Even amid the absence of international triathlon over Easter, the sport still made headlines through Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) tearing her way to a new French record over 10km. Her time: a swift 30:52. This slotted in alongside the 5km record she achieved last year and further enhances her claim to being the best runner in the sport.
This past weekend, then, had plenty to live up to if it was to match the happenings of Easter. Luckily, across four fascinating international races there was no shortage in stories to track, with some of the standout performers of early 2026 dazzling and multiple sets of siblings duelling for medals.
Dexing Asia Cup
China’s Yifan Yang came away with her first individual international win in almost three years in Dexing as she dropped the hammer over the standard distance. Yang and Sarika Nakayama (JPN) had followed Yuan Yuan (CHN) out of the water and went on to establish an unassailable lead over the 40km bike; Yuan would not finish. A composed 10km run from Yang then saw off Nakayama to seal the win.
Taking the bronze medal was Hye Rim Jeong (KOR). The fastest runner of the day, Jeong came away with a 36:38 run split. Notably, she will be starting at WTCS Samarkand later this month, a return to the Series that had been eight years in the making. Jeong was still a junior athlete when she made her last appearance back in 2018 in Edmonton. Now with multiple senior medals to her name, she will be hopeful of a successful comeback.
Gold in the men’s race went to James Corbett, the former New Zealander now racing under TRI colours as he switches his sporting nationality to Ireland. The fifth fastest swim and bike splits of the field set him up nicely in Dexing before he unleashed a 30:52 run split (matching Beaugrand’s French record coincidentally). With a 48 second margin of victory, Corbett could afford to ease up into the line.
A pair of Pertls occupied the next two spots on the podium with older brother Lukas leading the way. His younger brother Philip Pertl (AUT) secured the bronze medal. View the full results here.
Monte Gordo Europe Cup
All eyes were on Fanni Szalai (HUN) at the Lanzarote World Cup last month as she made her debut on the circuit. A 9th place finish looked good on paper, although her crash on the bike left many wondering what could have been. At the first ever Monte Gordo Europe Cup, the double World Junior Championship silver medallist took another step forward with a comprehensive victory, her first at the senior level.
As had been the case in Lanzarote, Szalai was the top swimmer, clocking 9:30 for the sprint distance 750m. From there, she was able to control the race at the front with Katie Rodda (GBR), Eve Whitaker (GBR) and Carlotta Missaglia (ITA) also prominent. That quartet would put over half a minute into their chasers and set up a clear fight for the medals, one that Szalai dictated over the 5km run.
Missaglia was the next athlete home, crossing 21 seconds behind Szalai. Whitaker then took the bronze medal while Rodda was disqualified.
Meanwhile, the men’s race saw a French sweep of the podium. Eyes may have been on Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger (FRA) as he builds towards a long-awaited WTCS debut later this month. However three of his countrymen were the ones to scoop the medals.
After Zalán Hóbor (HUN) led the swim (8:30), a large front pack came together on the bike. Among this pack was World Cup winner Yanis Seguin (FRA) as well as Europe Cup winner Louis Vitiello (FRA) and former European Youth Championships silver medallist Milan Lariviere (FRA). The French trio were part of a pack of eight, alongside Hóbor, that set the early tempo in the 5km run. Once the business end of the race arrived, though, they separated themselves.
A vicious late surge from Vitiello handed him a third Europe Cup victory from his past five starts as he held off youngster Lariviere by 9 seconds. Seguin then finished a further 5 seconds back as he withstood the charges of several other young talents. View the full results here.
Gold Coast Oceania Cup
One of the highlights of the recent Haikou World Cup was Sophie Malowiecki (AUS) powering to a maiden gold. Back on home soil, the risk consultant by week was once again an international race winner by weekend.
The event in Gold Coast, however, was not a race that Malowiecki controlled by any means. Zoe Clarke (AUS) stamped her authority over the swim, clocking 10:07 over 750m and putting 27 seconds into Malowiecki. One factor that mitigated against Clarke’s speed was that no one could keep up with her, giving her no one to work with on the opening bike lap. Indeed, Malowiecki was the fourth athlete out of the water and emerged with a handy group around her to reel in Clarke.
As the front pack ballooned, it was not until the run that the key move came. There, Malowiecki dropped a 16:58 split, comfortably the best of the day, to win by 23 seconds. Clarke wrapped up a strong outing with the silver medal while Briana Mow (AUS) completed an all-Australian podium.
The Australian success continued in the men’s race as the top three spots all went to home athletes. Leading the way was Brayden Mercer (AUS) as the World Cup medallist earned a maiden international win. Mercer had been in 8th place out of the water but a smart attack on the bike put precious seconds between him and the lead pack going into T2. What then sealed the deal was Mercer’s field-leading 15:36 5km run split.
The battle for silver then yielded a second duo of sibling medallists of the weekend. The Schofield brothers, Jayden and Luke, were the best of the rest, forcing Saxon Morgan (NZL) into 4th place. The pair were almost inseparable at the end, with a single second determining who left with silver and who with bronze. In the end, Jayden Schofield (AUS) came out on top courtesy of the faster run split (by a whole 2 seconds). View the full results here.
Alsdorf Europe Triathlon Powerman Middle Distance Duathlon Championships
Finally, middle distance duathlon was back at its spiritual home in Alsdorf, with last year’s world champion Merle Brunnée (GER) triumphing on home soil. There were faster runners on the day, with silver medallist Rachel Brown (GBR) logging the best run splits (34:05 for the opening 10km and 36:10 for the second 10km). Yet Brunnée was unstoppable on the bike, blasting a time of 1:26:12 when no one else dipped under 90 minutes. Dieske Kruisselbrink (NED) took the third spot on the podium.
In the men’s race, Thibaut De Smet (BEL) established an early lead that he would not forfeit. A time of 30:40 on the first run put him in T1 26 seconds ahead of his closest rival. His time of 1:18:57 was then also the best of the day on the bike by 37 seconds. It therefore did not matter a great deal that Andrea Alagona (SUI) nibbled into his lead with a 31:55 final run; De Smet had done enough to secure the win and the European crown. Matthew Nelson (GBR) had a good contest with Alagona on the final run but ultimately settled for the bronze medal. View the full results here.