Georgia Taylor-Brown returned to the top step of a WTCS podium for the first time in more than three years with a superb victory on a rain-soaked, incident-filled day in Karlovy Vary.
The Briton’s previous Series win came at Cagliari in May 2023, and she ended that wait in style, combining a decisive three-athlete bike break with a commanding run.
Taylor Spivey (USA) finished runner-up here for the second successive year, while reigning world champion Lisa Tertsch (GER) surged through on the final run lap to claim third.
This was the last regular-season scoring opportunity before the Grand Final in Pontevedra, adding extra significance to the battle behind absent Series leader Cassandre Beaugrand.
But on one of the circuit’s most demanding courses, simply staying upright became a major challenge. Earlier rainfall had soaked the technical roads and cobblestones, contributing to multiple crashes as the number of DNFs reached double figures.
Swim – Potter sets the early pace
Overcast skies and drizzle greeted the women, with the water temperature around 15°C making wetsuits compulsory and the air temperature an even cooler 13°C.
Defending Karlovy Vary winner Beth Potter (GBR) wasted little time taking control on the first of two swim laps, with Tertsch just behind and Zuzana Michalickova (SVK) initially in third.
Potter led at halfway in 8:06, two seconds ahead of Tertsch, with Spivey and Bianca Seregni (ITA) another second back. The field remained tightly packed, with Taylor-Brown 10 seconds adrift in 10th and Jeanne Lehair (LUX) 13 seconds back in 14th. Jess Fullagar (GBR) had more ground to make up, sitting 30th at +28 seconds.
Early on lap two, Potter went slightly off course, allowing Seregni to move to the front. The Italian went on to lead out of the water in 17:52, but Potter was just a second behind, followed by Tertsch at +3 seconds and Spivey at +4.
Márta Kropkó (HUN) and Laura Lindemann (GER) were next, while British quartet Olivia Mathias, Sian Rainsley, Kate Waugh and Taylor-Brown completed a top 10 covered by just 11 seconds.
Lehair emerged 17 seconds down in 16th, but an excellent transition allowed her to latch onto the front group as the bike began. Fullagar, meanwhile, exited the swim 39 seconds behind Seregni.
Bike – decisive break amid wet-road chaos
The rain-soaked roads and cobblestones demanded immediate caution as the athletes tackled the connecting section from Lake Rolava towards the seven-lap city circuit.
Lehair, who had crashed here last year, was particularly careful. Having worked her way onto the front group through transition, she briefly lost contact as she negotiated the slippery opening kilometres.
Behind, the chasers’ attempts to make up ground were complicated by multiple falls, with Fullagar among those to come down.
Lehair managed to regain contact, however, and a lead group of 16 came together on the first of the seven main laps. Spivey led through the timing point, with Waugh, Taylor-Brown, Tertsch and Potter close behind. The group was covered by just six seconds, but the chasers were already 47 seconds adrift and suffering further crashes.
On lap two, the front group began to splinter. Waugh had a major scare, just about managing to save a slide but losing contact with the leaders. It made for uncomfortable viewing, with staying upright becoming a challenge in itself.
At the front, Therese Feuersinger (AUT), Taylor-Brown and Spivey broke clear, opening a 13-second advantage over six chasers: Kropkó, Marta Pintanel Raymundo (ESP), Tertsch, Potter, Lehair and Dana Prikrylova (CZE).
For Potter, the move carried particular significance: only a victory would improve her regular-season points total ahead of Pontevedra.
A third group containing Rainsley, Lindemann, Mathias, Selina Klamt (GER), Seregni and Michalickova was already 51–53 seconds behind, with Waugh another 20 seconds back. And the incidents continued, with Erika Ackerlund (USA) the next to crash.
The leading trio steadily strengthened their grip. Their advantage over the six chasers grew to 32 seconds after two laps and 57 seconds after three, with the third group already two minutes behind.
By four laps, the gaps were 1:10 and 2:10 respectively. After five, they had stretched to 1:43 and 2:27.
The roads had begun to dry, only for the rain to return. Lindemann then joined the growing list of withdrawals because of a flat tyre, with the number of DNFs now approaching double figures.
At the bell, Feuersinger, Taylor-Brown and Spivey were 2:12 clear of their nearest pursuers and 2:44 ahead of the second chase group.
By the end of the bike, those margins had grown to 2:31 and 3:03. The trio had negotiated Karlovy Vary’s treacherous roads to put themselves firmly in control heading into the 10km run.
Run – GTB seals it as Tertsch charges to bronze
Spivey was quickest out of T2, but Taylor-Brown soon powered past her on the first of four 2.5km laps.
As on the bike, the technical course offered little opportunity to settle into a rhythm, with climbs, descents and cobbled sections adding to the challenge.
Spivey kept the Briton within reach initially, finishing the opening lap just five seconds behind, while Feuersinger was already 23 seconds adrift.
Behind, Tertsch at +2:15 and Lehair at +2:20 led the pursuit. Potter, who might have been expected to make up ground with her running pedigree, instead slipped to +2:43 in what remained chilly conditions.
By halfway, Taylor-Brown had extended her advantage over Spivey to 17 seconds, with Feuersinger now 59 seconds behind.
Lehair and Tertsch were together at +2:10, gradually closing on the final podium place. Kropkó and Pintanel Raymundo followed at +2:34, while Potter battled on in eighth at +2:48.
Taylor-Brown continued to pull away on lap three, taking a 30-second lead over Spivey into the final circuit. But behind them, the battle for bronze was coming alive.
Feuersinger’s deficit had grown to 1:42, with Tertsch now just 19 seconds behind the Austrian and Lehair another eight seconds back.
Tertsch made short work of that gap on the final lap, moving into third, and Lehair soon followed her past Feuersinger.
Up front, Taylor-Brown completed a commanding performance to take the tape in 2:03:05, 36 seconds ahead of Spivey.
Tertsch finished strongly to claim third at +1:28, with Lehair fourth at +2:01. Feuersinger held on for fifth, just 10 seconds ahead of Potter, who recovered two places over the second half of the run.
Pintanel Raymundo, Kropkó and Franka Rust (GER) followed, while Waugh fought back from her bike scare to complete the top 10.
WTCS Karlovy Vary 2026 results
Sunday 13 September 2026 – 1.5km / 40km / 10km
Elite Women
| Position | Athlete | Nationality | Swim | Bike | Run | Overall time | Gap to winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Taylor-Brown | GBR | 18:03 | 1:09:32 | 34:32 | 2:03:05 | — |
| 2 | Taylor Spivey | USA | 17:56 | 1:09:38 | 35:10 | 2:03:41 | +0:36 |
| 3 | Lisa Tertsch | GER | 17:55 | 1:12:14 | 33:34 | 2:04:33 | +1:28 |
| 4 | Jeanne Lehair | LUX | 18:09 | 1:11:59 | 34:02 | 2:05:06 | +2:01 |
| 5 | Therese Feuersinger | AUT | 18:03 | 1:09:31 | 36:47 | 2:05:21 | +2:16 |
| 6 | Beth Potter | GBR | 17:53 | 1:12:11 | 34:24 | 2:05:31 | +2:26 |
| 7 | Marta Pintanel Raymundo | ESP | 18:04 | 1:11:58 | 34:38 | 2:05:37 | +2:32 |
| 8 | Márta Kropkó | HUN | 17:57 | 1:12:01 | 34:31 | 2:05:42 | +2:37 |
| 9 | Franka Rust | GER | 18:57 | 1:11:35 | 34:33 | 2:06:04 | +2:59 |
| 10 | Kate Waugh | GBR | 18:02 | 1:12:36 | 34:44 | 2:06:21 | +3:16 |
WTCS standings after Karlovy Vary (which is the last race before Pontevedra)
will appear here shortly…
