One of the big changes to the international Junior season in 2024 is the realignment of the World Junior Championships with the WTCS Final, World Para-Triathlon Championships and World U23 Championships.
In 2023, the World Junior Championships took place in July, at WTCS Hamburg, while the equivalent Senior, Para and U23 titles were handed out two months later at WTCS Pontevedra. Hitherto, all four titles were awarded at the same event. Indeed, the change only really came as a result of the pandemic.
In 2019, Lausanne hosted the four world championship events at once. In 2021, though, after the dash to restore what was possible after months of lockdowns, the World Junior Championships were held in isolation in Quarteira. For the next two seasons, the split model stuck.
The realignment makes sense on multiple fronts. For starters, the best Junior triathletes in the world will be afforded the chance to mix with the biggest names in the sport. While they had the chance to do this to a point at WTCS Hamburg in 2023 and WTCS Montreal in 2022, being part of a full WTCS Final with the other attendant championships will enhance their experience.
Moreover, it simply makes organisational sense. Hosting all the championships at once is more efficient and does not add an awkward Junior piece to another WTCS event.
When it comes to the Junior season, integrating the World Championships will also further develop the season narrative. In 2023, for example, both the European and Americas Junior Championships were contested after the World Junior Championships. Having determined which athletes were the best Junior triathletes in the world, many of the same athletes then raced to settle the regional title. It was therefore no surprise to see the World Junior champions come out on top at the European Junior Championships; after all, much of the intrigue had already been sucked from the event.
Later in the year, several of the Americas’ top Juniors opted out of the equivalent championships. For example, several of the American Junior men tackled the Senior event instead.
This year, all of the continental Junior titles will be awarded prior to the World Junior Championships. As a result, the season will have a forward-facing narrative the points to a defined peak.
At the same time, the new timing of the World Junior Championships creates a challenge for some athletes. For the Juniors of Oceania and the Americas, they now face a split season.
The Oceania Junior Championships took place in Napier in February with Aspen Anderson and Jack Woodberry claiming the wins. The Americas Junior Championships then followed in Miami a fortnight later (in March). Sidney Clement and Reese Vannerson powered to the titles.
Those with aspirations of the World Junior Championships, though, will have to wait until October for the racing in Malaga. As such, the athletes of Oceania and Americas face a split season of sorts, with their key events separated by over seven months. To be able to succeed at both will thus be a different kind of challenge and one that will require plenty of patience and timing.
