Month: April 2024

With the championships returning to Hurghada, Egypt, the African titles over the Olympic distance were on the line at the weekend. In warm conditions, with wetsuits not permitted and the air temperature hovering in the mid-twenties (Celsius), a pair of tough races unfolded. Women’s race It was a question of rinse and repeat from the 2023 African Championships. Vicky Van Der Merwe was dominant in the women’s race as she powered to victory by over 9 minutes. A field-leading swim split of 22:11 over the 1500m had earned her a…

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The story had looked a simple one. Fresh off opening his 2024 campaign with a win at the Oceania Championships in Taupo, WTCS gold medallist Matthew Hauser was the favourite to deliver gold in front of a home Australian crowd. Then, shortly before the race started, he revealed that he was out of action with food poisoning. In his absence, Australia needed a new star for the weekend.  Over the 750m swim, Diego Moya served a reminder of the dangers to the home team; he clocked 8:16 to build a notable…

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When it works, it works. Tilda Månsson served a reminder of her class as she won the Wollongong World Cup. As had been the case with her previous World Cup victories, she left it late and relied upon her near-patented sprint finish. In the early part of the race, the field had seemed on the verge of breaking apart. Sophie Howell and Emma Jeffcoat had led the 750m sea swim in 8:37. Tara Sosinski and Sian Rainsley, the winner of the Hong Kong World Cup, then followed a few seconds…

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On paper, the Australian team could have suffered at the Wollongong World Cup from the absence of Sophie Linn, their only female World Cup winner of recent times. However, in reality, the home team will be optimistic of doubling their World Cup gold medal tally for the season. Several in-form Australian women will be starting. Ellie Hoitink is only a few days removed from her triumph at the Oceania Championships over the Olympic distance. She will be up against Jaz Hedgeland who won the equivalent title over the Sprint distance…

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Wollongong will welcome the triathlon world this weekend for a first ever World Cup ahead of hosting the WTCS Final in 2025. Amid a strong men’s start list, it is hard to look past the Australian team for the potential medallists. Not only do they have the home advantage, with the creature comforts and reduced travel that accompanies it, they boast a squad that is in good form virtually across the board. Indeed, any number of combinations of Australian men could make up the podium in Wollongong. Leading the way…

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While WTCS medallists Emma Lombardi, Kate Waugh and Sophie Coldwell showed the field how its done in the women’s race at the Melilla European Cup, plenty of athletes hoping to mimic their success took to the start line at the European Junior Cup. Racing over the Sprint distance, both Junior races saw smart breakaways and were won in decisive fashion. Women’s race Margareta Vrablova returned to a scene of previous success having won the race in 2023. This time round, she found herself in the perfect position after the swim.…

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After racing took place in Oceania and Europe (with the Oceania Championships in Taupo and European Cup in Melilla), the Americas Cup in Salinas, Ecuador, concluded a long Sunday of triathlon. A Sprint distance affair was on offer, attracting small but cosmopolitan start lists and the home team faced a fight to make it onto the podium. Women’s race The women’s race belonged to one athlete. Amber Schlebusch was in impeccable form in Salinas as she powered to a breakaway victory. She got the ball rolling with a field-leading split…

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The second European Cup of the season took place in the Spanish enclave of Melilla at the weekend and the event saw a pair of quick-fire races that were settled with decisive late breaks on the run. Women’s race The lingering effects of the cancellation of WTCS Abu Dhabi were also on show at the Sprint distance race as WTCS medallists were on hand to start their seasons. Each of Emma Lombardi, Sophie Coldwell and Kate Waugh won medals in the 2023 Series and were looking to launch their 2024…

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Taupo, New Zealand, played host to the Oceania Championships over the Olympic distance earlier today as Antipodean rivalries were resumed. Earlier in the year, Australia claimed a triple gold on New Zealand territory and the Napier World Cup and Mixed Team Relay event. The Oceania Sprint Championships then took place in Devonport, Australia, in March. That day, honours were split as New Zealand won the men’s race and Australia secured the women’s title. In Taupo, the New Zealand team looked to sweep both golds however they were confronted with an…

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