With two wins her to name, Beth Potter is enjoying the best season of her (triathlon) career.
Victories at WTCS Abu Dhabi and WTCS Montreal have established her at the forefront of the women’s field and marked her out as one of the select few capable of winning the world title. With neither of Sophie Coldwell or Georgia Taylor-Brown racing in Hamburg, Potter is the only 2023 WTCS race winner on the women’s start list.
Hamburg also holds happy memories for the Scot.
Until Abu Dhabi in March, Hamburg had been the site of her best ever WTCS performance. Last July, she claimed the silver medal in a close battle with Flora Duffy. In addition, this year’s event will be a semi-final/final format over the Super Sprint distance. At the equivalent version of the event in Montreal last year, Potter won the bronze medal.
She therefore combines a trinity of form, success at the venue and success over the format. With that in mind, Potter will be the overwhelming favourite this week.
However, there are several women that could trouble her.
Cassandre Beaugrand is a previous winner in Hamburg, having electrified the event on her way to gold in 2018. She also edged out Potter on her way to a silver medal in Montreal last year. As such, she brings a similar degree of success in the city and over the Super Sprint distance.
Although Beaugrand has not quite hit the same highs as Potter in the WTCS season, she has nonetheless clocked some of the fastest runs of the year, including at WTCS Cagliari. Prior to 2023, the shorter distances seemed to suit Beaugrand. After all, she had never won an Olympic distance event and her WTCS medals all came over the shorter formats.
This year, that trend appears to have changed. Beaugrand won the European Cup in Quarteira and seems to be coming to terms with the Olympic distance. With the focus of the French team on the Paris Olympic Games, she may have shifted her training to priorities the longer event, which could compromise her speed.
More than another country, France has put the Olympics and Olympic Test Event ahead of WTCS racing this season. With that in mind, Beaugrand’s classic speed might not be as sharp as hitherto, although it will likely still be exceptional.
Jeanne Lehair arrives in Hamburg on the back of yet another fantastic race. Having finished 5th at WTCS Cagliari, she narrowly missed a medal on her way to 4th place in Montreal. Throughout the season, the Luxembourg athlete has cemented her status as one of the top runners in the women’s field and will likely be a threat for a medal. She is trending in the right direction and has the speed to rival anyone.
The German team also contains several women that could sneak onto the podium.
Leading the way is Lisa Terstch. The newly-crowned German champion medalled in Hamburg last year. Having won consecutive Bundesliga races in Schliersee and Düsseldorf, she is certainly in form. On the other hand, in the WTCS itself she has not quite hit the same heights of her bronze medal in Hamburg last summer.
Typically German athletes step up in Hamburg. None have done that more so than Laura Lindemann. The winner of the race in 2021 has earned all four of her WTCS medals in the German city. Like Tertsch, Lindemann has not hit her stride in this year’s WTCS. Both, though, could come good in their favoured WTCS location.
Two athletes that have been in form this year are Taylor Spivey and Summer Rappaport. The two Americans have each won WTCS medals and should be in the mix at the business end of the race. Prior to her bronze in Montreal, Rappaport’s last WTCS medal also came in Hamburg (in 2021).
Katie Zaferes could similarly be in contention after her impressive 5th place in Montreal.
Then there’s Tilda Månsson. Rather than defend her World Junior title, Månsson will instead take on the WTCS field. The Swedish youngster is coming off a win at the World Cup in Tiszaujvaros and certainly has the running ability to trouble virtually the entire field.
At this point in her career, her swim remains a weakness compared to the top athletes in the WTCS. Nevertheless, over the Super Sprint, she could get away with any shortcomings in that department. Furthermore, in the absence of Sophie Coldwell, Taylor Knibb, Flora Duffy and Georgia Taylor-Brown, the pace on the bike might not quite as high as usual.
Of course the likes of Potter and Spivey will still push the tempo but several of the big threats will not be present. All Månsson has to do is get to T2 in contact with the leaders. If she is within striking distance when the time comes, a medal might not be an outlandish proposition.
Alberte Kjær Pedersen is in a similar boat. Another tremendous runner, Pedersen finished 4th in Montreal last year and thrived over the Super Sprint distance. Sometimes she can be put on the back foot in the swim, however the shorter course in Hamburg should compensate that slightly. Once out of T2, there won’t be many people that can out-run her.
Although Potter looks like the favourite, the field appears rather open in general. Nicole Van Der Kaay, the winner of the New Plymouth World Cup in March and a former medallist in Hamburg, could have something special in store. Maybe there could be space, too, for someone like Gwen Jorgensen, a late addition to the start list, to spring a surprise.
TriStats Predictions
- Beth Potter
- Cassandre Beaugrand
- Jeanne Lehair
- Alberte Kjaer Pedersen
- Tilda Månsson
