Two former champions each claimed a second crown in impressive style at the 2025 World Triathlon Long-Distance Championships (3km swim / 120km bike / 30km run) in Pontevedra on Sunday.
The 2023 women’s winner Marjolaine Pierre of France had opened up a huge lead on the bike and was able to coast to victory on the run.
And men’s defending champion, Spain’s Antonio Benito, was also a class apart as he claimed a popular victory on front of friends and family on home roads.
Women’s race – One-way traffic
A small but select field of 12 lined up but it was really all about Pierre.
Great Britain’s in-form Chloe Sparrow did lead them out of the swim but Pierre raced through transition and quickly asserted on the bike.
Her ‘closest’ challenger was reigning champ Charlène Clavel (FRA) but she was nearly 14 minutes back by the time they reached T2 and there was only going to be one result after that.
Poland’s Marta Łagownik produced the fastest run of the day to move ahead of Clavel and take the runner-up spot for the second year in succession but she was more than 11 minutes adrift of Pierre at the line.
The winner told World Triathlon: “The conditions were really hot so I am happy I was able to pace myself and keep the gap. I am super happy. It means a lot for my parents, my boyfriend, I am so happy for my team – we win together.”
Men’s race – Back-to-back for Benito
It was closer in the men’s race – at least until the run.
Benito was in front from the off as he led out the swim along with Australia’s Josh Amberger.
But then Spain’s Guillem Montiel broke away late on the bike and entered T2 with over a minute on the chasers, a group that included Benito, Tom Vaelen (BEL), Will Draper (GBR), Dylan Magnien (FRA), Lukáš Kočař (CZE), Ondrej Kubo (SVK) and Amberger.
The run though saw a masterclass from Benito – he moved into the lead on the first lap and then pulled further and further clear.
When the line came he was just over seven minutes ahead of Magnien, with Draper rounding out the podium in third to continue his upward trajectory this season.
Benito said to World Triathlon afterwards: “I don’t believe it. Pontevedra is my second home. I come here with my family, my father, my mother, my girlfriend, my friends. It really has been a special week here.
“I controlled [it] from the swim and the bike but the run was very hot and hard and I just tried to keep pushing.”
World Triathlon Long-Distance Championships 2025 results
Sunday June 29, 2025 – 3km / 120km / 30km
PRO Women
- 1. Marjolaine Pierre (FRA) – 6:15:50 [51:21 / 3:11:51 / 2:06:41]
- 2. Marta Lagownik (POL) – 6:27:12 [53:29 / 3:25:50 / 2:01:58]
- 3. Charlène Clavel (FRA) – 6:30:48 [55:18 / 3:20:57 / 2:08:09]
PRO Men
- 1. Antonio Benito (ESP) – 5:33:33 [41:35 / 2:57:28 / 1:48:50]
- 2. Dylan Magnien (FRA) – 5:40:52 [41:37 / 3:02:07 / 1:51:11]
- 3. Will Draper (GBR) – 5:41:12 [45:43 / 2:56:56 / 1:52:23]
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