Category: WTCS

The PBs, Debuts and Top Splits of WTCS Yokohama 2023

Benjamin Eastman

The Debut Yifan Yang was the only athlete to make their debut at WTCS Yokohama. After a great swim in which she led during the first lap, she was dropped from the lead pack on the bike. Two crashes on the bike unfortunately then ended her day prematurely. The first of her crashes also saw her take a bump from Anna Godoy Contreras who had nowhere to go behind Yang. The fact that Yang got back onto the bike after her first fall showed impressive spirit. As a young athlete,…

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The Statistical Breakdown of WTCS Yokohama 2023

Benjamin Eastman

Two contrasting races were on offer at WTCS Yokohama. Whereas a breakaway unfolded in the women’s event, the men’s race resulted in a massive front group and a running race. Across all three disciplines there was plenty to unpack so without further ado let’s dive into the stats. The Swims Women The telltale sign of the breakaway in the women’s race can be seen in the above swim distribution. The density of athletes exiting the water rises a little after the first athletes exited, but then plunges just before the…

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Where Does Gustav Iden Go Next After Difficult Start?

Benjamin Eastman

After two races of the 2023 World Triathlon Championship Series, it is fair to say that Gustav Iden’s season is not quite going according to plan. At both WTCS Abu Dhabi and WTCS Yokohama he has faced difficulties and now finds himself slipping behind in his pursuit of qualification for the Paris Olympic Games. Iden is a proven quantity in triathlon; he is the reigning world champion in Ironman after all. However, with challenges arising both within his own racing as well as externally, he may need to take some…

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Is Bergere Trying Too Hard In The Men’s WTCS?

Benjamin Eastman

One of the abiding images of WTCS Yokohama was that of Leo Bergere clamped onto Hayden Wilde’s wheel and then feet during the bike and run. For much of the race, the two stars of the men’s World Series went toe-to-toe in their quest for the world title. Ultimately, however, when Wilde made his crucial surge on the run Bergere could not go with him. After suffering from a slight cramp on the run, Bergere slipped back into the chase group and had to settle for 5th place. Having also…

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Is It Time To Talk About Vasco Vilaca’s World Title Chances?

Benjamin Eastman

We should have known better. After his silver medal at WTCS Abu Dhabi, Vasco Vilaca clearly had a hot hand and once the the triathlon gods saw that we had neglected to include him in our men’s preview for WTCS Yokohama the chain of events had been set. By winning the bronze medal in Yokohama, Vasco Vilaca has taken over the lead of the men’s Series. With 1549 points, he is over 200 points clear of the next athlete (Dorian Coninx). Of course it is early days. Alex Yee only…

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Sun Comes Out For Wilde In Win At WTCS Yokohama

Benjamin Eastman

It was not until the rain cleared that the race revealed its hand. In sodden conditions in Yokohama, the athletes lined up on the pontoon with a number of questions to be answered. Two years after his win in the city, could Kristian Blummenfelt return to the summit of the short distance mountain? Only a week prior, he had still been dabbling with the longer distance. Was Hayden Wilde ready to translate his Sprint distance form over the Olympic format? And what did Leo Bergere, the world champion, have to…

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Coldwell Prevails In The Rain At WTCS Yokohama

Benjamin Eastman

There’s a new sheriff in town. As the women lined up on the pontoon, Tokyo Bay looked calm. The silver medallist from WTCS Abu Dhabi, Sophie Coldwell, wore number 1 and took her position on the far right of the pontoon. A few moments later, her compatriot Georgia Taylor-Brown stepped up to take her position. After narrowly missing out on the world title last year, many had expected Taylor-Brown to contend for the overall win in this year’s Series. After a slow start in Abu Dhabi, she was returning to…

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The Key Course Information at WTCS Yokohama 2023

Benjamin Eastman

While there have been a couple of tweaks to the WTCS Yokohama course, for many of the athletes the route will be a familiar one. The most immediate factor will be beyond the course itself. Two days before the scheduled start of the race, an earthquake struck Chiba to the east of Tokyo. Chiba is situated on the opposite side of the bay to Yokohama and so there may be some residual effects and issues. World Triathlon noted a contingency plan in the race briefing should there be any further…

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The Start List Cheat Sheets for WTCS Yokohama 2023

Benjamin Eastman

WTCS Yokohama is right around the corner. As with WTCS Abu Dhabi, we have prepared a cheat sheet with all the relevant stats for the athletes starting. Note that the data shown applies for Olympic distance races in the 2022 season. This covers the events from Yokohama, Cagliari and Bermuda as well as the WTCS Final in Abu Dhabi. The idea is to therefore provide the most relevant data points for Yokohama, which will also be contested over the Olympic distance. For every athlete, you will find their average position out of…

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Malaga Confirmed As WTCS Final Host For 2024

Benjamin Eastman

After much anticipation, World Triathlon have confirmed the location of the 2024 World Triathlon Championship Series Final. Earlier today Malaga, Spain, was revealed as the host. It will mark the second consecutive year that Spain will host the WTCS Final after Pontevedra holds the event this coming September. On the elite side, the event will host the WTCS Final as well as the World Championships for the U23, Junior and Para-triathlon categories. In a shift from 2021 and 2022, the Juniors will have their World Championships alongside the WTCS Final.…

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Look For A Taylor-Brown Win At WTCS Yokohama

Benjamin Eastman

Like a pause in a symphony, the women’s WTCS sits poised. The audience has heard the crescendos that have come before and vaguely know what to expect next, but as the orchestra stirs towards another peak they cannot be sure. They know it cannot be exactly as it has been. Without Flora Duffy and Beth Potter, a new soloist will step forth to guide them to the new high. Prior to that, that came in the familiar guise of Georgia Taylor-Brown. Maybe that will return. Or maybe it will be…

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Bergere To Make His Move At WTCS Yokohama

Benjamin Eastman

In the absence of the race winner from the first WTCS event of the season, Alex Yee, there will be a new Series leader come the end of the day in Yokohama. Without Yee, there are two obvious candidates for the win in Japan. Last year’s medallists, Hayden Wilde and Leo Bergere, will arrive on form. Wilde has a win at the New Plymouth World Cup to his name at which his running was utterly dominant. Bergere, meanwhile, has already earned a victory at the 70.3 distance. With Yokohama representing…

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Vincent Luis Pulls Out Of WTCS Yokohama With Injury

Benjamin Eastman

Double world champion Vincent Luis has revealed that he will not be racing at WTCS Yokohama next week. After originally being entered as part of a four man French team, Luis has been waylaid by a hip niggle. As he noted in an Instagram post, “a sore hip for the last couple days eventually ended up with a small medical intervention. I should be up and running for Cagliari in 3 weeks time!” While the extent of the medical intervention has not yet been made clear, the timing is inopportune…

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