If 2025 has taught us anything, it’s that women’s triathlon has entered a golden age of rivalry. Olympic and world champions trading blows, rising stars upsetting the established order, and a Championship Final that’s shaping up to be a showdown for the ages.
When the women dive into the waters off Wollongong this Sunday, all eyes will be on two familiar names: Beth Potter and Cassandre Beaugrand. They arrive locked on 2925 points apiece, their seasons perfectly balanced yet defined by very different paths.
The Reigning Queen vs The Relentless Challenger
For Cassandre Beaugrand, the reigning Olympic and World Champion, 2025 has been a masterclass in precision. Four starts. Two wins. One silver. One crash in Yokohama that reminded us even the greats are human. Every outing since has been a statement of intent – the kind of cool, clinical racing that’s become her trademark.
Beaugrand’s win in Alghero was particularly telling: a gutsy solo 10km run that silenced any whispers about her form post-Yokohama. And while she came up just short in Hamburg, she was back on top on home soil at the French Riviera WTCS, reaffirming her dominance. Her campaign has been minimalist, efficient, almost regal.
Potter, on the other hand, has built her case the hard way – five top-five finishes, an 8th, and two emphatic late-season wins. While Beaugrand selected her battles, Potter fought them all.
Her comeback began in Karlovy Vary, where she hunted down Taylor Spivey in classic Potter fashion — patient, composed, then devastating. A week later in Weihai, she barely looked over her shoulder as she dismantled the field again. Momentum is everything at this stage of the year, and the Brit has it in spades. But she’s also realistic: she hasn’t beaten Beaugrand since Pontevedra 2023, and she knows the French star will not give up her crown easily.
The Chasers: Lehair, Tertsch, and Periault Still in the Frame
Behind the two title favourites, a compelling subplot has been playing out.
Jeanne Lehair (LUX) has been the quiet revelation of the season. Her first-ever WTCS win in Yokohama was hard-earned in horrendous conditions, and since then, she’s been a constant disruptor at the front. Silver at the French Riviera and fourth in Karlovy Vary after a bike crash underline a campaign that’s been equal parts grit and flair. Sitting 209 points back, she’s the outsider with everything to gain.
Lisa Tertsch (GER), the model of consistency, has raced more WTCS events than anyone in the top five – and it shows. From victory in Abu Dhabi to late-season podiums in Weihai and Karlovy Vary, she’s been everywhere and in everything. Her ability to thrive over Olympic distance could prove pivotal in Wollongong.
Then there’s Leonie Periault (FRA), the fifth woman to stand atop a WTCS podium this year. Her Hamburg win – edging out Beaugrand – and her bronze on the French Riviera suggest she’s peaking at just the right time. If the swim doesn’t leave her too far adrift, Periault could be the spoiler who reshapes the podium picture entirely.
The Dark Horses
It would be foolish to overlook Taylor Spivey, who’s been agonisingly close to that elusive first Series win – most recently in Karlovy Vary before Potter’s late charge denied her. Jolien Vermeylen has had a breakout year as European Champion over both sprint and Olympic distances, while Bianca Seregni and Tanja Neubert have each stepped onto their first WTCS podiums.
And then there’s Emma Lombardi. The Frenchwoman’s 2025 has been limited by crashes and bad luck, but her top-10 finishes in Hamburg and the French Riviera hinted that her best form might not be far off. A clean race in Wollongong could see her right back among the elite.