will not only be racing for personal bests but also representing their nations with pride. Whether it’s your first World Championships or you’re a seasoned competitor, today marks the beginning of an unforgettable journey in the heart of Andalucía. Watch the finish line action over on TriathlonLive.tv.

TODAY’S EVENT SCHEDULE:

•  Thursday 17 October
09:00h: 2024 World Triathlon U23 Championship Finals: Women
12:00h: 2024 World Triathlon U23 Championship Finals: Men
14:30h: 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships

We are thrilled to announce that the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Finals in beautiful Torremolinos are officially open! The spectacular Parade of Nations and the vibrant Opening Ceremony at Plaza del Remo have set the stage for an unforgettable week of world-class competition and celebration. Athletes from 79 nations showcased their national colours, embodying the spirit of unity and excellence that defines World Triathlon. As we embark on this thrilling race week, we look forward to witnessing incredible performances and sharing in the passion of our global triathlon community.

“On behalf of World Triathlon, I warmly welcome the global triathlon community to the stunning shores of Torremolinos for the 2024 Championship Finals. We are deeply grateful to the local organisers and the wonderful people of this city for their dedication and hospitality in bringing this extraordinary event to life. To our athletes, as you prepare to race and represent your nations, know that you are part of something truly special. This is your moment to showcase the hard work, passion, and determination that define our sport. We wish you all the best as we celebrate the spirit of triathlon together,” said Marisol Casado, World Triathlon President and IOC Member.

Don’t miss out on the excitement as day one of racing kicks off!

FOLLOW ALONG - IMPORTANT RACE WEEK INFORMATION

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Event photos can be accessed via the Official World Triathlon SmugMug photo sharing platform.

EVENT SCHEDULE

•  Thursday 17 October
09:00h: 2024 World Triathlon U23 Championship Finals: Women
12:00h: 2024 World Triathlon U23 Championship Finals: Men
14:30h: 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships

• Friday 18 October
10:00h 2024 World Triathlon Para Triathlon Championships
15:15h: World Triathlon Junior Championships: Junior Women
15:15h: World Triathlon Junior Championships: Junior Men

• 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

• 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

ATHLETE START LISTS
You can find all the start lists for the races here.

SHOW US YOUR MOVES DOWN THE BLUE CARPET TO WIN
With a record field of triathletes competing for world titles in this year’s World Championships, Age-Group races will have a finish line camera watchable on TriathlonLive.tv. Athletes, show us your best finish line move for the TriathlonLive.tv finish line cam and go in the draw to WIN World Triathlon Official Store Merchandise. Winners must be onsite to be eligible and will be announced during the event and contacted via registered email address. For your next chance to win, be sure to have your bib number around the front of your race kit on the finish line and be mindful of other athletes around you.

World Triathlon Official Store prize pack includes:
- Exclusive Paris 2024 Hats
- Colorwave socks
- + new accessories (lanyard, key rin and pin)

Watchable on TriathlonLive.tv
Watch all the Age-Group World Championship races on TriathlonLive.tv with a fixed camera, capturing World Triathletes as they come down the blue carpet and cross the prestigious finish line.

With an unprecedented number of participants and the stunning culture and landscapes of Andalucía as the backdrop, this year’s World Triathlon Championships promise to make a lasting impression on the global triathlon community.

THE ULTIMATE PAY-PER-VIEW PASS

In one of the great triathlon finishes of all time, Alex Yee won sport’s biggest prize when he soared to Olympic gold at Paris 2024. On Sunday afternoon in Spain, the Brit will have the chance to add the world title to his list of honours, when he goes up against the best in the world - and some familiar Finals foes.

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

It could be another face-off with Olympic silver medallist Hayden Wilde ahead. It could be another opportunity for France’s Leo Bergere to swoop in and steal the show. Then there’s the likes of Matt Hauser, Luke Willian and Pierre Le Corre, past finals influencers Morgan Pearson and Vasco Vilaca, plus one last dance from the great Vincent Luis before he departs the blue carpet.

A beach start for the 1.5km swim transitions to an 8-lap, 40km bike with a sharp climb on each loop, and a very flat and fast 10km run along the seafront to the tape. Tune in to TriathlonLive.tv from 17:00 on Sunday 20 October.

Will it be fourth time a charm for Yee?

Three Olympic-distance wins in 2024 sees Alex Yee on top of the pile heading to the finals, where 1250 points are available to the gold medallist. In Cagliari, he narrowly outran Hayden Wilde. In Paris, he came back from nowhere to win at the death, and in Weihai it was a more comfortable 46second margin over Leo Bergere.

The form is all with Yee, not for the first time going into the final race of the Series. Torremolinos represents a fourth bite at the world championship cherry, a title that has slipped through his fingers on three occasions.

This time around he will look to forget about the rankings wranglings and concentrate on the top six finish that would make him World Champion. His Paris wingman Samuel Dickinson is among seven Brits lining up looking to do just what the French have the past two years and seal their country’s first men’s world title since 2012.

Bergere back on the attack

World Champion in 2022, overall bronze in 2023, Olympic bronze in 2024.Seemingly flawless across all three disciplines, Leo Bergere has become a hard man to shake off. Over 400 points behind Yee, he knows that surely only a podium – and, in reality, probably the win – will do if he is to take the title.

Hayden Wilde has gone bronze and silver in the 2022 and 2023 Series final standings. Like Yee, he will have gone into both hoping for more. This time around he will want to do exactly what Bergere and Coninx did in those races and cross the line first to give himself every possible chance of taking the title. He may not have had the bike legs in Weihai, but the New Zealander will see that as a mere blip, pouring fuel on the fire of the challenge ahead.

Matthew Hauser chases a first Series podium, and will want to bounce back from Weihai disappointment with the kind of race that saw him help blow apart the 2022 finals in Abu Dhabi.

In-form European Champion Csongor Lehmann and Brazil’s Miguel Hidalgo have both hit a WTCS podium for the first time this year and will feel they can do so again on Sunday. Morgan Pearson and Vasco Vilaca also have the Series podium within mathematical reach but, perhaps more realistically, a big finish would have massive implications on the world title for those above them in the rankings.

A superb 8th place in Paris means that home hero Alberto Gonzalez Garcia represents Spain’s biggest threat, and expect him, Tyler Mislawchuk (CAN) and Hugo Milner (GBR) to be ready to detonate the 10km run and finish their years in style.

Men’s 2024 Championship Finals 20 October 17:00
START LIST
WATCH LIVE

After a bumper year for Para triathlon, with outstanding racing coming at the Paralympic Games, the various Continental Championships and across the World Para Series, the luminaries of the sport will summon one final push this week. The world titles across six categories for both men and women will be on the line. Furthermore, for some a unique triple of Paralympic gold, continental gold and perhaps world gold will be within reach.

A single lap of 750m in the sea will kick things off, with a 19.2km bike consisting of four laps to follow. Two laps along the beachfront for the final 5km run then complete the race. The action on Friday 18th October starts at 10:00 (CEST) and you can catch it all on TriathlonLive.

PTWC

An icon of Para triathlon, Jetze Plat H2 (NED) will look to add the world title to the gold medal he won in imperious fashion in Paris. Moreover, he will arrive in Torremolinos with a point to prove of sorts. He was denied the world title last year in Pontevedra and so will look to reclaim a title he has won on six previous occasions. Florian Brungraber H2 (AUT) will lead to charge against Plat. He earned the silver medal in Paris and at the recent European Championships in Vichy. In the absence of Geert Schipper H2, the 2022 world champion and current European champion, Louis Noel H2 (FRA) may be one to rise to the moment.

In the women’s race, the indomitable Lauren Parker H1 (AUS) will look to conclude a fantastic season with another gold medal. She triumphed at the Paralympic Games after winning the Oceania title earlier in the season. As such, she is one of the select athletes with a chance at the triple this year. Kendall Gretsch H2 (USA) and Leanne Taylor H1 (CAN) will put up stiff resistance. However, 2024 has without question been Parker’s year.

PTVI

Having won the past three men’s world titles in the PTVI category, Dave Ellis B3 (GBR) goes again. He was brilliant on his way to victory in both Paris and Vichy; like Parker, he thus has a great chance at completing the triple in 2024. The French duo of Thibaut Rigaudeau B3 and Antoine Perel B1 are fresh off medals at a home Paralympic Games and will likely provide Ellis with his most significant obstacles on the path to gold. With form and experience on his side, though, the British star will be the favourite.

Susana Rodriguez B1 (ESP) will be another hunting the triple after her gold medal-winning exploits in Paris and Vichy. The Spanish athlete has been at the forefront of the PTVI class for years, although in recent times she has faced increasing opposition. One such rival is Francesca Tarantello B3 (ITA), the Paralympic silver medallist and the 2022 world champion. Tarantello is a young and rapidly improving prospect. Having beaten Rodriguez before, she will trust her ability to do so once more. Anja Renner B3 (GER), the bronze medallist in Paris, will likewise ensure that Rodriguez does not have things all her own way.

PTS2

If we are to clutch at straws, there is a case to be made against the world title odds of Jules Ribstein (FRA). The Paralympic and European champion has been in fine form lately, however both of his recent championship wins came on home French soil. Can he do it again on foreign turf in Torremolinos? Realistically, yes. With his fellow Paralympic medallists Mohamed Lahna or Mark Barr opting against racing, Ribstein’s path to the world title has opened up. Still, he will have to pass rivals such as Lionel Morales (ESP), who races with home advantage, and Maurits Morsink (NED).

In the women’s race, Allysa Seely (USA) enters as the favourite after her bronze medal in Paris. Without Hailey Danz or Veronica Yoko Plebani, Seely is the only member of the Paralympic podium set to start in Torremolinos. Anu Francis (AUS) will likely present her primary threat to the gold medal this week.

PTS3

Daniel Molina (ESP) will attempt to cap a marvellous season with a world title before his compatriots. He struck gold in both Paris and Vichy and has been the cream of the PTS3 crop. However, his rising rival, Max Gelhaar (GER), will be a clear danger as he looks to snatch away the gold medal.

Meanwhile, Elise Marc (FRA) will look to make it three in a row when it comes to world championship gold medals. She triumphed in both 2022 and 2023 and has been a dominant force in the women’s PTS3 class. Anna Plotnikova (AIN) will push to dethrone the French athlete, but it will take something special to beat Marc.

PTS4

The man that may just be the best Para triathlete in the world, Alexis Hanquinquant (FRA) is pursuing world title number six in Torremolinos. The French athlete was ridiculously good in Paris as he proved to be one of the faces of the Games. He then showed no signs of any Paralympic hangover by dazzling again at the European Championships in Vichy. Given he last lost an individual international race roughly 200 years ago (or in August 2019 to be more exact), it would be a real upset for him to lose. On the other hand, Carson Clough (USA) produced a superb performance to take the silver medal in Paris while Nil Riudavets Victory (ESP) will look to improve upon his bronze medal from the Games. With Jeremy Peacock (AUS) and Pierre-Antoine Baele (FRA) also in the mix, the talent is there to dethrone Hanquinquant. However, it is certainly easier said than done.

Like Hanquinqant, Megan Richter (GBR) will look to put the finishing touches on her masterpiece of a season. The British athlete also struck gold in Paris and Vichy and will be hunting the triple. With key rivals like Kelly Elmlinger and Hannah Moore out of the event, she should have a clear run to the gold medal. Home favourite Marta Francés Gómez (ESP) and Camille Seneclauze (FRA) could yet throw a spanner in the works, though, and both are more than capable of exploiting any misstep by Richter.

PTS5

In a battle of the Paralympic champion, Chris Hammer (USA), the gold medallist in Paris, takes on Martin Schulz (GER), the victor from Tokyo. Schulz also took the silver medal in Paris. Paralympic bronze medallist Ronan Cordeiro will not be starting but that does not completely dim the star power in the men’s field. The 2022 world champion and 2024 Americas champion Stefan Daniel (CAN) could blow the field away on his day while Bence Mocsari (HUN) races after a thrilling victory over Filipe Marques (POR) at the European Championships. Medal contenders could therefore come from anywhere in this race.

The women’s race will similarly be a clash between the Tokyo and Paris Paralympic champions as Lauren Steadman (GBR) and Grace Norman (USA) go head-to-head once more. Norman was a supreme force across the Paris Paralympic cycle and is the defending champion. Having won the Americas title back in March, she is also hunting the triple. Steadman took bronze in Paris behind Claire Cashmore (GBR) but both Brits have what it takes to take down Norman if things go their way. Notably, Steadman will also be buoyed by her recent win at the European Championships.

You can find all the start lists for the World Triathlon Para Championships here.

The World Triathlon Men’s U23 Championships are set to unfold this Thursday, promising a showdown among some of the brightest young talents in the sport. As the competitors toe the start line, all eyes will be on the elite athletes who are not just the stars of tomorrow, but are already making waves today. With the two previous year’s U23 champions skipping the race -Simon Henseleit (GER) is injured and Connor Bentley (GBR) is racing in the Elite category despite being still under 23-, it is time for some new stars to rise.

But the start list for this Thursday is not lacking talent at all. 70 young men are ready to take the streets of Torremolinos-Andalucía by the storm. Set the calendars for Thursday at noon and tune in to TriathlonLive or the World Triathlon’s Youtube channel and don’t miss any of the action. It will be one for the ages!

Wearing the 1 will be Dylan McCullough. The Buenos Aires Youth Olympics champion had a pivotal role in the silver medal of his teammate Hayden Wilde at the Paris 2024 Olympics, helping him bridging the gap on the bike just when the kiwi needed it, proving that his selection for the New Zealand’s Olympic team was worth it. An excellent swimmer, the 1500m swim with a beach start in the cold and flat water in Torremolinos suits him perfectly, and will be a hard one to catch on the bike if he can lead a small breakaway.

2022 U23 Silver medallist at the World Champs Gergely Kiss (HUN) is another excellent swimmer that might also enjoy the conditions in Torremolinos, looking ready to be back in the podium on his last year in the category. And last year’s bronze medallist Mitch Kolkman (NED) is also returning to the start line, eager to defend his podium position and build on his momentum from last year’s thrilling race.

Many eyes will be set on a few young athletes that have already shown their potential in World Cups, like Spain’s David Cantero del Campo. Known for his speed, he already has two World Cup wins and a silver medal on his pocket, and is really looking forward improving his performance last year, were he finished in 12th place.

USA’s John Reed is another one that has collected his first podiums this season, with a win in Karlovy Vary, a bronze in Huatulco and a fourth place in Tiszaujvaros. He has proven in multiple occasions that he is one to beat when it all comes to a run, but is yet to show that it is swimming what should be is best leg, and the U23 World Champs might be his best shot at proving that he is called to be one of the leading athletes for the stars and stripes in the next Olympic cycle.

In a similar situation is Mathis Beaulieu (CAN), one of the canucks’ rising stars, who has already podium before at World Cup level and is looking forward finishing his U23 cycle with a podium this week in Spain.

The German team is always a dangerous one when it comes to the U23 Worlds, and this year it will be Henry Graf leading the squad. Fourth in Rome, fifth at the European Championships in Vichy only a few weeks ago, he seems to be in great form.

The top ten sees a trio of talent out of Asia, including China’s continental sprint champion Junjie Fan and Hong Kong’s Robin Elg, who emerged from the WTCS Weihai swim within ten seconds of Matt Hauser and Vincent Luis.

This year’s championship will also feature seasoned competitors like Hamish Reilly (GBR), bronze medallist two years ago, and determined to leave his mark in the race once more. And another one to follow would be Panagiotis Bitados (GRE), fourth last year and ready to take on the challenge again after the disappointment of not making the Olympic Games in Paris this summer.

With the stakes higher than ever, a great mix of experienced athletes and new comers, the race promises to deliver unforgettable action as the young triathletes vie for the title and the opportunity to etch their names in the history of the sport.

Check the full start lists here.

Selina Klamt, Kate Waugh, Emma Lombardi, Emilie Morier, Taylor Knibb. The last five U23 World Champions going back to 2018 will no doubt look on with interest at who becomes the next in line for the title when the women line up at 9am CEST on Thursday 17 October in Torremolinos.

The opening action of the four-day 2024 Championship Finals will see 49 athletes line up for the Olympic-distance challenge on Spain’s south coast. It’s a draining 1500m swim, transitioning to the 8-lap 40km bike with one short climb and then a 10km run to negotiate for whoever wants to see their name alongside the past champions.

The U23 category is invariably a tough one to predict, and you can watch it all unfold on TriathlonLive and the official World Triathlon YouTube channel.

The top-ranked woman is Slovakia’s Zuzana Michalickova, wearing the number one and hoping to assert herself over the opening stage of the swim and set up a big finish. One of the most prolific racers in the past two years as she narrowly missed out on Olympic qualification, a top 10 at last month’s Valencia World Cup suggests the form is as good as the motivation for success.

Part of a grandstand finish last year, Portugal’s Maria Tome will know she has it in her powers to go one better than the silver she won in Pontevedra, and should still be buoyed by her superb 11th place at Paris 2024, where she clocked the 7th fastest run of the day.

Brea Roderick is the top-ranked athlete from Oceania and helped steer New Zealand to bronze in the Jr/U23 Relay World Championships last year. Fourth in 2023 and in her last season at U23 is rising Swiss star Cathia Schar, a fearless racer who already has three Series top 10s and a World Cup podium in Rome last year to her name.

Japan’s Manami Hayashi is on a run of four Asia Cup wins since May but knows how tough it will be to translate that form to the world stage. Netherlands’ Robin Dreijling put together a strong Rome World Cup race to finish with a career-best 8th and compatriot Barbara De Koning will feel due for a big performance on the big stage after something of a breakout year in 2024.

Hungary’s Marta Kropko narrowly missed a World Cup podium in Karlovy Vary and could be one to set the early pace again here as the 21-year-old continues to build towards a promising career at the top level.

The Spanish fans will be loud and proud for their latest talent Maria Casals Mojica, the Junior worlds bronze medallist back in 2021. Last year’s Junior World Champion Ilona Hadhoum (FRA) will be one to watch as her trajectory continues skyward, likewise teammate Candice Denizot, bronze medallist at the Valencia World Cup behind Lisa Tertsch and Olivia Mathias.

Jule Behrens is the woman who won the Junior title in 2021 and training partner of Laura Lindemann, and Lydia Russell leads the line for the USA following her Americas Cup triumph in Edmonton two months ago.

A strong Mexican contingent includes Sofia Rodriguez Moreno and Anahi Alvarez Corral, the Continental Champion at U23 last year on a run that included World Cup gold in Huatulco and an athlete who will hoover up the 10km run if she is in contention off the bike.

For the full start list, click here.

 

The biggest week of the season has arrived with the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Series Finals. The action in Torremolinos will represent the 15th edition of the Finals since the maiden event all the way back in 2009 and world titles aplenty will be on the line across the elite, U23, junior, para triathlon and age group levels.

In this article, we will bring the history of the elite WTCS Finals to the foreground. To start with, we will survey the top performers from the previous fourteen instalments. Then we will turn to the present, covering the personal histories of this year’s world title hopefuls, the trend that may swing the men’s race, and the single statistic that may have to be broken to win the 2024 WTCS.

The record book

One athlete in particular was the face of the WTCS Finals in the early years. Alistair Brownlee holds the record for most wins, with his victories coming in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014. Flora Duffy inherited the mantle of dominance and has claimed the most wins at the Series Finals, with her gold medals coming in 2016, 2017 and 2022. At the time of writing, no one else has won more than twice at a Final.

Then there are the different ways of winning. Last year, Dorian Coninx matched Kristian Blummenfelt’s 2021 record of the narrowest winning margin at a Final: a whole 0 seconds. At the other end of the spectrum, Emma Snowsill holds the record of the greatest winning margin at a Final. She soared to a spectacular victory in 2010, leading the way by 1min 42sec. Close battles have been a theme in the men’s events as 7 of the 14 editions have been won by less than 5 seconds. Alistair Brownlee actually holds the largest male margin of victory at 20 seconds from 2010. The story in the women’s field has been a little more variable. On 3 occasions, a woman has won by 5 seconds or less but on 3 further occasions a female athlete has won by over a minute. Ashleigh Gentle earned the tightest female Finals win on record with her victory by 2 seconds on home soil in 2018.

Shifting the lens to medals of any colour, Duffy and Gwen Jorgensen each have 4 apiece. Jorgensen, twice a winner and twice a silver medallist at the Finals, will be racing in Torremolinos this weekend and so has the chance to take the medals record outright. Javier Gomez Noya and Mario Mola, who won 7 WTCS titles between 2010 and 2018, have been the leading medallists at Finals. The Spanish duo have taken 6 medals over the years. 

In addition, some athletes have been staples of the Finals for over a decade. Jonathan Brownlee, Richard Murray and Joao Silva have made 11 starts at the Finals, although they will not be adding to their record total this week. Juri Ide and Ai Ueda have also made 11 starts at the WTCS Finals. Again, they will not be adding to their totals in Torremolinos. At the same time, three athletes will be joining the “11 start club” in Torremolinos: Alice Betto, Yuko Takahashi and Rachel Klamer.

The 2024 challengers

We now turn to a more personalised approach to the history of the Finals; namely, the individual records of the quartet of male and female athletes that could win this year’s world title. The standalone 2020 world championships have been excluded as they were not a full WTCS Final and it was a strange season for obvious reasons.

The men’s frontrunner, Alex Yee, has yet to make the podium at a Final. He finished 13th in 2019, 11th in 2021, and then 4th in 2022 when lost the world title in a sprint finish with Jelle Geens. The following year, Yee placed 30th in Pontevedra and consequently fell from 1st to 5th in the overall Series standings. The Paris Olympic champion thus has a point to prove when it comes to the WTCS Finals.

On the other hand, Leo Bergere has been a hugely consistent force in recent Finals. Ranked 2nd currently in the Series, he finished 12th in 2019 and then really elevated his level. He placed 3rd in 2021 after having a chance to win in the sprint finish, won the race in 2022 to storm to the world title, and then finished 4th in 2023 after being in with a late chance to win again. Based on the past three years, if there is one man that will likely be in with a shout of winning, it will be Bergere.

Hayden Wilde is in a similar boat to Yee as he pursues a maiden medal at the Finals. He finished 25th in 2019, 14th in 2021, 6th in 2022 and then 10th in 2023. Matthew Hauser finished 5th at his Finals debut in 2022, notably passing Wilde in the late stages and therefore depriving him of the world title. The Australian athlete then placed 8th in Pontevedra after battling back from a bout of COVID in the weeks prior.

Turning to the women’s Series, Cassandre Beaugrand enters as the favourite and has progressed over each of her three Finals appearances. She took 17th place in 2019 before rising to 10th at her next outing in 2022. Last year, she claimed the bronze medal in Pontevedra.

Beth Potter, the 2023 world champion, first raced at the Finals in 2019 as well; a quirk of this year’s Series is that none of the leading four contenders among the men and women raced at a WTCS Final before the Lausanne event. Potter finished 28th in 2019 and rose to 18th in 2021. It was not her day in 2022 as she took 32nd place but a year later she won the race in style.

The next two female contenders, Lisa Tertsch and Emma Lombardi, are even newer to the Finals. They made their first starts in 2022 to contrasting fortunes. Tertsch finished 43rd in Abu Dhabi while Lombardi placed 8th. A year later in Pontevedra, though, Tertsch rocketed up to 4th while Lombardi took 6th place. Experience and medal history are therefore in Beaugrand and Potter’s favour but as young and rapidly rising athletes Tertsch and Lombardi will be pushing for a first Finals medal this week.

The non-golden golden trend?

On paper, it would make sense for the WTCS Final to be a coronation of sorts, the moment at which the world champion is crowned as the best triathlete in the world. However, the men’s field has traded this approach in favour of an altogether more dramatic method.

While shock winners may not be the correct term to use here, it has nonetheless become the norm for male winners of the Series Final to triumph without taking a win in the WTCS in the same campaign. The modern trend started in 2016 with Henri Schoeman winning the Final in Cozumel. Vincent Luis in 2017 and 2018 and then Blummenfelt in 2019 continued the pattern. Like Schoeman in 2016, Blummenfelt’s 2019 victory was his first ever gold in the WTCS. Blummenfelt then broke trend in 2021 as he also came out on top in Yokohama that same year. However, the trend struck back through Bergere in 2022 and Coninx in 2023.

Prior to 2016, Gomez’s 2012 victory was the only instance of a man winning the Series Final without a previous win in the same WTCS season. This was in no small part a result of the era of Brownlee-Gomez dominance as the pair were the only men to win Finals between 2009 and 2014 and generally hoarded WTCS wins as if they were diamonds. Still, the lesson of the modern men’s Series is that a new face may just pop up at the top of the podium. Of the world title contenders, Bergere and Wilde will likely take succour from this having not yet won a WTCS race this year.

In the women’s Series, there have only been three occasions in which an athlete has won the Final without a WTCS gold medal in the same year: Snowsill in 2010, Anne Haug in 2012, and Gentle in 2018.

The cutting edge?

Mario Mola’s run split of 28:59 in Chicago in 2015 remains the fastest ever run split at a WTCS Final. Mola was also the first man to dip under the 29 minute barrier in a Final. Meanwhile, Flora Duffy’s effort of 32:27 in Abu Dhabi in 2022 stands as the best ever female run at a Final.

While the record splits may not necessarily be on the athletes’ minds in the heat of battle, there is every chance that the hunt for the world title pushes the 2024 contenders past the current benchmarks. After all, Yee and Wilde have proven their chops on multiple occasions and hold the fastest ever standard distance run splits in WTCS history. Moreover, Hauser and Beaugrand reset the WTCS sprint distance run records in Hamburg earlier this summer. For any of the current crop of challengers to come out on top, then, it may take speeds faster than we have ever seen before.

Stay up to date with all the latest in Torremolinos across all World Triathlon channels and catch all of the racing live on TriathlonLive.

The world is descending on Torremolinos, Andalucía, Spain, for the 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Championships and Championship Finals, set to make history with record participation numbers. Torremolinos, a vibrant coastal town in the heart of Andalucía, renowned for its stunning beaches, cultural heritage and lively atmosphere, will host more than 5,500 athletes from 79 nations, making this one of the biggest World Triathlon Championships in history.

More than 4,000 Age-Group triathletes from all five continents will compete for world titles, medals and personal bests at this year’s pinnacle event. Additionally, world titles will be awarded in the Elite, U23, Junior and Para Triathlon Championship events, bringing the total number of participants to 5,500 athletes.

At a recent press conference celebrating the crown jewel event on the World Triathlon calendar, key stakeholders highlighted the historic number of athletes participating in this year’s World Championships, underscoring the global significance of the World Triathlon Championships.

“When we awarded the 2024 World Triathlon Championships to Torremolinos, Andalucía, we were confident it would be an exceptional venue for our athletes and supporters. We are thrilled to see Spain once again proving its ability to host world-class triathlon events. It is a source of great pride for the region to be making history with such a strong representation from so many countries,” said Marisol Casado, President of World Triathlon and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Member.

Francisco Salado, President of the Malaga Provincial Council, highlighted the region’s extensive experience in hosting world-class sporting events. He noted that Torremolinos is a “guarantee of success” and emphasised the significant tourist and economic impact the World Triathlon Championships will have on the municipality and the entire Costa del Sol.

Margarita del Cid, Mayor of Torremolinos, celebrated the global attention the event has garnered. “With more than 5,500 athletes registered, we are confident of the event’s success, which solidifies our city’s status as a world sports capital,” she said. Del Cid also pointed out that the record participation means welcoming more than 20,000 visitors, which will bring substantial tourism benefits to the wider community.
“It is great news for triathlon that over 5,500 athletes will compete at the World Triathlon Championships, and with their supporters, we expect attendance to surpass 20,000 people from over 140 countries. This reflects the excellent growth and health of our sport,” added Del Cid.

José Hidalgo, President of the Spanish Triathlon Federation, praised the event’s stunning location, stating: “Torremolinos, along with Malaga and Andalucía, has established itself as an ideal destination for major sporting events. The combination of infrastructure, climate, and strong local support has been key in attracting such a large number of participants, making this championship a resounding success. It is a source of pride to bring Spain back onto the international triathlon map with a race of this calibre.”

2024 World Triathlon Championships Event Schedule

•  Wednesday 16 October
18:15: Parade of Nations (Meeting at 17:45)

•  Thursday 17 October
09:00h: 2024 World Triathlon U23 Championship Finals: Women
12:00h: 2024 World Triathlon U23 Championship Finals: Men
14:30h: 2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships

• Friday 18 October
10:00h 2024 World Triathlon Para Triathlon Championships
15:15h: World Triathlon Junior Championships: Junior Women
15:15h: World Triathlon Junior Championships: Junior Men

• 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

• 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

Stay up to date with all the latest in Torremolinos across all World Triathlon channels and catch all of the racing live on TriathlonLive.tv. Visit the website here, for more information including race details, expo and athlete registration.

As the world’s best triathletes gather in Torremolinos for this monumental event, the 2024 World Triathlon Championships promises to be a celebration of athleticism, international camaraderie and sporting excellence. With record-breaking participation and a backdrop of Andalucía’s culture and scenic beauty, this year’s World Triathlon Championships are set to leave an unforgettable mark on the triathlon world.

The manner of Cassandre Beaugrand’s win at Paris 2024 belies the sheer grit and resolve it took to earn that Olympic title. The margin looked somewhat comfortable as she soaked up her blue carpet moment, but the effects of the 10km battle that had raged and subsequent physical and emotional exhaustion was obvious as she lay crumpled over the finish line.

On 19 October in Torremolinos, the 27-year-old has the opportunity to do what only the great Flora Duffy has managed before: win the women’s world and Olympic titles in the same year.

As a sign of how far Beaugrand has propelled triathlon in France, finishing 2023 with the overall season silver made her the first Frenchwoman ever to secure a Series podium. In Paris, she overcame huge pressure to become not just the country’s first Olympic Champion but its first individual Olympic medallist of any colour. History maker. Cool as a cucumber. Now one win away from the perfect year.

Three race results plus those earned at the Finals count towards the final point totals - use this handy simulator to figure out who needs what to win. You can, as always, watch all the action on TriathlonLive.tv.

BEAUGRAND RISING TO THE OCCASION

Make no mistake – when Cassandre Beaugrand is on, she is a force of nature. Wins in WTCS Cagliari, WTCS Hamburg and Paris 2024 have left her with a 100% record and a 114 point lead in the rankings.

But nobody is immune to the uncontollables of Olympic-distance triathlon. In Pontevedra last year, going into the Finals as number one with a slender 32-point lead, cramps over the first half of the run allowed Beth Potter a window that she took full advantage of. The Brit put 30 seconds into Beaugrand over the 10km and became World Champion. The rivalry was ignited once more.

This time around, gold or silver in Torremolinos will confirm Beaugrand as World Champion. But also this time around, 312 points separates the top four in the rankings. In 2023, it was nearly 400 from 1st to 3rd, meaning every place counts and the impact of over a dozen athletes on the title race becomes magnified.

TOUGH TRIO OF IMMEDIATE CHALLENGERS

Leading the charge is defending champion and Olympic bronze medallist Beth Potter. The Brit may have lost the winning habit that seemed to come so naturally last year, but she will be racing free this time around. Equally, only a win is likely to be sufficient to secure a second title. Combine that with a raw competitive instinct and we should see fireworks in Spain once again.

Then there is the equally fierce spirit of Germany’s Lisa Tertsch. Just 25-years-old, she has found the form of her life in 2024, propelling Germany to Olympic Mixed Relay gold and landing an individual top 10 despite crashing on the bike. Victory in WTCS Weihai has left Tertsch just 18 points behind Potter and in the same position of needing a win and Beaugrand to finish third or lower to win what would be a remarkable world title.

France’s Emma Lombardi lies in wait in fourth. A first win at this level for the 23-year-old, fifth or lower for Beaugrand, fourth for Potter and third for Tertsch and the title would be hers.

BIG PLAYERS AND PRIZE PURSES

From there, the odds of being crowned World Champion lengthen considerably for Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR), Jeanne Lehair (LUX), Kate Waugh (GBR) and Leonie Periault (FRA), but a Series podium and a huge impact on the race remain perfectly possible. Add in German powerhouses Nina Eim and Annika Koch, American trio Gwen Jorgensen, Kirsten Kasper and Summer Rappaport, Rachel Klamer (NED) and Rosa Maria Tapia Vidal (MEX) and there are some big names capable of dramatically tipping the balance of the Series one way or another.

Gold in the Championship Finals is worth USD30,000, silver $20,000, bronze $15,000. Winning the Series and the world title is worth a whopping $70,000. The Series runner up receives $40,000 and the third place $26,000. Plenty to play for across what is a stacked Championship Finals start list.

Join us on 19 October when the start horn sounds at 15:35 local time in Torremolinos. It’s going to be one for the ages, and you can get your Pay-Per-View pass for the four-day Championship Finals HERE.

A rollercoaster of a men’s season reaches its Championship Finals zenith on 20 October in Torremolinos, when Spain’s coastal oasis welcomes the world’s best for an almighty Olympic-distance showdown for the world title.

After the race-cancelling storms of Abu Dhabi, the build-up to WTCS Yokohama – and the racing – became all the more dramatic. Since then, ranking points have been on the line at WTCS Cagliari, WTCS Hamburg, the Paris Olympic Games and WTCS Weihai, all leading up to the decisive Championship Finals Torremolinos-Andalucia.

Britain’s Alex Yee stands top of the pile, but there are more points available, more nerves on the line and more team tactics to come in, all playing their part in who emerges with the honour of being crowned 2024 World Champion.

Three race results plus the Finals count towards the final point totals. Use this handy points simulator to work the outcomes, and read on for the essentials of who needs what to win, as well as where to watch!

ALEX YEE IN THE PLACE TO BE

Maximum points. Three from three. Each one an Olympic distance, including the Olympics themselves. Alex Yee is sitting pretty on 3000 points, more than 425 points ahead of his nearest rival Leo Bergere (FRA), 525 ahead of Hayden Wilde (NZL). Can he be stopped?

To put the numbers into perspective, in 2023 Yee was also in first place going into the Finals but his advantage was just 57 points to Wilde in second place. Of course, it was Dorian Coninx (FRA) who won the sprint finish to gold and, ultimately, the world title, gobbling up a 511 point deficit with one spectacular lunge for the line.

In 2022 it was Wilde in pole position heading to the Abu Dhabi Finals. At 118 points ahead of Yee, 357 ahead of Bergere, the outcome chopped and changed over a crazy final lap as late bursts from Morgan Pearson (2), Jelle Geens (3) and Matt Hauser (5) ended up having a huge impact on the outcome and Bergere left with the title.

The bottom line: Yee can afford to finish anywhere in the top six and the title will be his.
The footnote: At the Championship Finals, we have come to expect the unexpected.

THE CONTENDERS

Should Leo Bergere win the race and Yee finish 7th or lower, it will be a second world title for the Frenchman. And, just as it was in 2022, it would be all thanks to a first win of the year, compared to his rival’s three golds. Were Bergere to take silver, Wilde the gold and Yee finish 8th or lower, Bergere would win the title by a single point over the New Zealander.

Also on the receiving end of that remarkable smash-and-grab in Abu Dhabi two years ago was Hayden Wilde. If there is a positive to be taken away from that incredible finish in Paris on top of his Olympic silver, it is the reminder that anything can happen in this sport.

Wilde will not want to leave anything to chance as he looks to ramp up the pressure on the two men in front of him, and it could give us the race of the century. If Wilde can win he moves onto 3726 points. Should Yee finish 8th or lower and Bergere 3rd or lower, the kiwi will be crowned World Champion.

THE CHASE FOR PODIUMS AND PRIZE MONEY

The odds lengthen from there for the other realistic contenders for the title. Matthew Hauser (AUS), Luke Willian (AUS), Pierre Le Corre (FRE), Csongor Lehmann (HUN) and Miguel Hidalgo (BRA) all need to win, and the results of those above them in the rankings to go their ways in fairly spectacular fashion, if they are to be in with a shot.

Gold in the Championship Finals is worth USD30,000, silver $20,000, bronze $15,000. Winning the Series and the world title is worth a whopping $70,000. The Series runner up receives $40,000 and the third place $26,000. In short, every single one of these athletes will know that a medal in Torremolinos is worth much more than its weight in gold.

Join us on 20 October when the start horn sounds at 5pm local time in Torremolinos. It’s going to be one for the ages, and you can get your Pay-Per-View pass for the four-day Championship Finals HERE. 

World Triathlon and the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) have announced a 12-year strategic partnership that will run until 2036. Following the announcement in August 2023 to collaborate on a new Official World Championship Tour of Long Distance Triathlon and then the launch of the T100 Triathlon World Tour in January 2024, World Triathlon and the PTO have taken their work together a step further by expanding their commercial relationship to grow the sport longer term.

The initial partnership term is for 12 years, running through to 2036, and will include: the sole and exclusive Official World Championship Tour of Long Distance Triathlon, Anti-doping, Safeguarding and collaboration on rights management, including sponsorship and broadcast. It also includes a framework for both parties to explore new opportunities to grow the sport together, including hosting shorter-distance events alongside the T100 Tour.

Speaking about the new announcement, the World Triathlon president and IOC member Marisol Casado said:

“Having seen three amazing Olympic Triathlon races in Paris, and just before the Championship Finals in Torremolinos and the T100 Finals in Dubai, we believe that it is both ours and PTO’s responsibility to double down on the good work that we’ve already started and use the great exposure our sport enjoys at the moment as a catalyst to grow deeper engagement with the sport’s committed fan. We also want to find a way to promote our sport to the broader sports fan. We believe we’re already starting to answer part of that question through our partnership with the PTO around the new T100 Triathlon World Tour and want to ensure we provide it with the right support and solid foundation to go from strength to strength. We will see in the near future athletes moving from the World Triathlon Championship Series to the T100 Tour, and we see more and more fans engaging with both worlds and enjoying the shorter or longer distances events alike. This brings excellent opportunities to all of us. And we want to continue embracing this cooperation and take it to further levels”

Responding on behalf of the PTO, CEO Sam Renouf said:

“We have had a very productive relationship with World Triathlon since our first event, including hosting the World Long Distance Championships alongside the Collins Cup in 2021. In working closely through the formation and then launch of the new T100 Triathlon World Tour - quickly becoming the pinnacle of long distance racing - one of the by-products has been the discussion and identification of other opportunities where we can grow the sport. By forming a 12-year partnership, both sides have the opportunity to invest together in the longer-term development of the sport.”

PTO Athlete Board member David McNamee added:

“From an athlete perspective, the introduction of the new T100 Triathlon World Tour has been a significant step forward in giving longer distance triathlon the global platform and profile we think it deserves. But along that journey, it has also highlighted other things we could explore, in order to continue taking our sport forward and to grow and engage more fans and audiences around the world. It’s an exciting time to be a professional triathlete.”

This announcement follows the two organisations introducing new anti-doping measures earlier this year.

After five T100 rounds so far this year, in Miami, Singapore, San Francisco, London and Ibiza, Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle leads the women’s T100 standings, ahead of Great Britain’s India Lee and Lucy Charles-Barclay; whilst Denmark’s Magnus Ditlev leads the men’s series from New Zealand’s Kyle Smith. The next race is the Lake Las Vegas T100 on 19-20 October.

It remains an interesting point of triathlon history that the USA, birthplace of the sport, has yet to win a men’s individual Olympic medal in the seven editions of triathlon at the Games. Mixed Relay? Of course. Back-to-back silvers in two outings is a strong return, and Gwen Jorgensen’s triumph at Rio 2016 remains the high water mark in the country’s Olympic history in the sport. Will the next four years produce a US men’s medallist?

At last month’s WTCS Weihai, the top male American finisher was 23-year-old John Reed. Crossing the line in 15th, it was a result that sees him knocking on the door of the Series top 20, one place above none other than Kristian Blummenfelt. All of which suggests that Reed is the real deal.

On the latest episode of the World Triathlon Podcast, we caught up with Reed from his training base in Vichy, France, as he prepares for a final shot at the U23 world title at the World Triathlon Championship Finals Torremolinos. A medal there would be the perfect fuel for a huge Olympic cycle towards LA 2028, and the crowning achievement of a breakthrough season so far.

“Ryan (Bolton, John’s coach) and I were talking in the lead up to the race in Weihai, I think we both thought there’s potential for it to be really good. And he was like, ‘dude, if you end up in a situation with medalists to your right and medalists to your left, don’t back off, just be comfortable. You ended up in that position for a reason’. Obviously it didn’t happen, but that’s just how we entered into it and you got to fake it ‘til you make it!”

Watch the men’s U23 World Championships on TriathlonLive.tv from midday on Thursday 17 October.

Listen to the full interview with John Reed on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Building to the complete triathlete

“I actually have a swim background, which hopefully starts showing up sometime,” says Reed in typically self-deprecating fashion. He was just 30 seconds off the torpedo-like Matt Hauser after 1500m in Weihai and came out of the lake 9 seconds off mighty Mark Devay in Karlovy Vary. “I swam throughout high school and then didn’t really get recruited anywhere that I really wanted to go college-wise.

Then COVID hit and things took the twist that leads him to being in with a realistic shot of a U23 world title. “I was like, I’m pretty burnt out. I’m done with this. I wanted to stay relatively fit, so I picked up biking and I was trying to run a little bit.”

Inevitably a few aches and pains also had to be negotiated as he made the transition from pool to track. “Coming from just swimming,  every other week it was just a different thing; shins, hips, ankles, whatever. But I really liked biking so I was just out on a super old Cervelo with a Walmart helmet and a sleeveless kit. And I just looked like an idiot probably, but I had a lot of fun. And then I went to University of Utah and my freshman year, honestly, just rode around a little bit. It was fun exploring Utah.”

“Then, end of my freshman year, I got plugged in with a coach out there,  Wes Johnson, and he totally just immersed me into everything short course. I hadn’t swam in a year, and I was pretty horrific runner, and he built a team around and did a lot with biomechanics on my run and just developed and pushed me.”

From first starts to continental champion

From there it was a qualifier to get his elite license and within two years the continental title – elite and U23 – were his, confirming the arrival of a bright new talent. It was too late for Paris, though there were brief conversations about his availability as an alternate, but with LA 2028 on the horizon, the goal for the coming two years looks clear.

“Not that I was really in the mix, but just to I guess be in that conversation of, oh yeah, ‘maybe you could go to the Olympics as an alternate’ or whatever, it was just pretty insane.

“And, and I’m honoured to be a part of that, but yeah, hopefully I’ll just continue to build momentum. There’s a lot of good guys older than me from the US right now. And then there’s a lot of very talented and hardworking juniors and guys younger than me. It’ll be super competitive, but hopefully the guys that get to go really earn the spots and I want to… I hope we’re fighting for medals in LA… Home Games, we got to show up!”

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How you look at WTCS Torremolinos, the final race of the WTCS season, is a matter of perspective. For plenty of observers and fans of the sport, it is easy to wonder how we arrived here so quickly. Under this outlook, it feels like the season started only five minutes ago and we are left to wonder where it, like the rest of the summer, has gone. Then there are the athletes. Those that have been on the Olympic grind will have covered plenty of ground, as much psychologically as physically and perhaps even more so through air miles, and will regard the start of this season as though it was a distant chapter of history.

Whether the season has been long or short, it has raised pulses for all on either side of the blue carpet through several truly scintillating races. Before the 2024 world champions will be crowned at the WTCS Final in Torremolinos-Andalucia, it is time to take stock of where we stand and how we got here.

WTCS Yokohama – Periault and Pearson lay down early markers

An early curveball was thrown in the season when the forced cancellation of WTCS Abu Dhabi meant a postponed start to the Series. With the athletes back to training for another two months, there was no tangible hint of where everyone’s form stood and how they might perform. WTCS Yokohama thus became the new season opener while it also had the added dimension of shaping Olympic qualification. The stage was set for an explosive round of action. Naturally, Yokohama did not disappoint.

In the men’s race, Morgan Pearson (USA) powered a maiden WTCS win on the back of a storming run split. Pearson had enjoyed a mixed history in Yokohama. In 2021 he had earned a first WTCS medal at the event but in 2023 he suffered one of the worst runs of his career. At the start of this season, though, he planted his flag as a possible Olympic contender. Luke Willian (AUS) was one of the few men capable of living with Pearson on the run. Although he was eventually passed by countryman Matthew Hauser and denied the silver medal, Willian nonetheless held on for 3rd place, a personal best WTCS finish, and an unforgettable way of sealing his Olympic ticket.

Leonie Periault (FRA) was the star of the women’s show. Like Pearson, she claimed a first WTCS win with her Yokohama performance and turned plenty of heads with her sensational running speed. After her French teammates Cassandre Beaugrand and Emma Lombardi had attracted attention for their overall podium finishes in the 2023 WTCS, Periault served a timely reminder of her own Olympic credentials. Lombardi would take bronze in Yokohama to launch her own Paris campaign behind Taylor Knibb (USA).

WTCS Cagliari – Beaugrand and Yee fire warning shots

Two weeks later, the action returned at WTCS Cagliari. It was on this day that athletes could log their final score of the Olympic qualification window and Paris places remained up in the air for multiple countries. Moreover, Cagliari marked the opening appearances of the likes of 2023 world champion Beth Potter (GBR), Beaugrand, Alex Yee (GBR), Hayden Wilde (NZL) and more. With only two months to go until the Games, it was time for several key players to show their hands.

Yee came out on top in the men’s race with a last-ditch attack against his eternal rival Wilde. Remarkably, the pair were never separated by more than a second in any single discipline, highlighting just how evenly-matched they had become heading into Paris. Taking bronze on the day was Csongor Lehmann (HUN) as the 2021 World U23 champion stepped onto the Series podium for the first time.

Over in the women’s race, this was the moment we saw a new flash of steel in Beaugrand’s arsenal. Heading into the close, she was put on the back foot against Potter, Lombardi and Lisa Tertsch (GER), the latter of whom had already beaten her at the Europe Cup in Quarteira earlier in the year. Whereas Beaugrand might have once cracked under such an attack, in Cagliari she rallied and launched a counter of her own. Only Tertsch could respond but Beaugrand would not be denied a first ever WTCS win over the standard distance. Tertsch took the silver for her efforts, a best ever WTCS showing on her part, while Potter reminded the field of her class in 3rd place.

When all was said and done in Cagliari, Willian and Lombardi assumed leadership of the overall standings after enjoying better races than Pearson and Periault.

WTCS Hamburg – Beaugrand at it again while Hauser impresses

We then turned to the iconic stop in Hamburg in July for the only sprint distance action of the 2024 Series. With the race falling less than three weeks out from the Olympic Games, tapers and strategies were mixed. The men’s Cagliari podium opted against racing but their Yokohama counterparts were raring to go. By contrast, the women’s Cagliari podium were all primed to battle again with only Lombardi from the Yokohama top-3 back for more.

The men’s race belonged to Matthew Hauser as he added a gold medal to his Yokohama silver, although his success did not come without an immense contest. Vasco Vilaca (POR), himself back from a crash in Yokohama that also downed 2023 world champion Dorian Coninx (FRA), secured the silver medal while Pierre Le Corre (FRA) came through for 3rd place after rubber-stamping his Olympic berth in Cagliari. Further back, an 11th place for Willian was enough to hold off Hauser in the overall standings having raced three times to Hauser’s two.

It was a case of rinse and repeat in the women’s race. In a replication of the Cagliari podium, Beaugrand held off a furious late charge from Tertsch to take the win and Potter settled for bronze. As with Willian in the men’s standings, Lombardi held onto her overall Series lead. Her 5th place in Hamburg helped to keep her ahead of Tertsch, who had previously finished 14th in Yokohama as her third score.

Paris Olympic Games – Beaugrand and Yee crowned Olympic champions

At the end of July, the big show arrived. The Paris Olympic Games had been the guiding star for virtually every athlete in the WTCS. As was the case in 2021 with the Tokyo Olympics, Paris counted towards the WTCS with the same 1000 points on offer as a standard distance Series race. In addition to etching their name into Olympic history, then, those pushing for a medal had a massive opportunity to advance their world title hopes.

In the most exhilarating of finales, Yee reeled in and passed Wilde in the final few hundred metres in the men’s race. With a lap to go and a mere 2.5km of running left, Wilde had led his great rival by 14 seconds. All of the closeness of Cagliari had evaporated as Wilde put everything into a move that would shape his Olympic fortunes. Yet Yee held firm. The bronze medal went to Leo Bergere (FRA) as the 2022 world champion held off Le Corre in a frantic final lap.

Two factors denied an identical women’s podium for the third straight race. The first was the crash that knocked Tertsch from the lead pack on the bike when well set. The second was the outstanding performance from Julie Derron (SUI). Having never medalled in the WTCS before, Derron was not on a lot of people’s list of favourites prior to the race. Nevertheless, a powerful bike split brought her up to the lead pack and then she unleashed the run of her life to claim 2nd place.

The win went to Beaugrand as she produced one of the most memorable home team moments of the Games while Potter claimed a third consecutive bronze medal. With her podium coming at the Olympics some eight years after competing in Rio de Janeiro in another sport, it will likely stand as one of the most special of her career.

WTCS Weihai – Tertsch triumphs as Yee confirms ascendancy

At the inaugural WTCS Weihai, Alex Yee restated his class as he took a third win from three appearances in the 2024 Series. With each of his victories coming over the standard distance, he holds a perfect record and the maximum available 3000 points heading into the Series Final. Bergere pounced for the silver medal while young Miguel Hidalgo (BRA) rounded out the podium with his first ever WTCS medal. Meanwhile, disappointing days for the likes of Hauser and Le Corre saw them fail to improve upon their existing points totals. Willian and Wilde made up some ground, albeit not to the extent they may have hoped, with the latter managing only 7th place in Weihai.

In the absence of Beaugrand and Periault, a new face was guaranteed atop the women’s podium. With Lombardi also out, there was also scope for a shake-up at the top of the women’s Series standings. Tertsch ultimately proved unstoppable as she powered to the first WTCS win of her career, building upon her pair of silver medals from earlier in the season. Having led into T1 and ripped an electrifying run split, the German athlete delivered a truly complete performance.

Potter recorded her best finish of the season by taking 2nd place, a result that provided a welcome boost to her overall points total. Her compatriot Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) completed the podium, taking a first medal of the 2024 Series. The outcome of WTCS Weihai thus saw no changes at the top of the leaderboard as Yee and Beaugrand held firm. In the places behind, however, there were plenty of significant shifts.

WTCS Torremolinos - the end is nigh

And so we come to the end. Such has been the irrepressible form of Beaugrand and Yee in 2024, it would be a bold move to bet against the Olympic champions. Neither has lost a Series race yet this season and each holds a comfortable lead over their nearest rivals.

Bergere, the 2022 world champion, is best-placed to beat Yee to the Series crown. However, with 2572.08 points to his name the French Olympic medallist has an awful lot of ground to make up. Even a win and the full 1250 points that would follow would not suffice for Bergere should Yee also finish inside the top-6 in Torremolinos. Wilde finds himself in a similar situation. The New Zealander occupies 3rd place overall with 2476.40 points and will need something sensational to happen for him to claim the world title. If the examples of 2022 and 2023 are anything to go by, though, it would be unwise to rule anything out, no matter how improbable it may seem.

Beyond the race for the world title, the contest for the remaining spots on the overall podium remains very much alive. Hauser (2301.40 points), Willian (2112.24 points) and Le Corre (2110.36 points) could conceivably deny Bergere and Wilde, both of whom made the overall podium in 2022 and 2023. As a race winner already this season, Hauser in particular will fancy his chances of producing something special.

Over in the women’s standings, Beaugrand’s perfect season has earned 2750 points; her win over the sprint distance in Hamburg was worth 750 points and so puts her short of Yee’s total of 3000 points. The racing in Weihai saw Lombardi (2438.53 points) slip to 4th place overall, behind Potter (2636.26 points) and Tertsch (2618.75 points). Lombardi appears to have enough of a gap to hold off Taylor-Brown (2210.01 points) from 5th place although catching the women ahead of her will be no mean feat. At the same time, a win for Potter or Tertsch could prove enough to snatch away the world title, although their fate will be out of their hands. As things stand, then, Beaugrand has one hand on the Series crown, even if she has less room for manoeuvre than Yee. When it comes to the WTCS Final, though, anything can happen.

A fascinating end to the WTCS season is therefore in store. Be sure not to miss out on any of the Torremolinos action next week and you can watch the races live on TriathlonLive.

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games are over, leaving behind unforgettable memories, successes, unexpected twists, dramas, and glories that will be remembered and cherished by athletes, coaches, fans, and the entire triathlon community for years to come.

What did we learn from the individual triathlon races, from the best triathletes in the world? What were the winning strategies? How did the River Seine drive us insane? How did athletes adapt to the ever changing and challenging conditions? Did patience, positioning, or mental resilience help? What are the lessons to digest and take away?

The World Triathlon Paris 2024 Olympic Games Individual Race Reviews provide in-depth analysis of critical moments from the Olympic races, offering valuable insights for athletes, coaches, technical officials, event organisers and triathlon fans.

Researched and compiled by World Triathlon’s Education and Development Team, these reviews break down pivotal performances, highlight strategic decisions, and identify specific requirements for achieving world-class results. They serve as a critical resource for understanding race dynamics, showcasing coaching takeaways, and pinpointing areas for improvement at the highest level of competition.

Designed to enhance performance knowledge, the reviews focus on helping athletes and coaches refine their strategies while giving fans a deeper appreciation of the demands of Olympic-level triathlon.

To access the Race Reviews, please go to Course: 2024 Paris Olympic Games Race Reviews | Education Hub (triathlon.org)

Subscription fee: 12 USD

Subscribe now and immerse yourself in the thrilling Triathlon Olympic Races of Paris 2024.