For the third year in a row, the WTCS is set to return to Weihai and a full start list of 55 women is primed to take to the blue carpet at the end of August. Among those women are the past three world champions, all of whom will seek to score some major points in their quests to claim this year’s crown. Read on to discover the key names to watch as well as the major headlines from the women’s Weihai start lists.
Not taking any chances
Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) needs points. As things stand she is 6th overall in the Series standings with three from a possible four scores to her name. At either of the final two rounds of the regular season, then, the Olympic champion requires one more result. It is with that objective in mind that she is the only French athlete set to start in Weihai. Had she left it to the last round in Karlovy Vary, a puncture, crash or bout of illness could have ended her world title hopes before even arriving at the Pontevedra Final.
When it comes to Weihai itself, Beaugrand will only need to finish 6th (assuming no one ahead improves upon their total) to take over the Series lead. DNFs aside, the last time she finished so low was at WTCS Abu Dhabi in March 2023. The French woman will therefore come out all guns blazing in China and, despite it being her first time at the venue, it is hard to look past her for a spot on the podium at minimum.
Proven performers
The previous two winners in Weihai are back as Lisa Tertsch (GER), the 2024 gold medallist, and Beth Potter (GBR), last year’s victor, look to maintain their leads over Beaugrand. Both know what it takes to win in Weihai but it has been a while since either tasted success over their great French rival. Given their experience at the event, though, this is a rare moment in which they have a slight advantage over Beaugrand.
Tanja Neubert (GER) similarly medalled last year and is back in search of another podium. She will be joined by Annika Koch, Selina Klamt and Julia Bröcker on the German team. Tilly Anema (GBR), who helped to light up WTCS London last month before unfortunately crashing, is also on the British team alongside Sophie Evans, Sian Rainsley and Kate Waugh.
Home hope
Of a four-strong Chinese team, perhaps the most intriguing athlete to follow will be Anqi Huang (CHN). Since the start of 2024, Huang has raced internationally seven times, winning on five occasions. At the same time, all seven of those races have taken place in China. Weihai will be home appearance number eight.
This will be Huang’s WTCS debut and she has never raced opposition of this calibre. It is thus not hugely realistic to expect her to challenge the likes of Beaugrand, Potter and Tertsch at the first attempt. And yet, she is the form athlete from China and she tends to win at home. What a story it would be if she does so again.
Can it be the end of August already?
With WTCS Weihai still over three weeks away, two athletes in particular will be chomping at the bit for race day to arrive. Fresh off claiming the European sprint title, Roskana Slupek (POL) is in piping hot form and could be in with a shout of making a first Series podium. She has already placed 7th in Hamburg this year and, with her post-injury comeback gathering pace since returning in May, is seemingly getting better with every race.
Another athlete keen to capitalise on their form will be Ana Maria Valentina Torres Gomez (MEX). The Mexican athlete secured a breakout victory at the Huatulco World Cup and recently backed it up with a gold at the Central America and Caribbean Championships in Santo Domingo. Torres’ running has been blisteringly fast this summer, and she could quietly pose a big threat to the established stars.
World Cup talent
Beaugrand, Potter, Tertsch and Neubert will be joined by Jeanne Lehair (LUX) as the only WTCS medallists since the start of 2024 due to race in Weihai. While that makes them the obvious picks to make the podium, they will be up against plenty of World Cup winners itching to make the step up to the WTCS podium.
Anema and Rainsley are two candidates that could do so while Sara Guerrero Manso (ESP), Desirae Ridenour (CAN) and Maria Carolina Velasquez Soto (COL) all earned maiden World Cup gold medals last season. Diana Isakova (AIN) and Valentina Riasova (AIN) also have multiple World Cup golds stashed away. And that is without yet mentioning the 2024 World U23 champion Karolina Helga Horváth (HUN).
2026 has already been a campaign marked by multiple first-time WTCS medallists, from Tilda Månsson (SWE) and Jolien Vermeylen (BEL) in the women’s Series to Ricardo Batista (POR) and Charles Paquet (CAN) in the men’s. Given that four of the twelve medals awarded in the past two editions of WTCS Weihai have gone to first-time medallists (plus a maiden win for Tertsch), there are good odds that we may see at least one new face on the podium this month.
Who’s not there?
Månsson has chosen not to start in Weihai, thereby depriving herself the chance to potentially take the Series lead from Potter for another round. Leonie Periault (FRA) and the injured Vermeylen are the only other 2026 medallists not to start.
Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR), Emma Lombardi (FRA) and Taylor Spivey (USA) are further big names to miss out, which could jeopardise their spots in the top-10 overall if the likes of Neubert, Slupek, Isakova and more enjoy strong results.
Tune in to TriathlonLive.io on Saturday 29th August to catch every second of the action, and view the full start lists here.