Four stops, countless unforgettable moments. Para Triathlon showed no signs of slowing after a bumper 2024 and this year’s World Para Series injected an even greater dose of momentum to one of the fastest growing corners of the sport. Once again, the Series got underway early on in Devonport, Australia, before moving to the fan- and athlete-favourite venue of Yokohama, Japan. Taranto, Italy, was a new stop on the circuit this year before Montreal, Canada, returned with one of the fastest courses seen anywhere in triathlon this season.

The world titles may have been settled months later in Wollongong, but the foundations were all  laid in the World Para Series. Join us as we look back over some of the best moments it had to offer in 2025.

Devonport

On home turf, Team Australia were never likely to let anyone rain on their parade (something that would also hold true of the various races in Wollongong). They duly dominated the season opener in Devonport, claiming seven golds altogether. Anu Francis was one of the home winners and used the victory as a launchpad to a PTS2 world title later in the year. PTWC Paralympic champion Lauren Parker likewise got her season rolling with a win before going onto triumphing in Wollongong.

Among the other home stars to impress in Devonport were Jack Howell, Grace Brimelow, Thomas Goodman, Jeremy Peacock and Sam Harding. Moreover, there were plenty of head-turning cameos from international stars. Paralympic champion Susana Rodriguez was irrepressible on her way to PTVI gold while Howie Sanborn made a return to the top spot in the PTWC class.

Yokohama

After Devonport whetted the appetite, Yokohama proved a feast of Para Triathlon action. Indeed, in torrential conditions, the big beasts came out to play. Alexis Hanquinquant, arguably the most dominant athlete in the world over the past half dozen years (just look up when he last lost an individual race), made his World Para Series bow for 2025. Naturally, he crushed the PTS4 class.

Similarly, Tokyo Paralympic champion Martin Schulz enjoyed his return to Japan with a victory of his own in the PTS5 class, although he was certainly made to work for it. Pushed all the way by Howell, Schulz only won by 1 second. The 2024 PTS2 world champion Wim De Paepe and the 2023 PTWC world champion Geert Schipper were other major players to strike gold in Yokohama.

Meanwhile, Parker and Francis built on their Devonport wins with further glory in Yokohama. Already, the signs were starting to show that both were in for special seasons. Elsewhere, Tokyo Paralympic champion Lauren Steadman had a happy winning return on par with Schulz in the PTS5 class. The 2023 PTVI world champion Francesca Tarantello also recorded a win as she readied herself for battle with Rodriguez.

Taranto

At the next stop, we got our showdown between Rodriguez and Tarantello. The latter was the faster runner and swimmer on the day but Rodriguez’s experience shone through as she overpowered her younger rival. This was as clear a sign as any that the Spaniard had no intentions on surrendering her world title in Wollongong and that she possessed the form and fitness to make Tarantello’s task of beating her a monumental ordeal.

Rodriguez was not the only reigning world champion on display in Taranto. Grace Norman and Elise Marc made dazzling returns in the PTS5 and PTS3 classes, respectively. Marc’s victory in particular was well-timed. Shortly before Taranto, the Paralympic classifications for LA 2028 were announced. Unlike Paris 2024, Marc’s PTS3 class has been included, making her the early favourite for gold.

Hanquinquant (obviously) and Schipper recorded back-to-back wins with further success in Taranto. Howell was also back to notch a second victory of his campaign; but for that single second in Yokohama, he might have been the only athlete to have swept all of the first three races of the series.

There was one key element that shaped Taranto, though. The return of the Brits. Defending Paralympic and world champion Dave Ellis stamped his authority over the PTVI class. A chastening day for his rivals left many wondering how they would beat a man that, when on song, is close to untouchable. In addition, Henry Urand flew to victory in the PTS3 class. A surprise world champion in 2024 (not least given that he took down the Paralympic champion), Urand sent a simple message in Taranto. What happened in Torremolinos was no fluke.

Montreal

And then we came to the fourth and final round. If Montreal left us with anything, it was the wish that there was at least one more round of racing to enjoy. Alas, all was bottled up and stored for the next few months until Wollongong arrived.

In the men’s side, De Paepe cruised to another win while Max Gelhaar took gold for the second time (after doing so in Yokohama) in the PTS3 class. Home star and reigning world champion Stefan Daniel also upgraded his Yokohama bronze to gold in the most emphatic of fashions. Daniel’s impressive display only intensified the looming battle against Howell and Schulz in Wollongong. Furthermore, he reinforced his credentials by beating out Paralympic champion Chris Hammer in Montreal. Hammer, however, would have the last laugh in Wollongong despite being the only man of the group not to have won a 2025 World Para Series stop.

It was a case of rinse and repeat for Parker and Francis as they won once more. The Australian duo thus became the only athletes to win three series golds in 2025 and ensured they headed to Wollongong unbeaten. Norman was another to grab another win; by this point, she could only have been a more ominous proposition for her rivals had the Jaws theme been playing in the background.

Kenia Yesenia Villalobos Vargas of Mexico and Leticia Freitas of Brazil also highlighted the breadth of Para Triathlon talent with wins in the PTS3 and PTVI classes, respectively.

As if to confirm the value of sharpening one’s sword in the World Para Series, every Wollongong world champion on the women’s side won at least one stop. Parker, Francis, Norman and Rogriguez converted multiple victories into world titles while Marc and Camille Seneclauze (who achieved a maiden series win in Montreal) likewise bounced from series success to global glory.

Among the men’s field, only three men went on to claim the world title without a 2025 World Para Series gold. Of those, two entered Wollongong as Paralympic champions (Hammer and Jules Ribstein) while the third (Thomas Fruehwirth) arrived as the European champion. Notably, all three logged World Para Cup wins, too.

If one thing has become clear in 2025, then, it is the significance of the World Para Series. With a brand new stop in Hamburg on the cards next year, expect another superb series in 2026.