It was a day to right a wrong for David Cantero del Campo (ESP). A week earlier, his anticipated rematch against Manoel Messias (BRA) at the San Pedro de la Paz World Cup fell flat as Cantero did not finish and Messias did not make it into the lead pack that dictated the race. With a point to prove, Cantero travelled across Chile to Iquique. This time, he made sure he would leave with the gold medal.
“In San Pedro what went wrong was I got sickness from Thursday (some fever, headache, general pain),” he explained, “so I thought maybe I could recover in time for the race but it wasn’t possible. I tried to start the race and see if maybe during it the body could still fight for it, but it was impossible. So I just tried to recover as fast as possible for Iquique and the body felt good (in Iquique). Not 100% but quite good.”
Quite good turned out to be enough for a seventh medal from his past nine World Cup starts (including the illness-hit day in San Pedro de la Paz). What does the double WTCS medallist have to say on becoming the one of the biggest fish in the World Cup pond?
“I really enjoy racing World Cups a lot because it’s not maybe the same pressure you can feel as in the WTCS and I’m able to enjoy other things usually I can’t.”
That is not to say the racing is ever easy, as was the case in Iquique as Cantero was pushed all the way by Antonio Serrat Seoane (who finished 3rd), the up-and-coming Middaugh brothers (Sullivan and Porter, who placed 2nd) and San Pedro winner Morgan Pearson. “I think by doing a proper good swim and bike with my running skills, I can be able to fight for the podium in most World Cup races, but still the level is so high and I always find some really tough opponents!”
One athlete to double-down on recent success in Chile was Annie Fuller (USA). After breaking into the top-10 on her World Cup debut in San Pedro de la Paz, this time the American went even better as she placed 5th. The difference between the two events was that Fuller made the breakaway at the weekend.
Of that point, she said, “I was very happy to have a solid swim and T1 to make the breakaway. After realising the importance last week, I decided to really commit to a great T1 and making the group. The beach start also helped me a tonne, I love a good run into the water.”
Reflecting on her year, Fuller said, “I am very happy with the season so far. It's been quite the journey with me for a few years of injury and learning to swim. This might be the last race of my season. I'm not 100% sure yet if I'll add another race but I'm certainly happy to end it here if it is.”
One athlete likely to end the season happier than he was earlier on in the year is David Lang of Luxembourg. After not quite hitting his stride in the first half of the season, he ends 2026 with a first international win under his belt (an Asia Cup) and now a maiden World Cup top-10 in Iquique.
“I had a more difficult start into the season,” he noted, “so I couldn't get the results I wanted. But now at the end of the season everything is working pretty well and at both races in Chile I was able to achieve the results I wanted.”
Finishing in 9th place to Lang’s 8th was Daniel Van Aardt (GBR). A contemporary of Lang with both being born in 2005, it has been a whirlwind past twelve months for the Brit.
“To think that it was only the end of last year when I did my first European Cup, it has been a huge step up in not a lot of time.”
In what can be effectively considered his first full year of international racing, Van Aardt has made great strides, earning selection for the World U23 Championships as well as making his World Cup debut in San Pedro de la Paz; Iquique was his second start. Now it has come to an end, how does he look back on his campaign?
“Earning the selection for Europeans and Worlds was a very ambitious target at the start of the year, same with World Cups, and getting those chances were the proudest moments in my career so far. It is a completely different dynamic of racing against these top guys, but one that I enjoy. I love the pressure so much, and giving it my all to the line.”
Having made his first top-10 – and beaten multiple World Cup medallists to boot (there were four alone in the nine positions behind him) – Van Aardt seems set to return to this level next year. Crucially, this result has come at a perfect time to silence some self-doubt and lock in for 2027.
“Both World Cups really proved to me my potential. No matter what I’ve been told, I have really struggled to believe people in my corner about my ability. I guess I haven’t fully believed in myself, and I just needed to get that breakthrough result to comprehend what I might be capable of.”
“I am truthfully not a great pool swimmer, so I’ve always had an underlying uncertainty about how the swim will go, but both swims, in completely different conditions, went great. But also my run: I ran a 13:53 5km last year, but off the bike it’s always been a different story. I think it’s been all the conditioning we’ve done this year adding up but it was so nice to execute that run today, a first for me especially in the heat. It’s a big boost. We have such a good group in Loughborough, and luckily I love winter training. I am confident that next year will be even more successful, and honestly I can’t wait. There’s a long way to go.”
