Gwen Jorgensen started her season in style last weekend, with the Olympic gold medalist picking up a big win at the Americas Continental Cup in La Habana.

Gearing up for the first WTCS race of the season in Abu Dhabi, the American was too strong for the rest of the field over the Olympic distance in Cuba.

Praising her current setup for playing a key part in her win, Jorgensen explained on her YouTube channel why she feels like her training environment is so much stronger in 2024.

“I am really getting into my groove”

Based up at altitude in Boulder, the Wisconsinite said that since last season, she has really been able to find a community of triathletes and training groups that work best for her.

“This year I am really getting into my groove here in Boulder. I found a swim group, with Julie Dibens, which I have been training with twice a week.

“I’ve also been doing some motor pacing and when the weather has been nice I have done some group rides, so I think it’s been nice to be able to find some people here in Boulder to do triathlon training with.

“Last year, I had a lot of running people I could train with, but not as many swimmers or bikers, so it’s been nice to incorporate some new faces into my training this year.” 

“It’s a good reminder of how hard it hurts”

Discussing her race in Cuba, the former world champion shared her reason for making the trip over, explaining that she had wanted to test herself before WTCS Abu Dhabi on March 9.

I went there to get a little rust buster out of the race before a big race in Abu Dhabi, it’s a huge race and the first WTCS that I’m actually on the start list for and prepared for.

“I wanted to get a race in before that, because a lot of the time my first race of the season is a little rusty and it’s a good reminder of how bad it hurts and how hard triathlon is so I wanted to get a race in.

“We looked for a race that was close to home but would also give me some competition and race practice and that’s how we came to decide on Cuba.”