For the first time in over ten years, WTCS London is back. The race comes straight off the back of the thriller that was WTCS Hamburg, with a two-week turnaround between the two stops, and as such there will be plenty of crossover between the two fields. And with every WTCS race winner since the start of 2023 scheduled to race in London there will be no shortage of fireworks. Read on to find out all you need to know about the start list below.
Who’s there?
What with this being a homecoming to a city that steeped in so much triathlon history, from the WTCS London editions of old to the 2012 London Olympic Games, the event could do with the home team providing the spark to really ignite the weekend. Luckily, the British selectors got the memo and have put forward a dazzling array of talent.
Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) is the only woman on the team to have tasted a Series win on home soil (as a winner in Leeds in 2019) and will be one of the favourites for the podium alongside teammate and fellow Olympic medallist Beth Potter (GBR).
With WTCS medallists Sophie Evans (GBR) and Olivia Mathias (GBR) also set to race, plus World Cup medallists Tilly Anema (GBR), Jess Fullagar (GBR) and Sian Rainsley (GBR), the British cohort is the deepest and potentially the strongest on the start list.
At the same time, the Brits will have to find a way past the unbeaten-this-year Cassandre Beaurand (FRA). One thing that will define the Olympic champion’s race in London is a rule of three. For starters, the winner in Alghero and Quiberon will hunt a third Series win of the year. In addition, she has also won on British soil twice already (in Leeds in 2022 and Sunderland in 2023) and as such is looking to a third win across the Channel. Serial WTCS medallists Leonie Periault and Emma Lombardi will join Beaugrand in London.
World champion Lisa Tertsch (GER) is another that is likely to play a big role in the race. She is the only woman besides Beaugrand and Periault to have won over the sprint distance in the Series since the start of 2024. WTCS medallist Tanja Neubert (GER) and World Cup medallist Franka Rust (GER) will accompany Tertsch on the start line.
Taylor Knibb (USA) continues her return to short course racing after her recent silver medal at the Tiszaujvaros World Cup. If her performance in Hungary is anything to go by, she could shape the fortunes of a possible breakaway in London. This could play into the hands of teammate Taylor Spivey (USA), who medalled in similar circumstances in Karlovy Vary last year.
World Cup medallists Erica Ackerlund (USA) and Gina Sereno (USA) are also due to race while the American team is completed by Gwen Jorgensen (USA) who has the unique distinction of being the only woman (or man) starting to have won a WTCS London race before; she did so at the last ever edition in 2015.
The start list only gets more robust the further one scrolls through it. With the exception of four teams, every other country sending more than one woman has entered either a WTCS medallist, a World Cup winner or a World U23 champion. This group covers Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Hungary, Australia and more.
Bianca Seregni (ITA), twice a WTCS medallist in 2025, leads an Italian trio containing Verena Steinhauser (ITA) and Carlotta Missaglia (ITA). Nicole Van Der Kaay (NZL), a WTCS medallist at Hamburg in 2021 and a World Cup winner, likewise heads up a New Zealand trio alongside Brea Roderick (NZL) and Eva Goodisson (NZL).
Spain will be represented by World Cup medallists in the women’s event with Sara Guerrero Manso, Miriam Casillas Garcia and Marta Pintanel Raymundo pencilled in to start. Meanwhile, 2024 World U23 champion Karolina Helga Horváth (HUN) will look to make her dent in the Series alongside Zsanett Kuttor-Bragmayer (HUN).
Horváth’s successor as World U23 champion, Australia’s Richelle Hill, will also toe the start line in London. She will race alongside World Cup winner Sophie Malowiecki (AUS). World Cup winners Diana Isakova (AIN) and Valentina Riasova (AIN) are in, as is Carina Reicht (AUT), who won a maiden World Cup last autumn, and starts for Austria alongside Therese Feuersinger (AUT).
The final World Cup winner in this group is Petra Kurikova (CZE), who is also the fourth mother on the start list (alongside Evans, Jorgensen and Kuttor-Bragmayer). Her teammate in London will be World Cup medallist Tereza Zimovjanova (CZE).
As mentioned, four teams with two or more women racing cannot call upon a WTCS medallist or World Cup winner. However, this by no means diminishes the impact they could have on the race.
For instance, Djenyfer Arnold (BRA), the 2025 Americas champion, goes alongside Vittoria Lopes (BRA) for Brazil. Multiple World Cup medallist Roksana Slupek (POL) will race with Matylda Wojakiewicz (POL), while Switzerland will send World Cup medallists Alissa Konig and Cathia Schär. Furthermore, double World U23 Championships medallist Maria Tomé (POR) partners Mariana Vargem (POR). Every single team, then, can call upon at least one major hitter.
Finally, we have the athletes that are the sole entrants for their respective countries. WTCS gold medallists Jeanne Lehair (LUX) and Tilda Månsson (SWE) headline this group. WTCS medallist Jolien Vermeylen (BEL) is also in and will be joined by fellow World Cup winner Maria Carolina Velasquez Soto (COL).
Hollie Elliott (IRL), who formerly raced under British colours, will start for Ireland while Tjasa Vrtacic (SLO), Sophia Howell (CAN), Barbara De Koning (NED) and Diana Dunajska (SVK) complete the start list.
Who’s not there?
Laura Lindemann (GER) is the only athlete in the top-25 of the WTCS not slated to start in London. Also missing out will be WTCS medallist Rosa Maria Tapia Vidal (MEX) and recently crowned Americas champion Danielle Orie (USA).
View the full start list here and stay up to date with all the latest on WTCS London across all World Triathlon channels ahead of the big day on Saturday 25th July.