The former world champion, Katie Zaferes, will complete her return to the top level of triathlon by racing at the WTCS Final in Pontevedra.
Having not been originally included on the women’s start list, Zaferes has now been added in place of Taylor Knibb who has dropped out of the race. Knibb claimed 5th place at the Paris Olympic Test Event which earned her a spot on the American Olympic team next year. With Olympic qualification nailed, there was no reason for Knibb to race the Final.
On the WTCS front, Knibb sits 11th overall. She is the highest ranked athlete to only have three results to her name. A place on the overall podium is all but impossible for her to achieve (mathematically it is, although it would require an extraordinary number of top ranked women to not finish in Pontevedra). As such, racing held little incentive.
Of course, a payday will be available at the WTCS Final and a boost in Knibb’s ranking could improve her earnings from the WTCS bonus pool. On the other hand, Knibb won the Ironman World 70.3 Championships at the weekend and is hardly pressed for prize money.
As the World 70.3 champion from 2022 and 2023, Knibb has technically qualified for the Ironman World Championships. Instead of Pontevedra, then, there is a chance that Knibb will be taking on the Ironman in Kona.
Such an appearance would represent her maiden race at the longest distance. Should she do well, her earnings will likely far out-strip those of the WTCS.
In 2023, Knibb has taken on a multitude of challenges. She has raced solidly at the WTCS level, earning one medal (a bronze in Yokohama). She has also taken part in PTO races alongside the Ironman World 70.3 Championships. Perhaps most interestingly, she took on the American Time Trial Championships with half an eye on qualifying for the Paris Olympics as a cyclist alongside the triathlon.
Meanwhile, Zaferes will be in the thick of a tight American race to the Olympic Games. In Pontevedra, the American athletes will require a medal if they are to secure their Olympic ticket alongside Knibb.
A tense affair will therefore await the team.
Among the other changes to the women’s start list are the inclusion of Anna Godoy Contreras and Marta Pintanel Raymundo for Spain and the addition of Cecilia Perez for Mexico. Luisa Baptista has also withdrawn for Brazil.
Changes have also been made to the American men’s team. In Pontevedra, the men will now have a squad of five as Matthew McElroy, Seth Rider, Darr Smith and Kevin McDowell join Olympic qualifier Morgan Pearson.
Pearson’s qualification has completely changed the complexion of the American race to Paris. Prior to the Test Event, he seemed out of the running to automatically qualify. As a proven WTCS medallist, he stood a chance of earning a discretionary selection yet his chances seemed slim. Indeed, he originally did not even make the start list for the Paris Test Event.
Pearson flipped the narrative on its head with a star turn in Paris. Now, his compatriots have a fight on their hands. At this stage, America is only in line to score two male slots at the Olympic Games. Pearson’s four teammates in Pontevedra will therefore be gunning for one slot. They can achieve with a medal at the WTCS Final or a medal at a selection race in 2024.
Should no one medal, the slot will come down to a discretionary selection.
Two further notable changes on the men’s start list are the additions of Brandon Copeland for Australia and Aram Michell Peñaflor Moysen for Mexico.
