World Triathlon

The 2023 Alhandra World Triathlon Para Cup saw the perfect combination of new faces and some of the greatest Para triathletes of the moment that are continuing the chase for valuable qualification points on the road to Paris 2024.

PTWC
Expected victory of Giovanni Achenza (ITA), ahead of his teammate Giuseppe Romele, who missed the points in Pontevedra due to missing a buoy on the swim course and being disqualified, on what was a blow for his chances to qualifying for the Paris 24 Paralympic Games. His second place in Alhandra put in on 7h place on the rankings currently, providing great points. The bronze medal was for Frenchman Louis Noel, one of the youngest athlete on this category, and that proved that he is in great shape and on the good path to qualify for the Paralympics on home soil.

On the women’s side, with the absence of the two dominant females this season -Lauren Parker and Kendall Gretsch- it was Brazillian Jessica Ferreira who crossed the finish line in first place, with a clear lead over Melissa Nicholls (GBR), who was over one minute slower on the swim and was trying to catch up for the whole duration of the race, while Emelia Perry (USA) grabbed the bronze medal.

PTS2
As expected, Jules Ribstein (FRA) dominated the field to claim another victory only two weeks after his fourth world title won in Pontevedra. The laureated Frenchman crossed the finish line over three minutes ahead of his teammate Stephane Bahier (FRA), silver medal on the day, followed by Gianluca Valori (ITA), back on the podium after his bronze medal at the European Championships this year.

The women’s category is still one with not so many athletes competing, but in Alhandra it was Cecile Saboureau (FRA) who got the victory, with a clear lead over Neele Ludwig (GER), both of them grabbing some very valuable points on the rankings.

PTS3
On the PTS3 men’s category, Germany’s Mark Gelhaar confirmed his momentum, consolidating another podium position this season. The young German has been on the podium on every race he has started since 2022, procing that he is one to be considered as medal contender for his the debut of this class at the Paralympic Games in Paris next summer. Silver medal was for one of the new faces of the sport, Great Britain’s Henry Urand, stepping on an international podium for the first time on his career at only 21 years of age. Bronze medallist was Spain’s Diego Lardon Ferrer, another athlete that is pushing to get the Paralympic qualification. On the women’s side, it was Coline Grabinski (FRA) who crossed the finish line in first place.

PTS4
Surprise victory on the PTS4 men’s category for Benoit Berthon (FRA), an athlete new to the sport that made his debut in June at the European Championships. Berthon competed as a junior on the able body categories, and is now quickly moving up the rankings on the category, fighting for the Paris 2024 Paralympics qualification. In Alhandra, Berthon managed to beat Antonio Franko (CRO) by just a couple of seconds, while Finley Jakes (GBR) crossed the finish line in third place.

Marta Frances Gomez (ESP) was the winner on the women’s PTS4 category, showing once again that she is in great form after her silver medal at the 2023 World Championships in Pontevedra. A former Paralympic swimmer, it was her two minute lead out of the water what allowed her to finish in the first place with Camille Seneclauze (FRA) behind her in second place. The bronze medal was for Hannah Moore (GBR), back on the blue carpet this year after almost two years out of the sport.

PTS5
The Men’s PT5 class saw the much awaited victory of local hero Filipe Marques (POR), who repeated the victory in Alhandra after his first ever international podium in the same venue just one year ago. Second crossing the finish line was Bence Mocsari (HUN), with almost two minutes over the third man on the finish, Turkey’s Ugurcan Ozer.

Claire Cashmore (GBR) had a solid performance to claim another victory on the women’s race, crossing the finish line with over four minutes with Gwladys Lemoussu (FRA) and Marta Dzieciątkowska (POL), who finished in second and third place respectively.

PTVI
The race was dominated by Dave Ellis, proving once more that he is the one to beat in this Paralympic cycle after his solids wins in Pontevedra World Championships and the Paris Test Event. The second place was for the French athlete Thibaut Rigaudeau, while the bronze on the day was for the silver medallist in Tokyo Paralympics Hector Catala, who had a heat stroke during the race.

On the women’s side, first ever victory for Anja Renner (GER), who made her debut on the sport this season and is quickly climbing up the rankings to try to qualify for what would be her first Paralympic Games. She was half a minute faster than Heloise Courvoisier, from France, despite the French athlete clocking the fastest bike split on the day. The bronze medal was for Francesca Tarantello (ITA), who was expecting more from this race after her stunning performance in Pontevedra to claim the PTVI World Title.