Elite paratriathletes from around the world will showcase their strength, endurance and resilience this weekend as they do battle in the World Para Triathlon Championships in Wollongong, Australia.
The biggest annual event in the sport’s calendar, these championships bring together the very best physically or visually impaired athletes to compete across the three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running – while utilising specialised equipment and techniques to adapt the sport to their needs.
As well as the World Para Championships taking place on Saturday, October 18, there is also the World Triathlon Para Mixed Teams Relay, which will be held on Sunday, October 19 – as athletes with different impairments compete alongside one another.
Here is everything you need to know about the weekend of competition…
Start times and how to follow live
All of the categories for the World Para Triathlon Championships – which comprise of a 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run – will start from Cove Beach on the morning of Saturday, October 18. The times below are local ones.
- 07:30:00 – PTWC1 (Men)
- 07:33:00 – PTWC2 (Men)
- 07:35:00 – PTWC1 (Women)
- 07:38:38 – PTWC2 (Women)
- 08:10:00 – PTVI1 (Men)
- 08:12:51 – PTVI2 (Men)
- 08:14:00 – PTVI1 (Women)
- 08:17:21 – PTVI2 (Women)
- 10:00:00 – PTS5 (Men)
- 10:05:00 – PTS5 (Women)
- 10:10:00 – PTS4 (Men)
- 10:15:00 – PTS2/3/4 (Women)
- 10:20:00 – PTS2/3 (Men)
The timing of the first start (7.30am local time in Wollongong on Saturday) corresponds to 9.30pm on the Friday in the UK, 10.30pm (Friday) CET, 4.30pm (Friday) Eastern USA and 1.30pm (Friday) Pacific USA.
The World Triathlon Para Mixed Teams Relay – which includes a 300m swim, 3.8km bike and 900m run – starts at 8am on Sunday, October 19.
Viewers can stay up to date on events from the World Triathlon Championships across the World Triathlon channels and tune in to WTCS Wollongong on TriathlonLive.
Categories – a reminder
The consistency of the categorisations in paratriathlon has been welcomed for some time now, but it is always helpful to be reminded of how it all works. Here is a brief familiarisation of the six categories that will be raced in Wollongong.
| Category | Description ** |
| PTWC | Wheelchair |
| PTVI | Visually Impaired |
| PTS 2 | Severe Physical Impairment |
| PTS 3 | Significant Physical Impairment |
| PTS 4 | Moderate Physical Impairment |
| PTS 5 | Mild Physical Impairment |
(** Note ‘layman’s terms’ used above for brevity and clarity – full details of the Paratriathlon ITU categorisation methodology can be found HERE).
PTWC: Athletes swim solo, complete the bike leg with a handcycle and the run segment with a racing wheelchair. In a similar manner to the PTVI example above, the most impaired wheelchair users (PTWC1) do start first, followed by the least impaired wheelchair users (PTWC2), but again, it is a one-medal event, first across the line. For the Men, this offset is 3 minutes, and for the women, this is 3 minutes, 38 seconds.
PTVI: Athletes complete the whole race with a mandatory guide (same nationality and gender), with the bike segment completed on a tandem. Athletes who are totally blind (PTVI1) start first, followed by the partially sighted athletes (PTVI2/ PTVI3), but compete in one single medal event – first across the line. For the Men, this offset is 2 minutes, 51 seconds and for the women, this is 3 minutes, 21 seconds.
PTS: This represents the standing / ambulant categories, with the number representing the degree of impairment. Of note, it is the impact of an impairment which determines which category an athlete races in, not the nature of it. For example, you will see athletes within the PTS5 category with arm and/or leg impairments, racing against each other.
Men
Dutch superstar Jetze Plat may be missing this year (he raced the Chicago Marathon on Sunday), but there is still plenty to look forward to in the hugely competitive paratriathlon fields. And there could even be more medal joy for the British athletes as six men go in search of success on the stunning New South Wales coast.
PTWC: With no Plat – the seven-time World Champion and multiple Paralympics gold medallist – in the field, there is an opportunity for Austrian Florian Brungraber to step out of the shadows, having finished second in both the World Championships and Paralympics last year. He will, however, have stiff competition from the likes of compatriot Thomas Fruewirth (World bronze last year) and Louis Noel of France, who was fourth at the Paris Games.
PTS2: Paris gold medalist Jules Ribstein (FRA) will be hoping for a better World Championships challenge, having failed to finish the event last year. All three of the Paris medallists are in the field for this race, with American duo Mohamed Lahna and Mark Barr looking to add further medals to their respective Paralympic silver and bronze. World Champion Wim De Paepe (BEL) will be hoping he has enough for a repeat success.
PTS3: British athlete Henry Urand caused the biggest upset of last year’s championships when he stormed to a stunning victory over Paris gold and silver medalists, Daniel Molina of Spain, and Max Gelhaar of Germany. Expect Cedric Denuziere of France (fifth in Paris) to push them close.
PTS4: Frenchman Alexis Hanquinquant, winner of both the World Championships and Paralympics gold last year, returns to defend his title, but knows he will face a battle against Spaniard Nil Riudavets Victory (World silver/ Paris bronze), Frenchman Pierre-Antoine Baele (World bronze) and American Carson Clough (Paris silver).
PTS5: All three of the podium-clinching athletes from 2024 will be in Wollongong, hoping to once again challenge for the medals. Last year, Stefan Daniel of Canada held off Australia’s Jack Howell and Portugal’s Filipe Marques in second and third, but you can also expect a push from Paris gold and silver medalists Chris Hammer (USA) and Martin Schulz (GER).
PTVI: Last year’s World Champion and Paris Paralympic gold medalist, Dave Ellis, will be looking to defend his title against some familiar faces as he lines up with guide Luke Pollard alongside the French duo of Antoine Perel (World silver / Paris bronze) and Thibaut Rigaudeau (World bronze / Paris silver).
Women
British hopes rest on the shoulders of Hannah Moore and Lauren Steadman, as, like the men’s competitions, there are a series of strong fields on show, comprising of both World and Paralympic champions.
PTWC: World Champion and Paris Paralympics silver medalist Kendall Gretsch is not in the field this year, which should make Paris gold medalist Lauren Parker a clear favourite to take the title on home soil. Brazilian Jessica Ferreira, second in the World’s last year, may just have something to say about that, as might Spain’s Eva Maria Moral Pedrero, who was fourth in Paris.
PTS2: Paris gold medalist, Hailey Danz (USA), will be looking to challenge fellow American and reigning world champion Allysa Seely, whom she beat into the bronze medal place at the Paralympics. Last year’s Worlds silver and bronze medalists Emma Juaisca Rodriguez Rodriguez (VEN) and Yukato Hata (JPN) return, while Anu Francis (AUS) and Neele Ludwig (GER) will be looking to challenge.
PTS3: There are only four entries in this category as Elise Marc of France looks to defend her title, won last year. The Paris gold medalist will compete against Anna Plotnikova (AIN), Kenia Yesenia Villalobos Vargas (MEX) and Atilia Nevo (ISR).
PTS4: Favourite Marta Frances Gomez of Spain won World Championship gold and Paralympics silver last year, but knows there is a strong field against her, with the likes of France’s Camille Seneclauze (World silver), home favourite Sally Pilbeam (World bronze), and Britain’s Paris bronze medalist Hannah Moore in the field.
PTS5: Lauren Steadman will fly the flag for Great Britain as she looks to improve on her bronze medals at both the 2024 World Championships and Paris Paralympics. With the pregnant Claire Cashmore missing, Spain’s Andrea Miguelez Ranz (5th in Paris) will be hoping to challenge for a place on the podium.
PTVI: Spanish athlete Susanna Rodriguez dominated this event last year with a World Championships and Paris Paralympics double, and will once again be difficult to beat. Italian Francesca Tarantello, second in both of those races, will likely provide the biggest competition, while Germany’s Anja Renner (Paris bronze) and Brazilian Leticia Freitas (World bronze) will also be in the medal fight.
Full British Paratriathlon squad
Men
Joshua Landmann – PTWC (Men)
Henry Urand – PTS3 (Men)
Ryan Taylor – PTS3 (Men)
Michael Salisbury – PTS5 (Men)
Dave Ellis – PTVI (Men)
Oscar Kelly – PTVI (Men)
Women
Hannah Moore – PTS4 (Women)
Lauren Steadman – PTS5 (Women)
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