Category: Comment

Paris 2024 President Admits Olympic Swim Could Be Cancelled

Benjamin Eastman

Over the past twelve months, water quality has been a central talking point in the triathlon world. From the European Championships in Madrid to WTCS Sunderland to the Hong Kong World Cup, stories of swim cancellations and athlete sickness have become significant issues. One event, however, stands out above the rest. At last year’s Paris Olympic Test Event, doubts were raised over the safety of the water after the open water swimming test in the Seine was postponed due to safety concerns. The individual triathlon races took place as planned…

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The Takeaways From The Inaugural Lievin World Cup

Benjamin Eastman

In addition to the stirring wins by Laura Lindemann and Vetle Bergsvik Thorn, there was plenty to unpack at the first ever indoor World Cup. Read on to find some of the main takeaways from Lievin. The format The obvious point to start is with the format itself. The racing at Lievin presented a novel challenge to the athletes (notwithstanding those that had tackled the same event at the European Cup level) but one clear positive could be found in the venue. The stadium setting provided the perfect raucous atmosphere,…

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The Geopolitical Backdrop To The World Triathlon Series

Benjamin Eastman

In less than a week’s time, the opening race of the WTCS season will take place in Abu Dhabi. Both the men’s and women’s fields have at least half a dozen legitimate world title contenders and the medals at the first round could go in any number of directions. Moreover, with the Olympics looming on the horizon there will be plenty of narratives to track throughout the triathlon season. However, as easy as it would be to take sport in isolation, there is a wider reality beyond the racing to…

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Who Are The Favourites In The Women’s 2024 WTCS?

Benjamin Eastman

In a similar fashion to the men’s field, there are plenty of contenders that could win the women’s WTCS title this year. Any of half a dozen women hold legitimate ambitions to claim the title and the margins that will ultimately separate them will likely be fine. However, one area in which the women’s field diverges from the men’s is the presence of a clear favourite. Beth Potter was not mentioned in our survey of the women’s favourites last year, which proved to be a gross oversight. On the one…

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Who Are The Favourites In The Men’s 2024 WTCS?

Benjamin Eastman

On their day, any of at least a dozen men could win a medal in this year’s WTCS. No fewer than eight men won multiple WTCS medals last season alone and, given the right conditions, any of them could challenge for a spot on this year’s overall podium. Throw in rising stars like Tim Hellwig (already a double WTCS medallist in his career), Csongor Lehmann and Miguel Hidalgo, single medal winners like Antonio Serrat Seoane, Lasse Lührs and Roberto Sanchez Mantecon, and established veterans like Vincent Luis and Jelle Geens…

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Which Women Could Win Their First WTCS Medal in 2024?

Benjamin Eastman

Yesterday we surveyed some of the men that could win their first WTCS medal this season and today we are doing the same for the women’s field. Winning a medal at a WTCS event is one of the chief ambitions of rising short course triathletes and the examples of last year offer plenty of encouragement for such athletes heading into 2024. Three women won medals for the first time last year. Among the first time winners was Kate Waugh, an individual identified as possible medallists at the start of the season. (No…

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Which Men Could Win Their First WTCS Medal In 2024?

Benjamin Eastman

It is the ultimate aspiration of every athlete coming through the ranks of short distance triathlon to step upon the podium at a WTCS race. Winning a medal in the Series is a major challenge yet in the past couple of years a handful athletes have turned their ambitions into reality. With WTCS Abu Dhabi a little over three weeks away, today we are surveying some of the candidates that could win their first WTCS medal in 2024. To go with that, we will also suggest the course that we think offers…

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The TriStats Top 30 Triathletes 2024 – Women: 6-1

Benjamin Eastman

Finally, we come to the end of the Top 30 triathletes and in this article we have the picks of the bunch. At this stage in time, the six women listed below can be called the best in the World Triathlon Championship Series. All are realistic candidates to win Olympic gold and for anyone other than them to win it would be an upset (save, perhaps, for Flora Duffy who took 7th in the ranking). Distinguishing between these athletes is no mean feat and each individual has a glittering track…

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The TriStats Top 30 Triathletes 2024 – Men: 6-1

Benjamin Eastman

This is the big one. After much anticipation, we arrive at the final step: the six best male triathletes in the world. The men listed below are at this time the likeliest candidates to make either the Olympic podium, overall WTCS podium or both this year. All won multiple WTCS medals in 2023 and all will treat Olympic gold as their objective in the coming months. To succeed in 2024, they will not have to make any great leap from their current state. Rather they will simply have to maintain…

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The TriStats Top 30 Triathletes 2024 – Women: 12-7

Benjamin Eastman

Higher and higher we rise in the Top 30, and the chances of Olympic glory and WTCS success look all the stronger. In this section, WTCS medallists and Continental champions abound. Any of them could be an outside runner to make the Olympic podium or the overall WTCS podium. Some of the difficulty in separating the names arises from whether they are likely to have a couple of outstanding performances or if they are likelier to be consistent across the season. Perhaps more than anywhere else in the ranking, the…

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The TriStats Top 30 Triathletes 2024 – Men: 12-7

Benjamin Eastman

As we get higher in the Top 30, the balance between potential Olympic success and WTCS success becomes more pronounced. At their best, everyone in this section can medal in the WTCS and some of the difficulty in separating them arises from whether they are likely to have a couple of outstanding performances or if they are likelier to be consistent across the season. Perhaps more than anywhere else in the ranking, the difference between who would win on any given day (for which Olympic success can be a proxy)…

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The TriStats Top 30 Triathletes 2024 – Women: 18-13

Benjamin Eastman

In this next segment of the TriStats Top 30, we are entering the territory of the athletes that can push for WTCS medals and World Cup wins. To put the rankings together, WTCS performances have generally taken priority. At the same time, results at World Cups and Continental Championships also feature and attempts have been made to strike a balance between the different levels of the sport. Moreover, we have tried to weigh the consistency of some athletes against the medal-winning exploits of others. Remember, these rankings are not intended…

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The TriStats Top 30 Triathletes 2024 – Men: 18-13

Benjamin Eastman

In this next segment of the TriStats Top 30, we are entering the territory of the athletes that can push for WTCS medals and World Cup wins. To put the ranking together, WTCS performances have generally taken priority. At the same time, results at World Cups and Continental Championships also feature and attempts have been made to strike a balance between the different levels of the sport. Moreover, we have tried to weigh the consistency of some athletes against the medal-winning exploits of others. There will always be an element…

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The TriStats Top 30 Triathletes 2024 – Women: 24-19

Benjamin Eastman

In this instalment of the women’s Top 30 Triathletes for 2024, we will be casting an eye of the names occupying places 24 through 19. While we have attempted to strike a balance between the different levels of the sport, WTCS performances have generally taken the priority. Results at World Cups and Continental Championships also feature while we have tried to weigh the consistency of some athletes against the medal-winning exploits of others and the potential of rising younger athletes against the experience of those nearer to the end of…

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The TriStats Top 30 Triathletes 2024 – Men: 24-19

Benjamin Eastman

We are back with the next cluster of athletes in the men’s Top 30 Triathletes for 2024. To compile the ranking, WTCS performances have generally taken the priority. At the same time, results at World Cups and Continental Championships also feature and attempts have been made to strike a balance between the different levels of the sport. Moreover, we have tried to weigh the consistency of some athletes against the medal-winning exploits of others. Remember, these rankings are not intended as a prediction for the year but rather as more…

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