World Triathlon Cup Huatulco 2023: Start time, preview and watch live

This is a preview of the World Triathlon Cup Huatulco, which was won by Spaniard David Castro Fajardo and Mexican Anahi Alvarez Corral.

Huatulco will host the second 2023 World Triathlon Cup of the year this weekend, as some of the top athletes from around the world head to the city in Mexico for a hot and humid race that has become a staple on the World Cup calendar in recent years.

Start time and how to follow live

The elite women will race first in Huatulco, with the gun set to go off at 15:15 local time on Saturday June 17. This corresponds to 22:15 UK time, 23:15 CET time and 17:15 on the East Coast.

For the men, racing will kick off at 17:15 local time on Saturday, which is 00:15 UK time and 01:15 CET time on Sunday and 19:15 West Coast time on Saturday. 

All the action will be available live via Triathlonlive.tv

Course and previous winners

Athletes will race over the sprint distance on Saturday, with the swim held at Santa Cruz and the bike and run on the surrounding roads. 

The swim will be in the ocean, over a single lap of 750m, following a beach start, with the bike made up of four laps of roughly 5km and the run course consisting of two laps of 2.5km.

Previous winners:

• 2022: Genis Grau (ESP) / Annika Koch (GER)
• 2021: Tyler Mislawchuk (CAN) / Alberte Pedersen (DEN)
• 2019: Tyler Mislawchuk (CAN) / Summer Rappaport (USA)
• 2018: Rodrigo Gonzalez (MEX) / Chelsea Sodaro (USA)
• 2016: Etienne Diemunsch (FRA) / Jolanda Annen (SUI)
• 2015: Irving Perez (MEX) / Valentina Carvallo (CHI)
• 2013: Luciano Taccone (ARG) / Ai Ueda (JPN)
• 2012: Artem Parienko (RUS) / Pamella Oliveira (BRA)
• 2011: Matt Chrabot (USA) / Juri Ide (JPN)
• 2010: Javier Gomez (ESP) / Ai Ueda (JPN)
• 2009: Matt Chrabot (USA) / Ai Ueda (JPN)
• 2008: Kris Gemmel (NZL) / Samantha Warriner (NZL)

Elite Women

In the women’s race in Huatulco, Rosa Maria Tapia Vidal, who impressed recently at WTCS Yokohama with a fabulous second place finish behind Sophie Coldwell, will hope that racing in front of a home crowd will give her the boost she needs to win her first World Cup race.

Currently ranked WTCS #6, the Mexican has been one of the breakthrough stars of the season, with fourth at New Plymouth World Cup and tenth at WTCS Cagliari sandwiching her podium performance in Japan. With 11 Mexican women on the start list, expect Tapia Vidal to lead the charge on home soil.

Elsewhere, a strong US contingent will be making their way to Mexico, headed up by Olympic medalists Katie Zaferes and Gwen Jorgensen, plus Gina Sereno, who won the Arena Games Triathlon in Montreal at the start of the season.

Zaferes and Jorgensen, who have battled it out in St. Louis and Cagliari so far this season, will go head-to-head once more, with Zaferes in the best run of form. Having won two continental cups so far this year, Huatulco may be the perfect opportunity for Zaferes to bolster her confidence with a World Cup win.

For Jorgensen, Huatulco offers a chance for some redemption, after being lapped out of the race at WTCS Cagliari. With the window for Paris qualification closing fast, the 2016 Olympic Champion has her work cut out to earn the points necessary to make the Test Event this August and prove her value in a stacked US women’s team.

Finally, Charlotte McShane of Australia, one of the in-form athletes coming into the event alongside Tapia Vidal, will likely relish the chance to size up against some bigger fish after wins at the Asia Cup in Subic Bay and Oceania Cup in Busselton, plus a fifth place finish at the Oceania Championships in Port Douglas.

Having previously finished third at the WTCS Grand Final in Cozumel in 2016, the heat and humidity of Huatulco could play to McShane’s strengths and see her improve on a 35th place finish at her last World Cup appearance in New Plymouth.

Elite Men

In the men’s race, Tyler Mislawchuk is one of eight Canadians travelling down to Mexico, as the two-time Huatulco World Cup winner from Manitoba looks for the trifecta after coming up just short against Genis Grau of Spain last year following wins in 2019 and 2021.

The Tokyo Olympic Test event winner will have his work cut out this weekend, however, with recently crowned European Champion David Castro Fajardo of Spain set to toe the start line. Castro Fajardo, along with last years winner Grau will lead a strong Spanish quartet who will be confident of success in Huatulco.

Of the 11 Mexican men on the start list, Irving Perez, who won here eight years ago, will look to set a strong example of what’s possible on home turf, as the 37 year old passes the baton on to the next generation of Mexican triathletes along with Rodrigo Gonzalez and Crisanto Grajales.

Led by Chase McQueen, the partner of Sereno who also won the Arena Games Triathlon in Montreal at the beginning of the year, Team USA will hope for some strong results from their younger stars, with Darr Smith also on the start list, but the likes of big hitters Kevin McDowell, Morgan Pearson and Matt McElroy missing.

Finally, Kyle Smith of New Zealand will be the only Kiwi over in Mexico, but will at least have Jake Birtwhistle of Australia for company. Both athletes have the capabilities to win in Huatulco, with Birtwhistle in particular in need of a strong performance after a lacklustre start to the season.