As the 2025 triathlon season winds toward its close, all eyes turn to southern Sardinia this weekend for Challenge Forte Village Sardinia (25–26 October). Known for its spectacular setting, Mediterranean climate, and fast-yet-technical course, the event has become a staple of the late-season European calendar – and this year’s edition looks set to deliver a thrilling finale.
A total of 41 professional athletes will line up across the Middle and Sprint Distance races, with both established stars and rising talents ready to test themselves.
A stacked men’s field
Among the men, Britain’s Will Draper arrives as one of the athletes to beat. Fresh off a remarkable season that includes three wins and a runner-up finish from six Challenge Family starts – capped by his recent triumph at Challenge Almere-Amsterdam where he claimed the European Title Long Distance – Draper will be looking to close his year on a high. Germany’s Jannik Schaufler, winner of Challenge St. Pölten and one of the circuit’s most consistent performers, will provide strong opposition, while fellow Brit James Teagle carries momentum from his podium finish last weekend at Challenge Peguera-Mallorca.
Home hopes rest on Italy’s Michele Sarzilla, who has enjoyed an impressive season highlighted by a win in Mallorca and second at Challenge Sanremo. Making his Challenge Family debut is German Olympian Lasse Lührs, stepping up from short course racing to the Middle Distance for the first time – a move many will watch with interest. South Africa’s Matt Kaminer, one of the youngest athletes in the field, rounds out a compelling men’s line-up after gaining experience across multiple Challenge events this season.
Olympic pedigree in the women’s race
The women’s race features a blend of experienced campaigners and fresh Middle Distance talent. France’s Nikita Paskiewiez will look to improve on her eighth place at Challenge Vieux Boucau, while Italy’s Lilli Gelmini and Sara Sandrini continue their consistent runs on home soil. Slovakia’s Margaréta Bičanová returns for her fifth Challenge Family appearance of the season.
But the headlines are likely to belong to two Olympians: Italy’s Bianca Seregni and New Zealand’s Nicole Van Der Kaay. Seregni, fresh from a silver medal at the World Triathlon Championship Finals in Australia and her Olympic debut in Paris, will make her first foray into Middle Distance racing. Van Der Kaay, meanwhile, already boasts a Middle Distance victory this year and will bring both experience and speed to Sardinia’s shores.