Dave Ellis and Henry Urand retained their world titles for Great Britain at the World Para Triathlon Championships in Pontevedra as most of the big favourites prevailed – but many by small margins.

Across the 12 sprint-distance races, four of the six men’s titles were decided by less than 20 seconds. Alexis Hanquinquant’s ninth successive PTS4 crown came by just 13 seconds, while European champion Serena Banzato took her first world title by beating defending women’s PTS3 champion Elise Marc.

Ellis strikes on the run

Ellis and guide Luke Pollard had to come from behind in the men’s PTVI race. Lazar Filipovic and guide Strahinja Trakic led out of the water, and Ellis was still 41 seconds behind leader Antoine Perel at the start of the run.

Filipovic regained the lead, but Ellis and Pollard closed steadily before moving in front with around 2.5km remaining. They went on to win in 1:00:37, 19 seconds ahead of Filipovic, to secure Ellis’s ninth world title. Perel and guide Yohan Le Berre took bronze.

Spain’s Susana Rodriguez and guide Sara Perez Sala also defended their women’s PTVI title on home soil. Rodriguez’s race-leading swim helped establish an advantage that Francesca Tarantello could not erase despite the fastest run split. Rodriguez won by 1:53 for her eighth world crown.

Fruehwirth wins despite puncture

The men’s PTWC race produced one of the day’s most remarkable performances. Thomas Fruehwirth punctured a tyre on his racing chair just after the first corner of the run, leaving him to complete roughly the final 4km with a flat.

The Austrian still came through to win by 55 seconds over compatriot Florian Brungraber, with Joseph Fritsch third. In the women’s race, Lauren Parker claimed her sixth world title, beating Kendall Gretsch by 1:05. Emelia Perry was only seven seconds behind Gretsch in third.

Urand turns the race around

Urand was more than 90 seconds behind home favourite Daniel Molina after the swim in the men’s PTS3 race. He erased almost all of that deficit on the first bike lap, then rode clear with the fastest bike split of the field.

He won his third successive world title in 1:07:17, finishing 1:54 ahead of Molina. Stylianos Malakopoulos produced the quickest run to snatch bronze, three seconds ahead of Valentin Hanzer.

In the women’s PTS5 race, Grace Norman took control on the bike and sealed a fifth consecutive title with the fastest run, 18:31. Erica Da Rosa Rodrigues finished second and Lauren Steadman third.

A first title and a narrow escape

Banzato supplied one of the biggest changes of champion. The Italian, already European PTS3 champion, overcame a deficit after the swim with the fastest bike and run splits to beat Marc by 2:17. Kassandra Case completed the women’s podium.

Hanquinquant’s unbeaten championship run survived a stern test in the men’s PTS4 race. The Frenchman led after the swim, but Nil Riudavets Victory ran 27 seconds faster over the final 5km and closed to within 13 seconds at the finish. Pierre-Antoine Baele was third, 23 seconds behind Hanquinquant.

Elsewhere, Jules Ribstein (FRA) overturned a 31-second deficit at T2 to win the men’s PTS2 title by 14 seconds over Mohamed Lahna. Hailey Danz (USA) reversed last year’s women’s PTS2 result against Anu Francis, while Camille Seneclauze (FRA) retained the women’s PTS4 crown after making up a 1:38 swim deficit to Zoé Reveillon.

Chris Hammer (USA) completed the list of defending champions with a comeback in men’s PTS5. He was 1:29 behind swim leader Filipe Marques, but the fastest bike and run splits carried him to a 16-second victory over Martin Schulz.

World Para Triathlon Championships 2026 results

Pontevedra, Spain — 25 September 2026 — 750m swim / 20km bike / 5km run

PTVI men

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Dave Ellis (B3), guide Luke Pollard	GBR	12:31	29:16	15:54	1:00:37
2	Lazar Filipovic (B1), guide Strahinja Trakic	SRB	11:10	30:09	16:51	1:00:56
3	Antoine Perel (B1), guide Yohan Le Berre	FRA	11:29	29:52	17:11	1:01:13

PTVI women

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Susana Rodriguez (B1), guide Sara Perez Sala	ESP	11:27	32:23	19:28	1:06:37
2	Francesca Tarantello (B3), guide Silvia Visaggi	ITA	13:15	33:26	18:41	1:08:30
3	Anja Renner (B3), guide Maria Paulig	GER	14:58	32:19	19:17	1:09:44

PTWC men

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Thomas Fruehwirth (H1)	AUT	12:18	33:59	13:47	1:02:33
2	Florian Brungraber (H2)	AUT	13:13	35:33	12:25	1:03:28
3	Joseph Fritsch (H1)	FRA	13:35	32:46	15:55	1:04:36

PTWC women

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Lauren Parker (H1)	AUS	11:41	40:15	14:47	1:10:13
2	Kendall Gretsch (H2)	USA	15:32	39:58	13:37	1:11:18
3	Emelia Perry (H1)	USA	13:20	40:38	14:46	1:11:25

PTS2 men

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Jules Ribstein	FRA	11:05	37:27	20:09	1:12:27
2	Mohamed Lahna	USA	11:37	37:13	20:19	1:12:41
3	Wim De Paepe	BEL	10:55	37:00	21:40	1:13:14

PTS2 women

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Hailey Danz	USA	12:02	40:33	23:10	1:19:37
2	Anu Francis	AUS	13:50	41:20	24:09	1:22:07
3	Asumi Yasuda	JPN	13:05	43:58	22:12	1:23:45

PTS3 men

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Henry Urand	GBR	12:30	33:14	18:33	1:07:17
2	Daniel Molina	ESP	10:51	36:37	18:32	1:09:11
3	Stylianos Malakopoulos	GRE	11:40	37:46	17:14	1:10:13

PTS3 women

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Serena Banzato	ITA	14:20	41:59	21:12	1:21:30
2	Elise Marc	FRA	13:46	43:30	22:51	1:23:47
3	Kassandra Case	USA	13:50	43:29	24:13	1:25:42

PTS4 men

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Alexis Hanquinquant	FRA	9:37	31:32	16:10	59:54
2	Nil Riudavets Victory	ESP	10:22	31:46	15:43	1:00:07
3	Pierre-Antoine Baele	FRA	10:19	31:42	15:51	1:00:17

PTS4 women

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Camille Seneclauze	FRA	12:39	37:55	22:14	1:15:34
2	Zoé Reveillon	FRA	11:01	38:35	23:49	1:18:04
3	Kelly Elmlinger	USA	13:17	41:17	21:27	1:19:27

PTS5 men

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Chris Hammer	USA	11:02	30:25	16:00	1:00:06
2	Martin Schulz	GER	10:07	31:30	16:16	1:00:22
3	Filipe Marques	POR	9:33	31:51	16:32	1:00:26

PTS5 women

Position	Athlete	Nationality	Swim	Bike	Run	Overall time
1	Grace Norman	USA	11:21	35:14	18:31	1:08:19
2	Erica Da Rosa Rodrigues	BRA	12:53	35:12	19:25	1:10:00
3	Lauren Steadman	GBR	11:34	36:00	19:30	1:10:29