Category: WTCS

Multiple New Names Added To WTCS Cagliari Start Lists

Benjamin Eastman

In the week since the start lists for WTCS Cagliari were published, there have been a number of updates. Several athletes that were originally on the wait list for the race have been bumped up onto the start list. Among them are Jacob Birtwhistle and Gustav Iden. Although Birtwhistle won the Oceania Cup in Devonport earlier in the spring, he remains on the hunt for his top form. Iden, meanwhile, will be continuing his quest to make it to the Paris Olympic Games. Charles Paquet also gets his shot at…

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First Look at the WTCS Cagliari 2023 Start Lists

Benjamin Eastman

The start lists for the third round of the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series are available and there are a number of prominent names racing as well as a few conspicuous absences. Cagliari will be the second of two Olympic distance races in the regular WTCS season; also note that the Paris Test Event will stand as a possible third Olympic distance race to count towards an athlete’s score prior to the Final in Pontevedra. At 1000 points, the race in Cagliari is therefore among the most valuable on the…

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Alex Yee and Flora Duffy Out of WTCS Yokohama

Benjamin Eastman

Yesterday we had a first look at the start lists for WTCS Yokohama. One of the biggest names in the sport, Flora Duffy, was scheduled to make her first start of the season. However, a day later she has been substituted out. In Duffy’s place, fellow Bermuda athlete Erica Hawley will be racing. Prior to WTCS Abu Dhabi in March, Duffy noted that she would skip the season opener in order to build into her campaign gradually. Furthermore she intended to give a knee injury sustained in autumn 2022 more…

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First Look at the WTCS Yokohama 2023 Start Lists

Benjamin Eastman

The second round the of the 2023 WTCS takes place in Yokohama, Japan, in a month. After skipping the opener in Abu Dhabi, a number of athletes will be making their bow for the year. Meanwhile, several names that enjoyed success in the first race of the year will be looking for more. As with the Abu Dhabi start lists, there will be a couple of names on the start list that ultimately do not race. Some, for example, could be switched out to get a compatriot into the event.…

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Who Has Won The Most Consecutive WTCS Medals?

Benjamin Eastman

One of the lesser reported stories of WTCS Abu Dhabi was that Georgia Taylor-Brown lost her streak of WTCS medals. After 8 consecutive medals, she finished 15th. No one wants to be the grump that points such a statistic out. Moreover Taylor-Brown was clearly still in heavy training and will no doubt have a fantastic season. This article is not about Taylor-Brown’s day in Abu Dhabi, though. Rather, it is inspired by her run of success that preceded it. 8 medals in a row is a phenomenal achievement. We wanted…

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The WTCS Rankings After Round One of Racing

Benjamin Eastman

With the first WTCS race of the season ticked off, the early rankings have taken shape. As expected, Sprint races will be worth 75% of the points that an Olympic distance race is worth this season. There was a little confusion even amongst some athletes prior to the start of the season about how many points the different distances would be worth. This indicates there may have been a slight breakdown somewhere along the way between World Triathlon, National Federations and the athletes. Of greater consequence, it means Beth Potter…

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Watch the Highlights of WTCS Abu Dhabi 2023

Benjamin Eastman

Women’s race Beth Potter took her first WTCS win with a tremendous performance. Sophie Coldwell won her first WTCS silver medal while Taylor Spivey rounded out the podium. You can read the full race report here. Men’s race There was no stopping Alex Yee on the final lap of the run as he powered to victory. Vasco Vilaca hung on to a brilliant silver medal while Manoel Messias nabbed his second WTCS bronze medal. You can read the men’s race report here. Stay tuned for the next WTCS race in…

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Stories You Might Have Missed at WTCS Abu Dhabi

Benjamin Eastman

With so much going on at a WTCS race, it is easy for some story lines to be missed. With that in mind, read on to find five stories you might have overlooked from this weekend’s action. Lena Meißner backs it up Lena Meißner ended her 2022 season in fantastic form. Consecutive 11th place finishes at WTCS Cagliari and WTCS Bermuda suggested that she had elevated herself to a new level. Her performance at the WTCS Final in Abu Dhabi kicked that to an even higher gear. She won a…

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Breaking Down the Splits at WTCS Abu Dhabi 2023

Benjamin Eastman

There were a number of exceptional splits at WTCS Abu Dhabi. Only two athletes, though, managed top-10 splits in all three disciplines. That honour went to Beth Potter and Sophie Coldwell, the gold and silver medallists in the women’s race. The Swims We have written about the French men’s strategy for the WTCS this year and the swim splits show that in full force. Vincent Luis and Dorian Coninx battled to take control of the race from the front of the swim. However, they could not quite force a gap.…

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The Statistical Breakdown of WTCS Abu Dhabi 2023

Benjamin Eastman

There was plenty of data to dig into at WTCS Abu Dhabi. We have a separate post for the splits breakdown from the race, but that only tells half the story. Below, you will find all the graphs and plots you need to analyse what happened at the first WTCS race of the year. Swim The women’s swim distribution really demonstrates just how strong Sophie Coldwell was in the water. The Density of Athletes shows how many athletes exited the water at each interval behind Coldwell. As the line marking…

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The Debuts and Personal Bests at WTCS Abu Dhabi 2023

Benjamin Eastman

The first race of the WTCS season saw a number of athletes record their best ever WTCS finishes. In addition, the race also saw three athletes make their first appearances at the WTCS level. The Debutants Jannick Schauffer had a good day at his first WTCS race. He spent much of the race alongside silver medallist Vasco Vilaca. Coming into T2, Schaufler was a part of the main pack and was well-positioned to record a strong finish. He was also quick through transition to get onto the run among the…

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Hayden Wilde Forced to Change Wheel in Abu Dhabi

Benjamin Eastman

One talking point heading into WTCS Abu Dhabi was what impact Hayden Wilde’s winter of swimming would have. In the end, Wilde emerged from the water 42 seconds down on the leader, Vincent Luis, and in 57th place. It should be noted, though, that he left the water one place ahead of Manoel Messias who went on to win bronze. As such, Wilde was still in the game at that point. However, Wilde’s day was over almost instantly out of T1. He was forced to change his wheel in the…

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Gustav Iden Facing Shoe Protest at WTCS Abu Dhabi

Benjamin Eastman

Norwegian athlete Gustav Iden is facing a shoe protest at WTCS Abu Dhabi. Iden finished in 52nd place in the race won by Alex Yee. However, he currently faces being disqualified for a shoe violation. At the start of this year, World Triathlon updated its rulebook to address a number of changes. One of these changes was the introduction of a frozen ranking for athletes taking maternity leave, while another was the banning of aero bars in draft legal races. The pertinent rule change here, though, was that they brought…

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Alex Yee Storms to the Win at WTCS Abu Dhabi

Benjamin Eastman

Bad memories can quickly become demons if not expunged in time. For two of the favourites for this year’s world title, Abu Dhabi held harsh memories from a mere three months ago. Both Alex Yee and Hayden Wilde had astonishing seasons last year but tripped at the last and saw Leo Bergere win the world title. Back at the same venue, they had a chance to put that right. Morgan Pearson was a pre-race hopeful that did not start but otherwise the men dove into the pristine waters of Yas…

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Potter Holds Off Coldwell for First WTCS Win

Benjamin Eastman

Sometimes, it takes one athlete to light up a race. At the opening race of the WTCS season, Sophie Coldwell took it upon herself to be that one athlete. From the start, it was like someone had set off a firework. She was lightning quick off the pontoon and emerged noticeably ahead in the water. If something looks too good to be true, though, it often is. Such was the case with Coldwell. As she dominated the early portion of the swim, it was confirmed that she had indeed started…

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