The countdown is on to the opening WTCS race of the 2025 season in Abu Dhabi and Hayden Wilde is among the big names on the men’s side ahead of his eagerly-awaited T100 campaign.
The Olympic silver medallist enjoyed a brilliant 2024, finishing runner-up to great rival Alex Yee in Paris before going on to land the WTCS Grand Final in Torremolinos and the overall supertri title.
In what is a transition year for many as the first in the next Olympic cycle, Wilde and Yee will tread very different paths over the next few months.
For Yee, it’s all about his tilt at the London Marathon while Wilde is stepping up in distance in the triathlon sphere as one of the ‘Hot Shots’ at T100, alongside others who have excelled at short course including French duo Léo Bergère and Vincent Luis.
Opening 2025 WTCS race for Wilde
The New Zealander has already shown he will be a force to be reckoned with at middle distance, most recently when runner-up on home soil in the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Taupo.
The 2025 T100 season opens up in Singapore on 5-6 April but Wilde is on the provisional start list for Abu Dhabi before then on 15-16 February.
And he told us this week that he intends to race – adding that he could take in a “few” WTCS events this year to keep his points up if they fit in with his schedule and the travel is convenient.
Aussie Matt Hauser and Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca will provide stiff opposition for Wilde in Abu Dhabi.
Hauser won the WTCS race in Hamburg last year and went on to finish seventh at the Olympics.
Vilaca meanwhile was fifth in Paris and chased home Hauser in Hamburg as well as bagging a first supertri success in Toulouse.
Others who jump off the start list are Morgan Pearson, who underlined his run prowess with a 1:01 half marathon in Houston last weekend, and Norwegian duo Casper Stornes and Vetle Bergsvik Thorn.
Chance for others to shine
And while there’s no Yee, this could be the year that sees the next wave of British men make their mark.
Many eyes will be on Hugo Milner after he rounded off his 2024 triathlon season with a 28:47 10k at the WTCS Grand Final in Torremolinos.
And he’s likely to be joined by Ben Dijkstra and Max Stapley.
The only current French representation on the men’s side is Yanis Seguin.
Click here for the full provisional start list.
Triathlon’s mid-season report card: Tim Don on who’s raising the bar this triathlon race season
