If you do not know what happened in the world of triathlon over the weekend, what were you doing? There have been some special weekends this year but the past few days in Wollongong may have trumped them all with a series of spectacular contests. Strap yourselves in as we rewind through all things we cannot forget, as well as some of the things you might have missed, in this week’s Monday Morning Mix.
World U23 Championships Wollongong
The action started with the crowning of the new World U23 champions in a pair of races that could not have ended more differently. Oliver Conway (GBR) unfurled a remarkable run split that blitzed the field, handing him the gold medal by the biggest margin of the elite races in Wollongong. His run split of 29:35 was comfortably the best of the field and would not have looked out of place in the WTCS Final; indeed, world champion Matt Hauser ran only 19 seconds quicker en route to victory of his own. Taking silver was Márton Kropkó (HUN) while Euan De Nigro (ITA) claimed the bronze.
In stark contrast to Conway’s cruise to the line, the women’s race ended with a frantic sprint on legs that had given way a kilometre earlier. After two shock lead changes, Angelica Prestia (ITA) hit the blue carpet in front. But home favourite and Oceania champion Richelle Hill (AUS) was closing fast. Somehow, Hill hauled her way past a cooked Prestia to take gold in the most gripping of finishes. Mere seconds later, Márta Kropkó (HUN) finished 3rd to make it two medals for Hungary and two for the Kropkó family.
World Junior Championships Wollongong
A perfectly timed attack by France’s Tristan Douche lifted him to gold at the World Junior Championships. The 2023 European Youth champion had to bide his time in a race that often frayed without breaking apart, but when he made his move it was emphatic. Douche therefore continued the run of French success at this level. After Thomas Hansmaennel (FRA) won the title in 2022 and Nils Serre Gehri (FRA) took silver in 2023 and gold in 2024, it has been some time since France has missed out on honours. Alex Robin (GBR) was the next man home for silver while Ignacio Flores Arana (CHI) completed the podium.
There was further French joy in the women’s race as Léa Houart (FRA) upgraded her bronze medal from a year prior to gold in a performance that was essentially flawless. A breakaway group had set up a run contest between Houart and last year’s silver medallist Fanni Szalai (HUN). A cat-and-mouse tussle defined the first part of the run. However when Houart attacked on the final lap, there was no questioning who would win. The final winning margin: 36 seconds.
Houart’s win also made it three junior women’s titles in a row for France. After Ilona Hadhoum (FRA) won in 2023 and Ambre Grasset (FRA) did the same last year, the country has produced three different champions on the bounce. The future is therefore exceedingly bright for French triathlon. Szalai had to console herself with the silver medal while Diana Dunajska (SVK) came charging home to snatch bronze after a rollercoaster of a race that included just about every conceivable triathlon experience.
World Para Triathlon Championships Wollongong
After the U23 and junior athletes had strutted their stuff, the best Para Triathletes in the world took to the stage in Wollongong. With a series of brilliant battles and superlative solo performances, they came awfully close to snatching the mantle of Wollongong’s most captivating events.
Men’s champions
- PTWC: Thomas Fruehwirth (AUT)
- PTS2: Jules Ribstein (FRA)
- PTS3: Henry Urand (GBR)
- PTS4: Alexis Hanquinquant (FRA)
- PTS5: Chris Hammer (USA)
- PTVI: Dave Ellis (GBR)
One of the recurring themes of this year has been the depth and competitiveness of the men’s PTS5 class. In Wollongong, this came together in a truly epic way. Willed on by home fans, Jack Howell (AUS) threw the kitchen sink at Paralympic champion Chris Hammer after the American had made up a huge deficit from the swim on the bike. Together, they had escaped the clutches of Tokyo Paralympic champion Martin Schulz (GER), but he was not out of the picture. Hammer, though, rode everything Howell threw at him before landing the killer blow himself. Howell then made it a second World Championship silver in a row by shutting the door on Schulz.
The PTS5 class was not the only one to live up to some highly anticipated showdowns. Jules Ribstein ended defending champion Wim De Paepe’s unbeaten PTS2 streak, but Antoine Perel (FRA) and Lazar Filipovic (CRO) fell agonisingly short of ending Dave Ellis’ supremacy in the PTVI category as the Paralympic champion made it past both rivals on the run.
Alongside Ribstein and Ellis, Alexis Hanquinquant (FRA) is another to have collected world titles like infinity stones over the years. With yet another win, is now up to eight crowns; it is conceivable that he could make it to double digits by the time he retires.
Women’s champions
- PTWC: Lauren Parker (AUS)
- PTS2: Anu Francis (AUS)
- PTS3: Elise Marc (FRA)
- PTS4: Camile Seneclauze (FRA)
- PTS5: Grace Norman (USA)
- PTVI: Susana Rodriguez (ESP)
Further drama came in the women’s PTS2 category courtesy of the gripping race between Anu Francis and Paralympic champion Hailey Danz (USA). Danz had left the water ahead, clocking 11:54 for the 750m swim to Francis’ 13:09. Francis closed the gap on the bike and the pair would arrive in transition together. Danz got onto the run first, sparking an arm-wrestle over 5km. But it was Francis, inspired by the local support, that made it home ahead, winning by 22 seconds.
While Lauren Parker added another Australian gold, Camille Seneclauze continued her amazing run of wins, notching a fourth victory in a row. In doing so, she paired a world title with the European crown.
Grace Norman ensured the women’s races would not be an entirely Franco-Australian affair as she powered to another world title in classy fashion. Behind the American, there was an intriguing silver for Grace Brimelow (AUS), the rising youngster beating Tokyo Paralympic champion Lauren Steadman (GBR) into bronze. Susana Rodriguez then claimed Spain’s first gold in Wollongong with her PTVI victory.
Ending the Para Triathlon fun on Sunday was the second ever edition of the Mixed Team Relay, back after the resounding success in Torremolinos last year. The French team were the early pace-setters and threatened to run away with the race, however the American squad came charging back. In the final leg, Owen Cravens (USA) was up against Australia’s Jack Howell, and maintained his composure to secure the gold for himself and his teammates Emilia Perry, Carson Clough and Grace Norman. Australia would take silver while Ruiter Silva came rocketing home to earn bronze for Brazil. View the full Para Triathlon results here.
World Mixed U23-Junior Relay Championship Wollongong
Wollongong’s other relay action came in the form of the Mixed U23-Junior Relay with another nail-biting finish in store. After a snakes-and-ladders-esque first three legs, with teams rising and falling at various moments, the hunt for gold came down to Britain, Netherlands, Australia and France. Britain, however, could call upon Conway as their anchor leg. Despite the best efforts of Mitch Kolkman (NED), who challenged Conway all the way until the line, there would be no denying the U23 champion. Brayden Mercer (AUS) then saw Australia home to the bronze medal.
T100 Wollongong
That’s right, we’re not done yet. Added to the explosive Wollongong mix was the latest round of the T100, and for a moment we had to check we were not back in Singapore at the start of the season. This was because Hayden Wilde (NZL) and Kate Waugh (GBR) were back on top, the same winning combination as at the season opener.
Wilde came through a real examination from Mika Noodt (GER) – in addition to a test of focus from a Kiwi streaker that more than made up for in passion what he lacked in sartorial choice – to claim yet another win on the T100 circuit. At this moment, he seems the champion-in-waiting and no one has solved the riddle of how to beat him over this distance.
Waugh, meanwhile, was at her best once more as she won comfortably over Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) and first-time T100 medallist (and pilot athlete of Susana Rodriguez) Sara Perez Sala (ESP). View the full results here.
WTCS Final Wollongong
And then we arrived at the big one: the decider to anoint the best male and female triathletes in the world. As previously mentioned, the World Para Triathlon Championships came close to being the best event in Wollongong, while all of the other races certainly did not lack drama. Nothing, however, could compare to the WTCS Finals.
To start with the men, and perhaps the easier race to explain, Matt Hauser (AUS) met his date with destiny with the same panache that has guided him throughout the season. A seven-man breakaway helped to put him clear of world title rivals Miguel Hidalgo (BRA) and Vasco Vilaca (POR), all but confirming his Series win. But there was still a race to be won and Alessio Crociani (ITA) had taken it upon himself to deny the Australian on his homecoming. Yet, after a brutal struggle, Hauser finally broke clear to complete a perfect year with another win.
A blistering run split from David Cantero del Campo (ESP) helped him run through from the chase pack into silver, passing Crociani. Separately, it is hard to ignore the parallels between Cantero and Oliver Conway for the Spanish athlete won the World U23 title in strikingly similar fashion last year. This was Cantero’s first WTCS medal and as such perhaps we should keep an eye on Conway at next year’s Final.
The outcome nobody predicted, however, came in the women’s Final. A similar breakaway group materialised, this one containing Series leaders Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) and Beth Potter (GBR), as well as Lisa Tertsch (GER). When Beaugrand and Potter faltered on the run, though, Tertsch swooped to an upset gold and a completely unexpected world title. Bianca Seregni (ITA) and Emma Lombardi (FRA) then rounded out the podium from the breakaway group. View the full results from Wollongong here.
Asia Cup Chongqing
Finally, Wollongong was not the only triathlon action over the weekend. Junjie Fan (CHN) clocked a home win over Denis Kolobrodov (AIN) and Lukas Pertl (AUT) at the standard distance Asia Cup in Chongqing. Fan led out of the water (with a 1500m split of 18:13) and onto the bike. An initial breakaway of eight rode away; Kolobrodov was in the group but Pertl was stuck in the chase pack. The leaders would stay clear and then Fan out-split Kolobrodov on the run to win by 17 seconds. Pertl was slower than both over the 10km run, but faster than the rest of the breakaway, thus handing him the bronze.
Xinyu Lin (CHN) rampaged to a dominant win in the women’s race over Xinyi Xu (CHN) and Sarika Nakayama (JPN). Ten women exited the water in close succession, with Lin, Xu and Nakayama among them. It was on the bike that Lin then launched her attack. A 1:08:56 for 40km when no one else went under 1:12 says it all when it comes to how much better she was on two wheels. Xu and Nakayama rode as a pair behind, but once Lin made it to T2 this race was over. She ultimately won by over 4 minutes. A tense battle for silver unfolded behind, but Xu prevailed by 12 seconds. View the full results here.
