International racing ramped up at the weekend with multiple events taking place around the world. Newly crowned continental champions were on show in Africa while a multiple World Cup medallist got his season off to a promising start in Mexico. Find out all that happened below.
Americas Cup La Paz
In a crowded women’s field in La Paz, home athlete Marcela Alvarez Solis (MEX) proved unstoppable over the sprint distance 5km run to take the gold medal. While she ended her race with a cushy lead, her path to gold was by no means comfortable.
Kelly Wettland (USA) and Alexandra Campbell (CAN) had taken a torpedo to the field over the 750m swim, gaining over 30 seconds over their closest challengers. Alvarez found herself in the first chase pack and with a lot of work to do on the bike.
The likes of serial Europe Junior Cup gold medallist Margareta Vrablova (SVK) and multiple Americas Cup medallist Ana Maria Valentina Torres Gomez (MEX) were alongside Alvarez. Together, the chasers began to eventually reel in the leaders. However, T2 arrived before they could finish the job and Wettland still had over 10 seconds to play with.
Alvarez, though, was simply too fast with a 16:07 5km split and won by 24 seconds. Wettland was determined not to go home empty-handed and took the silver medal. Then, 11 seconds later, Torres beat Vrablova to the bronze medal by 3 seconds.
The men’s race was all about World Cup medallist Mathis Beaulieu (CAN). An attack on the bike with Keller Norland (USA) tilted the race in his favour after losing a bit of time to swim leader Blake Bullard (USA). Once onto the run, Beaulieu’s class shone through and a 14:14 5km split handed him victory by 29 seconds.
In two weeks, the budding Canadian star will be opening his World Cup campaign in Haikou. Thereafter, appearances in the WTCS will be on his horizon. He will not be short of confidence heading into his next races based on this outing.
Bullard came charging through with an eye-catching 14:12 run split to nab the silver medal. Norland would then take the bronze 4 seconds later. View the full results here.
North Americas Junior Championships La Paz
Meanwhile in Mexico, Regina Michel Camacho (MEX) ran away to victory and the North American junior title. Michel did not put a foot wrong throughout. She was the third woman out of the water before controlling the race from the lead pack. A sizzling 17:01 5km run split, comfortably the fastest of the field, then handed her victory by 43 seconds. Avalyn Thompson (USA) was the next athlete home while Argelia Pérez Olivera (MEX) completed the podium.
Graham Hummel (USA) was similarly assertive over the men’s field as he powered to the gold medal. Hummel was the first man out of the water (8:02 for 750m) ahead of Luis Miguel Chávez Sanchez (MEX). Several athletes were right on their heels, but the front pair soon blasted clear on the bike.
With their nearest rivals over 30 seconds back by the time they made it to the end of the 20km bike, Hummel and Chávez had all but secured their spots on the podium. The American then popped a 15:16 run split to take the win by 25 seconds from his Mexican rival.
From the chase group, Jesus Daniel Hernández Bobadilla (MEX) prevailed in a tense finale to win the bronze medal by 1 second, some 10 seconds behind Chávez. View the full results here.
Also of note, the South Americas Junior Championships took place in Formosa a week earlier. There, Gabriele Reis (BRA) won the women’s gold while Thomas Francisco Chica Perez led an Ecuadorian sweep of the junior men’s podium. Look for the respective champions to go head-to-head at the Americas Junior Championships later this year.
World Triathlon Development Regional Cup Salinas
Elsewhere in the Americas, Zoe Adam (PUR) won a second Development Regional Cup of the season and her third in a row. In a dominant performance, she claimed the gold medal by over 3 minutes after producing the top splits in all three disciplines of the sprint distance race (10:06; 34:07; 18:22).
Completing a Puerto Rican sweep of the podium were Isabella Fernandez in 2nd place and Valentina Sofia Negron in 3rd.
The home team could not repeat the same magic in the men’s race as Gerlad Rojas Carvajal (CRC) opened his season with a win. Rojas made the front pack out of the water and bided his time before dropping a 16:03 5km run split. Silver medallist Jorge Raul Cabinal Gramajo (GUA) was the next quickest runner with a 16:59 to highlight Rojas’ speed. Bronze then went to Colombia’s Samuel Zuluaga Cardona. View the full results here.
Africa Cup Ebotse
There was double Dutch joy in South African as Robin Dreijling (NED) and Gjalt Panjer (NED) powered to Africa Cup gold medals. Dreijling’s victory came off the back of a sterling shared effort with Rebecca Beti (SUI). She was the second woman out of the water, although 17 seconds back of the leader. She and Beti subsequently took off on the 20km bike, Dreijling clocking 30:08 when, other than Beti, no one rode faster than 31:44.
A 17:47 5km run split then secured Dreijling’s gold medal. While Beti fell off on the run, Katrin Maes (BEL) ran through from the first chase group to take silver. Three-time Olympian Julia Hauser (AUT) then thundered to bronze from the next pack back with the best run of the day (17:11).
The primary difference between Dreijling and Panjer’s wins was that in Panjer’s case his front group consisted of three athletes. Silver medallist Fabian Schönke (GER) briefly troubled Panjer on the run having also been in the front trio, but the Dutchman soon flew clear to win by 30 seconds. Justus Töpper (GER) was then the best runner of the chase pack, earning bronze. Although, his 15:37 5km split did not match Panjer’s 15:24 effort. View the full results here.
Africa Junior Cup Ebotse
With the 2026 Africa Junior champion Maja Jeanne Brinkmann (NAM) contesting the senior race in Ebotse, the path was open to South African domination of proceedings. The home team duly locked out the top-9. Taylor Foster (RSA) was by far the best athlete, winning by almost 6 minutes. Karli Lotter (RSA) claimed the silver medal while Dayla Swartz (RSA) took home the bronze.
Whereas Brinkmann was not in the junior race, Nathan Max Centlivres Chase (NAM) was on hand to add gold to his recent Africa Junior Championships win. Chase’s victory was built on a super all-round effort, with a 16:55 5km sealing a 44 second victory. Ryan Viviers (RSA) crossed in 2nd place before Nicholas Horne (RSA) used a 16:20 run split to vault himself into 3rd. View the full results here.
Around the world
Tokyo PTWC Paralympic champion Kendall Gretsch (USA) was part of the first American medals at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina. The Para triathlon star contested the women’s 7.5km sitting sprint and came away with the silver medal in an American 1-2. Paris PTWC Paralympic champion Lauren Parker (AUS) finished 13th in the same race.