Out of a huge pack of 33 athletes pouring off their bikes and into transition, it was Mexico's Ana Maria Torres who successfully picked her way to the front of the 5km run and accelerated clear of the field to run her way to a brilliant maiden World Cup gold in Huatulco on Sunday morning. 

With the heat cranking up even at the 6.30am start, it was Torres who dealt with the conditions best and executed her race beautifully after Noelia Juan had also looked strong early on, the Spaniard eventually settling for third behind USA's Kelly Wetteland who had run clear into second for a fine debut podium and some precious LA28 qualification points. 

'That's my first World Cup win and my first ever win actually!' said a thrilled Torres. 'Thanks to everyone here, my team, my parents and my country, it's a dream for me!'

Legault hot off the mark
The majority of the top 10 athletes took to the right of the beach start, and it was Canada’s Emy Legault who went out like a bullet and set the early pace in the 750m swim. 

Then it was Kelly Wetteland to the front and the American led Legault out of the water, Rosa Maria Tapia (MEX) well set and where she wanted to be in third, followed by the 2025 champion Carolina Velasquez (COL), Danielle Orie (USA) also well set.

Spanish duo of Juan and Maria Casals, Naomi Ruff (USA) and Constanza Arpinelli were all around 20 seconds back and pressing through transition to try and catch on. 

It wasn’t long into the 4-lap, 20km bike that 20 athletes started to merge and, by the end of lap one, Isla Britton (CAN) looked to make the first move but her break came to nothing and the pace slowed once more as 33 athletes all came together onto lap two. 

Ruff slid out on lap three to end her challenge, back up albeit looking sore, but that did nothing to split the pack up, and it was a huge group of 36 headed by Noelia Juan and Isla Britton as they hit the second transition, Legault and Clement towards the back of the bunch. 

Rosa Tapia and Maria Casals were 10 places off the front and it was a slow transition from Velasquez that left her trailing some 15 seconds off the leaders.

Torres and Juan set the pace early on in the two-lap run as they looked to take the race to their rivals, then the Mexican began to kick on and had opened up a useful gap at the 1km mark. 

Meanwhile the Venezuelan talent Rosa Martinez, Italy’s Asia Marcatelli and another Mexican Marcela Alvarez were trying to close the gap, but at the bell it was out to 10 seconds with, Juan, Wetteland, Maria Casals and Julia Hauser just adrift of the front.  

And there seemed no danger of Torres having gone too soon as the gap stretched out even further and the Mexican was able to cruise home looking in complete control, taking the tape for a first World Cup win by 6 seconds seconds. Wetteland broke clear into second, Noelia Juan announcing her return to racing with third. Fourth went to another Mexican, Marcela Alvarez, Maria Casals with fifth.

Kelly Wetteland:
'It really just came down to being smart and not overdoing it too early, being focussed on a good race... it was so much fun. There were so many people (in that bike pack), one came down I hope they're okay, but it's a testament to everyone's skills we were able to stay up. I'm going to keep going and doing my thing and being grateful. Thanks to my parents and everyone watching!'

Noelia Juan:
'Im super happy with this podium. In 2023 I fell off the international races, so I put everything in to get third and i'm so happy. I have been working on my positioning and super happy with my transition to start the run in front but Torres went so fast from the beginning!'