Over the past week or so the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) has been releasing details of its world rankings. And as of today, the full picture has become clear.
As you might expect, the top of the men's category has been dominated by several athletes from Scandinavia.
Kristian Blummenfelt has taken top spot with 118.79 points, earning a cool $100,00, while fellow Norwegian Gustav Iden (116.41 points) and Denmark's Magnus Ditlev (114.97) have taken second and third.
The women's category was just as tightly contested, with Germany's Anne Haug awarded number one with 117.06 points, which'll also see her win $100,000.
She's closely followed by five-time Ironman world champion Daniela Ryf (SUI) on 115.32 points and Australian Ashleigh Gentle (113.54 points).
How did the Brits do?
Despite only racing four times this year (including a record-breaking appearance at Ironman Kalmar and a win at the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Swansea), Alistair Brownlee was the best placed male Brit, finishing in eighth.
In doing so, he just pipped Joe Skipper, who was only one place behind having won Ironman Arizona, Ironman Wales and finishing fifth at the Ironman World Champs in Hawaii.
Lucy Charles-Barclay successfully made a comeback from injury to win the World Triathlon Long Distance World Championships, and followed that up with third at the PTO US Open, second in Hawaii and fourth at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.
Her top three results over the past 12 months were enough for her to claim fifth in the rankings, just ahead of Laura Philipp and Ironman world champion Chelsea Sodaro.
Meanwhile, Sub8 star Kat Matthews managed to claim ninth spot despite a large spell on the sidelines after being hit by a car while training for the Ironman World Championship. Before that, she managed to claim wins at Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote and Ironman 70.3 Swansea, as well as a brilliant second place at the Ironman World Championship in St George.
How are the rankings determined?
The PTO uses a points system that's based on race finishing times. Each race is given an 'Estimated Ideal Time (EIT)' that's said to be based on proprietary analysis of historical data. The EIT is then designed to reflect a strong performance by a world-class athlete.
After a race, the PTO will consider how race conditions (e.g. currents, headwinds, hot weather) may affect times. This will result in an 'Adjusted Ideal Time (AIT)'.
If a competitor completes the race in a time that's equal to the AIT, they'll be awarded 100 points. If they go slower, they'll lose points, or if they go faster they'll gain points (one point per 0.15% of difference compared to the AIT).
At the end of the season, the PTO will average out each athlete's three highest-scoring results to give them their overall world ranking points.
Got that? Well, it's set to change this year, with the PTO revealing it's been working on an updated version of the system that it'll announce in February.
What the winners said
Speaking about the rankings, Haug, who's three top races were Challenge Roth (131:41 points), Ironman Hawaii (110.20 points) and Ironman St George World Champs (109.56 points), said: “I’m really overwhelmed to be on top of the PTO World Rankings after the challenging Covid years.
"Although I didn’t have the one outstanding race I would have wished for, I was able to be very consistent in my performance throughout the season, thanks to my amazing team behind me. They kept me fit and healthy.
“This year we saw some absolutely outstanding performances, for example Daniela at the Ironman Worlds in Utah, Chelsea in Kona or Taylor at the 70.3 Worlds. That inspires me, shows how fantastic our sport is and that if you don’t go up a level each year, you’ll fall behind.”
Blummenfelt, who's three top races were Ironman Hawaii (128.26 points), the Ironman World Champs in St George (114.98 points) and the Ironman 70.3 World Champs (113.14 points), said: “It was a strong year for me winning the Ironman World Championships and 70.3 World Championships in St George among other performances.
"Finishing top of the 2022 PTO World Rankings is something I’m very proud of and I’ll be trying to do the same again in 2023.”
Who's in the top 10 men?
The full men's top 10 is as follows:
- Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR); 118.79 points
- Gustav Iden (NOR); 116.41 points
- Magnus Ditlev (DEN); 114.97 points
- Max Neumann (AUS); 109.65 points
- Sam Laidlow (FRA); 109.34 points
- Lionel Sanders (CAN); 105.60 points
- Patrick Lange (GER); 105.01 points
- Alistair Brownlee (GBR); 103.74 points
- Joe Skipper (GBR); 103.43 points
- Sam Long (USA); 103.40 points
- Daniel Baekkegard (DEN); 102.82 points
- Ben Kanute (USA); 102.69 points
- Leon Chevalier (FRA); 100.49 points
- Florian Angert (GER); 100.38 points
- Matt Hanson (USA); 99.94 points
- Collin Chartier (USA); 99.13 points
- Braden Currie (NZL); 98.70 points
- Pieter Heemeryck (BEL); 97.14 points
- Rudy Von Berg (USA); 96.13 points
- Denis Chevrot (FRA); 96.02 points
View the full men's world rankings here.
Who's in the top 10 women?
The full women's top 10 is as follows:
- Anne Haug (GER); 117.06 points
- Daniela Ryf (SUI); 115.32 points
- Ashleigh Gentle (AUS); 113.54 points
- Taylor Knibb (USA); 112.95 points
- Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR); 109.61 points
- Laura Philipp (GER); 109.38 points
- Chelsea Sodaro (USA); 108.72 points
- Paula Findlay (CAN); 106.12 points
- Kat Matthews (GBR); 105.08 points
- Sarah True (USA); 101.48 points
- Skye Moench (USA); 98.93 points
- Holly Lawrence (GBR); 98.44 points
- Fenella Langridge (GBR); 98.26 points
- Lisa Norden (SWE); 96.14 points
- Emma Pallant-Browne (GBR); 95.18 points
- Jocelyn McCauley (USA); 93.23 points
- Sarah Crowley (AUS); 93.20 points
- Julie Derron (SUI); 92.92 points
- Ruth Astle (GBR); 92.46 points
- Flora Duffy (BER); 92.45 points
Read the full women's world rankings here.
Top image credit: PTO
