Only two races in, and the 2025 Women’s World Triathlon Championship Series is already delivering fireworks. This weekend, the action shifts to a new battleground on the northwestern coast of Sardinia, as the city of Alghero steps up to host its first-ever WTCS race.
With the Mediterranean sun promising high heat, Saturday’s Olympic-distance contest could be a pivotal chapter in what’s already shaping up to be a classic season. Expect a 1500m swim across two laps, followed by a technical 9-lap, 40km bike course, and a final 10km run spread across four laps—classic distances, but with a brand-new twist.
Lisa Tertsch arrives in Italy as the Series leader, riding high after a silver in Yokohama and a win in Abu Dhabi. The German’s recent consistency has been impressive, and her rise arguably began 12 months ago on this very island with a silver medal in Cagliari. Since then, she’s taken her racing to another level—methodical, calculated, and deadly efficient. With only 150 points separating her from her nearest rival, a strong showing in Alghero could provide valuable breathing room in the rankings.
That nearest rival? Jeanne Lehair, who delivered the performance of her career in Yokohama two weeks ago. Second out of the water, calm and confident on the bike, and flawless on foot, the Luxembourg athlete held off both Tertsch and Britain’s Beth Potter to claim her first WTCS win. Lehair’s form, dating back to her breakthrough fifth in Cagliari in 2023, has been building steadily. Saturday could confirm her arrival as a true Series contender.
Speaking of Potter—don’t let her second-place finish in Yokohama fool you. She’s been one of the most reliable performers in the sport, with 13 podiums in her last 16 WTCS starts, a world title, and two Olympic bronze medals. If the Brit is even close to contention off the bike, she remains one of the hardest athletes in the field to bet against over 10km.
Then there’s Cassandre Beaugrand, the reigning Olympic and World Champion, who was brought back to earth in Yokohama by a crash on the slippery bike leg. While her streak of six straight wins came to a halt, the French superstar avoided serious injury and returns in Alghero ready to reclaim her dominance. With the kind of mental steel she’s displayed over the past year, don’t be surprised if this setback fuels an even more commanding performance.
But the depth of the women’s field in 2025 runs far deeper than the top four.
Rosa Maria Tapia Vidal of Mexico is in the form of her life, with back-to-back top 10 finishes on the Series and a strong end to 2024, including gold medals in Brasilia and Vina Del Mar. Diana Isakova (AIN) is also building momentum, fresh off her own World Cup win in Samarkand.
Germany continues to churn out elite talent with Annika Koch and Tanja Neubert showing real top-10 potential, while Sweden’s Tilda Mansson posted a career-best 8th in Yokohama, evidence that she’s edging closer to a breakout. And then there’s the name everyone is watching: Gwen Jorgensen. The 2016 Olympic champion made a huge statement with a fourth-place finish two weeks ago—her best since returning to WTCS competition. Is another podium within reach?
Expect a blistering pace right from the horn, with Austria’s Therese Feuersinger likely setting the tone in the water. Maya Kingma (NED) and Summer Rappaport (USA) make their welcome returns, while Leonie Periault will be looking to bounce back after a disappointing 30th in Yokohama—far below her usual standard.
