Whereas the men’s event at the Tiszaujvaros World Cup will see three semi-finals whittle down the field into a final of thirty athletes, the women’s event will have two semi-finals. The goal for many will therefore be to make it to Sunday’s final while expending as little energy as possible in the Hungarian heat. However, that may prove easier said than done as both women’s semi-finals contain an abundance of talent.

German team mean business

Entering the semi-finals, Germany will be led by the top seeds in both races. Marlene Gomez-Göggel (GER) wears number 1 in the first race while Lena Meißner (GER), the recent winner of the Samarkand World Cup, will be the first onto the pontoon in the second race. Last season, Gomez-Göggel twice finished in the top-5 at WTCS races and made it onto multiple World Cup podiums. Meißner, for her part, is also a WTCS medallist and will provide stiff opposition in Gomez-Göggel’s hunt for gold.

To go with that, Germany will also field WTCS medallist Annika Koch (GER) and the reigning World U23 champion Selina Klamt (GER). Koch starts as the second seed behind Meißner in the second semi-final while Klamt goes as the third seed in the first semi-final. With further options beyond this quartet, Germany will be represented by an imposing squad brimming with medal candidates.

All the experience

While the German team certainly look strong, there are several athletes in the field that are far too experienced to be fazed. WTCS medallist Summer Rappaport (USA) is one such athlete that will be confident of asserting herself over the field. She will be racing in the first semi-final alongside her compatriot and second seed Erika Ackerlund (USA).

Joining Rappaport and Ackerlund in the first semi-final will be home hopeful Zsanett Kuttor-Bragmayer (HUN). Kuttor-Bragmayer has a best previous Tiszaujvaros result of 6th from 2019. She won the European Cup in the town in 2022 and last year won the first semi-final of the World Cup before settling for 8th in the final. Being the 25th edition of the race and a special weekend for the town, this year might be the year she takes the gold medal.

Vicky Holland (GBR) is another that will be in contention. The former world champion and Olympic medallist has delivered some blistering running splits this season, including an eye-catching field-leading effort at the Hong Kong World Cup. Should she find herself in the hunt out of T2, she will be hard to discount.

Their time to shine?

A wealth of young talent will be starting in Tiszaujvaros. Sian Rainsley (GBR), who claimed a maiden World Cup win in Hong Kong, and Olivia Mathias (GBR), who medalled at the Napier World Cup at the start of the season, should feature prominently. Zuzana Michalickova (SVK) has also impressed on a consistent basis at World Cups over the past year.

Furthermore, Ekaterina Shabalina (KAZ) will be looking to claim a World Cup scalp ahead of her Olympic debut in Paris. One name to warrant particular attention could be Anahi Alvarez Corral (MEX). Alvarez previously won the Huatulco World Cup and is looking to find her way back onto a World Cup podium. On paper she is the fastest runner in the field but the claustrophobic swim and the back-to-back racing format in Tiszaujvaros could prove a challenge. Finally, keep an eye on Ilona Hadhoum (FRA). The reigning World Junior and European Junior champion has only made the step up to the senior level this season. Nevertheless, she is a phenomenal talent and may just have something up her sleeve.