Weekend round-up: Waugh wins in Singapore and French rule in London

The biggest weekend of triathlon this year saw many of the world’s best triathletes compete in drama-packed racing all over the globe.

The Professional Triathletes Organisation kicked off its T100 World Tour – renamed Race To Qatar – with a weekend of scorching action in Singapore. 

California hosted the first North American race of the Ironman Pro Series with 70.3 Oceanside, and world champions were crowned in London as the one-day Supertri E competition returned to the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park.

Here’s your round-up of all the action…

Singapore T100 

Women’s race

Having been used as a PTO race venue for the past two years, the Far Eastern city centre race is renowned for its oppressive conditions and this year proved no different.

As the battle of attrition played out, it would prove to be Kate Waugh’s day, as the British Olympian won by more than 6mins on her debut at the 100km distance, with Austria’s Lisa Perterer in second and Lucy Charles-Barclay rounding out the podium.

Another Brit, Jess Learmonth, also making her first T100 start, posted the fastest swim and bike legs to lead on to the run before succumbing to the heat, although she did manage to continue to finish in 13th place.

Four other women, including GB’s Lucy Byram and India Lee, who won the first T100 race last year, and Rio Olympic champion Flora Duffy, dropped out before the end of the 80km bike leg, showing just how punishing conditions were.

Men’s race

There was no stopping Hayden Wilde, who banished memories of his blow-up at the end of the Ironman 70.3 World Championships last year to take a comfortable win.

The Kiwi was followed across the line by fellow Olympic medallist Leo Bergere, with Belgium’s defending T100 world champion, Marten Van Riel – who finished second in Ironman South Africa last weekend – placing third.

With a number of short course athletes stepping up in distance after last year’s Olympics, it was both Wilde and Bergere’s first T100 race. The nine-event series resumes in San Francisco at the end of May.

Ironman Oceanside 70.3

Women’s race

Canada’s Paula Findlay showed why she is one of the best in the world at middle distance by defeating two Americans, Jackie Hering and Danielle Lewis in southern California.

The early leader was GB’s Steph Clutterbuck, in her second year as a pro, who led out the swim and eventually finished 11th. 

USA’s Lisa Becharas set the fastest bike split, and Canada’s Tamara Jewett ran the fastest half-marathon to place fourth, but it was the consistency of Findlay, who last one in Oceanside in 2021 that won the day.

Men’s race

It was the popular Lionel Sanders who made it a Canadian double by defending his title on his favourite turf. 

Now aged 37, the charismatic Sanders has won four times and secured two runners-up spots and one third place in his seven visits as he broke clear from USA’s Rudy Von Berg and Norway’s Gustav Iden to take the tape.

The fastest run of the day was a blistering 67min half-marathon by Kristian Blummenfelt, but the Tokyo Olympic champion had lost more than 10mins on the bike after a front tyre puncture and had to settle for 15th.

There was also a notable disqualification for veteran Australian and INEOS Grenadiers rider Cam Wurf, who was penalised for speeding in the military zone (the race passes through a US naval base).

Wurf becomes the latest in a list that includes five-time Ironman world champion Daniela Ryf and former Formula 1 star Jenson Button, who have fallen foul of breaking the limit on a fast descent in the restricted area.

Supertri E London

One of the centrepieces of the London 2012 Olympics again became the temporary home for indoor triathlon and the tricolore was flying high with French success in both the men’s and women’s races. 

Three morning heats whittled the fields down to 10 in each final who then competed over three rounds of a 200m swim in the pool, 4km cycle on static trainers and a 1km run on the self-propelled treadmills.

Men’s race

USA’s defending world champion Chase McQueen looked to have the race under control until the final 1km where a late surge by Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger provided the closest ever finish in a Supertri E race.

Hueber-Moosbrugger, who placed third behind McQueen last year, closed down the 14sec advantage to sprint to a dramatic victory, with Poland’s Maciej Bruzdziak taking the scalp of 2023 World Triathlon world champion Dorian Coninx for the final podium spot.

There was plenty of home support for the returning Jonny Brownlee, who cruised through his morning heat and delivered a solid sixth place in the final.

Women’s race

Another Cassandre Beaugrand versus Beth Potter encounter was the most likely scenario and so it proved with the Frenchwoman showing her class to ease away over the nine legs with Julia Broecker of Germany in third.

Potter had won this event in both 2023 and 2024, but it was 27-year-old Olympic and world champion Beaugrand who repeated her 2022 victory, breaking 40mins and adding to another indoor success in Lievin, France, last month.

There was plenty of British interest in the final as Jess Fullagar finished fourth and Sian Rainsley placed sixth.