Kate Waugh triumphs and Hayden Wilde continues perfect streak at Wollongong
Gateshead triathlete continues to excel in her debut T100 season and sits top of the overall standings ahead of Lucy Charles-Barclay
Britain’s rising star Kate Waugh delivered a dominant display at yesterday’s Wollongong T100, not only claiming her second victory of the 2025 season but also firmly staking her claim for the world title in the Race to Qatar.
On the men’s side, New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde extended his imperious run with a fifth win in as many T100 starts, reinforcing why he remains the standout performer in middle-distance triathlon this year.
For Waugh – who has yet to finish off the podium in five starts – the win marks a clear vindication of her decision to pivot away from short-course racing and embrace the 100 km format.
The 26-year-old from Gateshead has carried her momentum through the season, winning in Singapore earlier in April and backing that up in Wollongong with a flawless swim-bike-run performance that left her nearest rival more than five minutes behind.
Having posted the fastest splits in all three disciplines, she explained: “That definitely wasn’t easy, but I was in a very positive mindset for the whole race. I had a strict game plan coming in and stuck to it.”
Waugh now leads the Race to Qatar standings by nine points from Lucy Charles-Barclay, heading into the final two rounds of the series, with Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle in third.
Her hand could be strengthened further because it remains to be seen how both Charles-Barclay and fifth-placed, reigning T100 champion Taylor Knibb recover from the heat stress that forced them to drop out of the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii last weekend.
“I never expected any of this, but I’ve gained so much confidence doing the T100 Tour,” the Olympian and former Under-23 world champion added. “I’m just enjoying every race and very happy to have two wins now and have podiumed at every single event.”
What happened in the women’s race?
The women’s race kicked off with a 2 km, three-lap swim off Cove Beach, Wollongong. Waugh exited the water among the front group and quickly asserted her dominance, taking the lead halfway through the 80 km ride and continuing to build her advantage.
As the bike gave way to the 18 km run, Waugh’s lead had grown to over a minute, and she extended it further with a controlled effort. By the finish, she was more than five minutes clear of Gentle in second.
With several big names absent, Spain’s Sara Perez Sala capitalised to claim the final spot on the podium for her best T100 result to date.
Other British interest saw Fenella Langridge, returning from a long injury lay-off, finish 14th, while Rhianne Hughes placed 16th.
Wilde unstoppable with fifth straight win
On the men’s side, Wilde once again produced a masterclass performance, showing that his T100 form is simply exceptional.
The New Zealander was in a jubilant mood as he made it five wins from five starts this season, opening up a dominant lead in the series over Belgium’s Jelle Geens.
“I loved today. It was super nice to be out there with so many familiar faces and the public really getting behind triathlon,” Wilde said.
His swim and bike were solid, but it was when the run kicked in that he distanced the field. German Mika Noodt stayed with him through the early kilometres, but Wilde dropped him on the first hill, then settled into his own pace to take the win in commanding fashion.
What happened in the men’s race?
The men’s event mirrored the women’s format: a 2 km swim off the beach, 80 km bike and an 18 km run.
At the end of the swim, a pack including Britain’s Sam Dickinson and Menno Koolhaas led, with Wilde emerging just behind the leaders. By around 20 km on the bike it was clear that Wilde was in charge; he surged past the rest and opened a gap that he maintained into T2.
On the run, Wilde separated himself from Noodt, with Youri Keulen running up into third. The Kiwi crossed the line in 3:06:07 before immediately switching to recovery mode as he prepared to line up in the following day’s World Triathlon Championship Series race over the standard distance.
Dickinson was the lone British competitor and toughed out the run to finish sixth, climbing to ninth in the series rankings.
Attention now turns to Dubai T100 (15–16 November) and then the World Championship Final in Qatar in December.
T100 Wollongong – Results
Women
- Kate Waugh (GBR) 3:26:55
- Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) +5:10
- Sara Perez Sala (ESP) +5:37
Men
- Hayden Wilde (NZL) 3:06:07
- Mika Noodt (GER) +0:35
- Youri Keulen (NED) +1:05
T100 Overall Standings
Women
- Kate Waugh (GBR) 128 pts
- Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) 119 pts
- Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) 107 pts
Men
- Hayden Wilde (NZL) 140 pts
- Jelle Geens (BEL) 122 pts
- Mika Noodt (GER) 110 pts
Tim Heming
Freelance triathlon journalist 
