The 2024 World Cup season started in February in New Zealand, wrapped up in Brazil in November, and traversed the globe in between, 14 incredible locations in nine months of racing. Six of those fell inside the Paris 2024 Olympic Qualification period, offering precious points to those chasing their places on the year’s biggest start lines.
The new venues for 2024 were in Napier (NZL), Hong Kong (HKG), Wollongong (AUS) and Samarkand (UZB), as well as a first ever Indoor World Cup in Lievin, France. There were no fewer than 13 debut golds across the year, and the action was electric from start to finish.
Shout outs to Jolien Vermeylen (BEL), Sian Rainsley (GBR), Sophie Linn (AUS), Lena Meißner (GER), Maya Kingma (NED); Yanis Seguin (FRA), Connor Bentley (GBR), Callum McClusky (AUS), Alberto Gonzalez (ESP), Dylan McCullough (NZL), John Reed (USA), Max Stapley (GBR) and Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger (FRA) on those debut golds... here's a recap of how the season's racing played out.
Aussies rule in New Zealand
The circuit got underway in February with a brand-new venue in beautiful Napier, New Zealand, but it turned out to be two Australians doing their hopes of Olympic qualification the world of good. Sophie Linn and Callum McClusky strode home for their first World Cup golds in emphatic fashion. Britain’s Sophie Alden and Olivia Mathias claimed the women’s silver and bronze, home hero Hayden Wilde just running out of course in his hunt for the win, eventually settling for silver ahead of Spain’s Alberto Gonzalez.
Afterburners engaged in Hong Kong harbour
Another debut course on the circuit, Hong Kong’s famous bay delivered an iconic venue for some incredible action in March. The women got things underway, the field boiling down to three women over the closing stages before GB’s Sian Rainsley managed to outpace the experienced American duo of Katie Zaferes and Kirsten Kasper for her first gold at the level. Alberto Gonzalez then underlined his Olympic credentials with an almighty surge to leave teammate Antonio Serrat and Japan’s Kenji Nener to complete the podium.
Indoor action raises the roof in Lievin
The first ever Indoor World Cup was held in the Lievin stadium at the end of March, with fast and furious heats, semi-finals and finals held over the high-octane 150m swim, 3km bike and 1km run distances. Norway’s Vetle Thorn was a towering presence in the men’s final, holding off Vincent Luis (FRA) by the finest of margins to take the win, compatriot Casper Stornes in third. In the women’s finale, it was Laura Lindemann of Germany taking a breathless, all-star sprint finish from under the nose of Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR), Gwen Jorgensen (USA) with bronze.
The Gong gets going
The Australian city of Wollongong began preparations to host the 2025 Championship Finals with a first taste of World Cup action south of Sydney back in April. Sweden’s Tilda Mansson once again showed her prowess at this level, coming out on top of an incredible sprint finish with Carolina Velasquez (COL) and Ainsley Thorpe (NZL), Rachel Klamer (NED) finishing just off the podium places. The men’s race saw home favourite Luke Willian delight the fans and set the tone for a huge year with the gold, Jamie Riddle (RSA) with silver and Diego Moya (CHI) the bronze.
Gruelling test awaits in China
From Wollongong, the circuit moved on to Chengdu, China, just one week later. The men were out first, and it was another maiden World Cup gold, this time for Great Britain’s Max Stapley as he dug in over the final stages to see off the stiff challenges of Tayler Reid (NZL) and Jonas Schomburg (GER). In the women’s race, it was the Swiss star Julie Derron getting her Paris 2024 preparations off to a great start with an imperious, largely solo 10km run, Tilda Mansson (SWE) on the podium once again with the silver, Poland’s Roksana Slupek doing her own Olympic ambitions no harm with a hard-earned bronze.
Qualification heats up in Huatulco
The Huatulco World Cup assumed extra importance with the accompanying Mixed Relay Olympic qualification event, and so it was perhaps fitting that one of the old guard rolled back the years in emphatic fashion in the men's race. Netherlands’ Richard Murray won his first world-class gold for six years with an assured run to ease clear of rising stars Mathis Beaulieu (CAN) and John Reed (USA) in second and third. In the women’s race, Alberte Kjaer was back on familiar territory to claim the gold on a course she has grown to love, Rachel Klamer (NED) out-kicking Solveig Lovseth (NOR) to take silver.
Silk Road showdown in Samarkand
The final World Cup action of the Paris Qualification Period saw the athletes head to historic Samarkand, Uzbekistan, where a fast, flat course around the rowing lake awaited on the outskirts of the city. The women got things underway, and it was to be Germany’s Lena Meissner turning up the heat late on to drop Jessica Fullagar (GBR) and take the win. Behind the Brit, Tilda Mansson was once again among the medals in third. The men’s race saw GB’s Connor Bentley hold on for a big maiden World Cup win, pulling clear from Yanis Seguin (FRA) and Jonas Schomburg (GER) over the closing stages.
Home hero hits headlines as Tiszy turns 25
Heading into July, it was a major World Cup milestone in Hungary as Tiszaujvaros hosted its 25 edition of the event. Fittingly, it was a homegrown hero who took the men’s gold, too, Csongor Lehmann making it back-to-back golds to the delight of his fans, setting him on course for Paris 2024 full of positivity. Connor Bentley (GBR) came away with the silver and Valentin Morlec (FRA) the bronze. In the women’s race, Annika Koch (GER) delivered another excellent display for the gold, a resurgent Vicky Holland (GBR) was back on the podium with silver, Diana Isakova (AIN) the bronze.
Battle of Bohemia in Karlovy Vary hills
The first World Cup after the Paris Olympic spectacular was on familiar ground in Karlovy Vary, the less familiar face of USA’s John Reed taking the men’s gold in his first full elite season. He pulled clear of Casper Stornes on the final lap to record a fine maiden win on the circuit, Stornes with silver ahead of Kevin Vinuela (ESP). The women’s race was dominated by Maya Kingma (NED) after she managed to break clear of the pack with Marta Kropko, only for the Hungarian to be passed late on by Petra Kurikova (CZE) in second and USA’s Gina Sereno in third.
Spanish men star in Valencia
On to Valencia, Spain for the 8th stop of the season, where the crowds were able to cheer home one of their own as David Cantero delivered a sprint-distance masterclass to win the men’s race at a canter. Behind him, Australia’s Callum McClusky was the only man able to prevent a Spanish podium sweep, finishing with silver ahead of Sergio Baxter and Antonio Serrat. Lisa Tertsch set up a big end of the year, the German bullet with another assured display in the women’s race, easing away from the pack with 1.5km to go. Olivia Mathias (GBR) and Candice Denizot (FRA) completed the podium.
Eim hits back-to-back wins in Rome
It was the iconic city of Rome that opened up a big October of blue carpet action, and through the rain came Germany’s Nina Eim to secure her second successive World Cup gold in the Italian capital. Five seconds back out of T2, she worked to the front and then accelerated away over the closing stages, leaving Alissa Konig (SUI) with silver, Jolien Vermeylen (BEL) the bronze. The men’s race came down to a shootout between Yanis Seguin (FRA) and Luke Willian (AUS), the Frenchman delivering a blistering kick to the gold, Baptiste Passemard coming home with bronze.
McCullough & Flyin' Vermeylen strike Tongyeong golds
Hot on the heels of the Championship Finals Torremolinos came the Tongyeong World Cup, where Belgium's Jolien Vermeylen was finally able to deliver gold at the end of a gruelling 10km run. Summer Rappaport (USA) had led out of the swim and would crown her comeback with silver, Sian Rainsley (GBR) in third. The men’s race saw redemption for Dylan McCullough (NZL) as he came through the fire to record a big first cup win. Breaking clear with Maciej Bruzdziak (POL) on the bike, the Kiwi ran solo to the tape, newly crowned U23 World Champion David Cantero (ESP) passing Bruzdziak late on to take silver.
Jorgensen the great leaves it late in Miyazaki
The final World Cup weekend of 2024 began in Japan, and a sprint-distance showdown in Miyazaki that saw Gwen Jorgensen deliver another fearsome 5km run to the gold. A fall in T2 had set the American well back from the lead group, before she dug in to pick her way through to Alissa Konig’s (SUI) shoulder and then pass her right at the death to seal the win, Jolien Vermeylen (BEL) taking the bronze. Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger earned his long-awaited first World Cup gold, taking the tape ahead of a resurgent Ben Dijkstra (GBR) and Kenji Nener (JPN).
Mighty Messias scores Brasilia gold
All of which left Brasilia to wrap up the World Cup action for the year, and the crowds went wild for Manoel Messias as he put together a classic 5km power show to take the tape by 35 seconds from Australia’s Callum McClusky, Sergio Baxter (ESP) with bronze. The women’s race was dominated by Mexico’s Rosa Maria Tapia as she rediscovered her finest form, Sandra Dodet (FRA) and Tamara Gorman (USA) marking their long awaited returns to World Cup racing with confidence-boosting silver and bronze respectively.
You can watch every race from the 2024 World Triathlon Cup season on demand on TriathlonLive.tv