Ladies and gentlemen, we have a shoot-out. WTCS Weihai was exactly what the doctor ordered, both in terms of racing drama and in ensuring the women’s WTCS Final will be a winner-takes-all showdown between the 2023 and 2024 world champions. What comes next in Wollongong will truly be a sight to see. Moreover, Weihai saw the continued charge of the biggest surprise of the men’s campaign, opening the possibility of a final podium that, back in February, no one saw coming. Find out exactly how the rankings have changed below.

The Women’s Series Rankings

Step two: complete. Following wins in Karlovy Vary and Weihai, Beth Potter (GBR) faces her third and final step in her impossible mission of rallying to 4^th overall to take down the world and Olympic champion. Potter’s two wins and a silver combine for 2925 points, an identical record and total to Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA).

How important will Beaugrand’s bike crash in Yokohama prove? Will her decision to skip Karlovy Vary and Weihai come back to haunt her? Or how significant will 4 seconds become, the margin by which Potter and Beaugrand lost gold in Yokohama and Hamburg, respectively? There are so many questions that will follow this clash to the Final and beyond. All that matters at this point, though, is that whichever of Potter and Beaugrand crosses the line first in Wollongong will almost certainly become world champion.

Emphasis on almost. After all, Jeanne Lehair (LUX) remains within striking distance in 3^rd place with a tally of 2716.45 points. She will need both Potter and Beaugrand to miss the podium at the Final while matching her own stunning Yokohama-winning levels. But that is not out of the question. A sudden downpour could raise all kinds of Yokohama-related memories for Beaugrand while Potter missed the podium in Alghero and French Riviera. Lehair’s challenge is not beyond her. As such, it would be remiss to solely consider the world title fight a two horse race, even if we have two clear favourites.

Next in the standings is Lisa Tertsch (GER) who gained a place thanks to a fourth medal of the season in Weihai. She now has 2636.26 points and will be gunning for Lehair. Having missed the overall podium last season, Tertsch will be loath to settle for 4^th place again. If she beats Lehair in Wollongong, the elusive slot will realistically be hers.

Leonie Periault (FRA) was in the same boat as Beaugrand and Lehair in choosing against racing in Weihai. Her points total (2587.72) is therefore unchanged. Closing in behind her, however, is Taylor Spivey (USA). The American slid up another spot to 6^th with another strong result; she now has 2342.85 points. It will take something special to overhaul double 2025 medallist Periault, but Spivey is in fantastic form.

Another absentee, Jolien Vermeylen (BEL), drops to 7^th with an untouched 2118.64 points. Filling out the rest of the top-10, though, are athletes that attained high finishes in Weihai. Diana Isakova (AIN) climbed four spots to 8^th thanks to best ever WTCS result of 5^th place. She now has 1986.48 points. Similarly, Tanja Neubert (GER) moved up six places to 9^th after winning a maiden medal. Her tally rests at 1942.94 points. Rounding out the top-10 is Bianca Seregni (ITA) after her third top-10 finish of the Series. She has 1913.68 points.

Among the big movers elsewhere, Alissa Konig (SUI) rose nine places to 22^nd after logging a second 11^th place finish (her best Series result) in a row. Even more eye-catching were the jumps of Gina Sereno (USA) and Desirae Ridenour (CAN). The former rocketed up thirty-seven places to 25^th after a career-best 7^th place in Weihai. The latter, meanwhile, shot up thirty-two places to 28^th after earning a maiden top-10 finish with her 8^th place. Finally, Sophie Alden (GBR) slots in at 38^th in the rankings as highest new entry following her 6^th place finish on debut.  

The Men’s Series Rankings

With the top-3 absent, there was little change at the top of the men’s standings. Matthew Hauser (AUS) continues his reign with his three wins giving him an enviable 3000 points. Fresh off a silver medal in Karlovy Vary, Miguel Hidalgo (BRA) likewise has not moved in position or points in 2^nd overall (on 2780.63 points). Right behind is Vasco Vilaca (POR) with 2775 points.

Then, however, we come to Henry Graf (GER). Although Graf did not gain any places following his silver medal in Weihai, his second medal of the year lifts him to 2657.09 points and within striking distance of the two men ahead. As the form man of September, both Hidalgo and Vilaca might have to be careful in Wollongong that, in their efforts to catch Hauser, they don’t lose sight of the German athlete sliding past them.

Holding onto 5^th place is Csongor Lehmann (HUN) with 2068.78 points. Following WTCS Weihai, though, he is under immense pressure from Luke Willian (AUS), the Australian taking his points total to 2007.69 after a 4^th place finish moved him up nine spots to 6^th overall. Expect the battle to get into the top-5 to go down to the wire with Willian enjoying home advantage at the Final.

Former world champion Dorian Coninx (FRA) follows in 7^th with 1982.12 points. He will have to guard against the rise of David Cantero del Campo (ESP). Yet another top-10 result for the World U23 champion bumped him up a single place to 8^th overall. With 1933.80 points, he is positioned not simply to hunt down Coninx, but maybe even Willian and Lehmann too.

After not racing in Weihai, Charles Paquet (CAN) and Adrien Briffod (SUI) each lost two places. The former has 1854.25 points, the latter 1776.92. Briffod’s compatriot, Weihai winner Max Studer (SUI), has turbocharged his ranking and is up twenty-seven spots to 12^th. Notably, Studer only has two scores to his name, the other being the European title he won in Istanbul. A sense of what might have been with a third score therefore clouds his ranking given how brilliantly he has raced lately. 

Other risers in the standings were Roberto Sanchez Mantecon (ESP) – jumping five spots to 14^th – and bronze medallist John Reed (USA), who gained eight places to insert himself at 15^th overall. In addition, Connor Bentley (GBR) jumped thirteen places to 21^st overall, Morgan Pearson (USA) moved up thirty-one spots to 26^th, Jack Willis (GBR) improved his rankings by twenty-one places to 28^th and Takumi Hojo (JPN) attained a seventeen-place gain to 29^th. With another big score at the Final, any of these athletes and more could make up further ground. Indeed, outside of perhaps Hauser (who is certainly not invulnerable), there is not a single “safe” individual in either competition.