T100 San Francisco boasts SUPREME women’s start list with phenom Taylor Knibb set to return

The 2025 T100 Triathlon World Tour returns at the end of the month as the second race of the season takes place at the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon event in San Francisco on May 31.

After missing the series opener in Singapore, US phenom Taylor Knibb will be keen to begin the defence of her T100 World Championship crown – and few would bet against the middle-distance sensation on home soil.

She will renew her rivalry with Australian Ashleigh Gentle who was not at her best in Singapore. The pair have competed on five occasions over the 100km format with the American coming out on top on four of those meetings.

Both Knibb and Gentle will be wary of Britain’s T100 Singapore victor Kate Waugh, who dominated in the heat of South East Asia in April, while Canadian Paula Findlay makes her seasonal bow on the T100 Tour having already shown strong form by winning at IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside.

Can Waugh rival Knibb?

It has been well documented that Knibb has been unbeatable over the middle-distances over the past few seasons. The American boasted four wins from four starts during the 2024 T100 Tour and is the three-time defending IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion.

In total, Knibb has 10 consecutive wins across the 100km and 70.3-mile formats, but could face a worthy challenger in Britain’s Waugh.

Kate won the Singapore race by an incredible six minutes and 40 seconds from Lisa Perterer and Lucy Charles-Barclay – dominating on the swim and the bike before pulling away from the field on the run.

Can Gentle rediscover form?

Australian great Gentle, who has tallied six 100km race victories since the format was introduced by the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO), finished sixth in Singapore on a day where she “did not feel herself”.

Ashleigh was unable to impose herself on swim, bike or run, finishing 10 minutes off the pace – and will be keen to return to her best on the US West Coast.

Currently, only 11 names have been confirmed for a race which can boast a field of 20. Lucy Byram and Flora Duffy were both DNF in the Singapore heat but will return in San Francisco – as will Taylor Spivey (5th), Grace Thek (7th), Marta Sanchez (11th), Julie Derron (12th) and Jess Learmonth (13th)

The additions to the field are the aforementioned Knibb and Canadian star Findlay, who bested a strong field to win IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside in early April.

T100 Singapore women’s start list

The 11 contracted T100 women racing are listed below:

• Kate Waugh (GBR)
• Taylor Spivey (USA)
• Ashleigh Gentle (AUS)
• Grace Thek (AUS)
• Marta Sanchez (ESP)
• Julie Derron (SUI)
• Jess Learmonth (GBR)
• Flora Duffy (BER)
• Lucy Byram (GBR)
• Paula Findlay (CAN)
• Taylor Knibb (USA)