It was always going to be them. The past three champions of the WTCS, Lisa Tertsch (GER), Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) and Beth Potter (GBR), dominated the women’s race at WTCS Weihai, sweeping the podium on the back of the fastest 10km run splits of the season. Neither Potter nor Tertsch, however, had an answer to Beaugrand’s imperious final attack on the run as the Olympic champion claimed a fourth win from four in 2026 and heads to the WTCS Final with a perfect points record and the Series lead.

“This one was definitely not easy,” said Beaugrand. “I was feeling great on the swim, great on the bike. I was a bit scared because the last time I raced in the rain was Yokohama (in 2025 where she crashed out) so it was not completely good but at least I did it. The run was quite hard with Beth pushing the pace. I just tried my best to keep up and trust my finish.”

Over the two-lap 1500m swim, Tilly Anema (GBR) led from Vittoria Lopes (BRA) and Beaugrand. For the latter, it was a welcome return to aquatic form after a self-described “sleepy” swim at the previous round in London. Beaugrand was then in fine form through T1, leading Anema, Kirsten Kasper (USA) and Kanae Takenaka (JPN) in a small escaping pack on the bike.

The field would mostly come together, though, as a pack over thirty women merged. Cathia Schär (SUI) was among the strongest cyclists while Diana Isakova (AIN), Roksana Slupek (POL) and Gwen Jorgensen (USA) looked to position themselves as possible spoilers to the Beaugrand-Potter-Tertsch axis.

It was Tertsch that then showed off her transition skills, the German exiting T2 first with teammates Julia Bröcker (GER) and Tanja Neubert (GER) on her heels. However, Tertsch’s early advantage was short-lived and she was soon joined by Potter and Beaugrand at the front.

Before the end of the first of the four run laps, the three champions had separated themselves from the rest, all but sewing up the medals. Isakova was the closest of the possible challengers but leaked seconds like water through a sieve.

Behind, Slupek enjoyed a brilliant run to challenge Isakova for 4^th place. The pair had a fantastic battle as Jorgensen lurked with home hopefuls Anqi Huang (CHN) and Xinyu Lin (CHN) for company. Yet by the end of penultimate last lap it seemed Isakova had gained the upper hand.

Entering the final lap, Potter tried to lift an already rapid pace. The British athlete possessed the previous fastest 10km split of the season but every checkpoint in Weihai indicated that that would be smashed. Tertsch was the first to struggle as the tempo told but Beaugrand looked to be in total control.

It duly proved as such when, with a kilometre remaining, Tertsch fell back and Beaugrand surged into an unassailable lead. Potter fought valiantly, but as has been a recurring sight this season, the Olympic champion simply soared away to gold. Four wins and a perfect 4000 points puts control of this year’s Series firmly in Beaugrand’s hands. On this evidence, she is highly unlikely to relinquish it.

Potter then crossed in 2^nd while Tertsch secured the bronze medal. If anyone thought the drama would be confined to the Big Three, however, they were to be sorely wrong.

In a helter-skelter finish, Huang, on her Series debut, came flying down the home straight to nab a phenomenal 4^th place over Jorgensen. Slupek then crossed in 6^th place having got the better of a fading Isakova and a hard-finishing Desirae Ridenour (CAN). Then, 9^th place went to Lin as the home team put not just one but two athletes in a WTCS top-10 for the first time ever.