It may be the first year of the new Olympic cycle but there is a stellar women’s line up for the second WTCS event of 2025 in Yokohama on May 17.

Remarkably every single WTCS winner since May 2023 is on the provisional start list in Japan.

Start lists always need to be taken with a pinch of salt four weeks out but most of the big hitters have confirmed they intend to race, headed by reigning Olympic and World Champion Cassandre Beaugrand.

Beaugrand vs Potter rivalry resumes

The French superstar has started the season with a combination of running – setting a new national record of 14:53 for 5k on the road – and super-short triathlon, winning both the Supertri E World Championships in London and the T1 Indoor Triathlon World Cup in Lievin.

Up against her will be great rival Beth Potter, the Brit who won bronze in Paris in both the individual and team races and was the 2023 World Champ.

Potter too has begun the campaign with some impressive road running, setting a 10k PB of 31:15, before coming second to Beaugrand in London at that Supertri E showpiece.

And Beaugrand’s compatriot Leonie Periault, who finished just ahead of Potter at the European Road Running 10km Championships in Leuven recently, will be looking to defend her Yokohama title.

Anglo-German battle?

No country was more impressive in the season opener at WTCS Abu Dhabi in February than Germany.

Lisa Tertsch led a podium clean sweep ahead of Nina Eim and Laura Lindemann and all three are in Yokohama – as are Annika Koch, Tanja Neubert and Selina Klamt.

But the Brits too look strong as Kate Waugh heads to Japan fresh from her brilliant debut victory at T100 Singapore, as does Sian Rainsley.

At the time of writing, fellow Brit Georgia Taylor-Brown, who has been in cycling action recently, is the only woman in the world’s top-10 who isn’t racing in Japan.

The 2016 Olympic winner Gwen Jorgensen is part of a formidable five-woman American team.

Joining her will be Taylor Spivey, Summer Rappaport, Erica Ackerlund and Gina Sereno.