Amidst the glory and drama of Paris, the individual events had wider implications beyond the Olympics themselves. Following the precedent set with the Tokyo Games, the racing could count as a score towards an athlete’s total in the WTCS. With athletes only requiring three scores ahead of the Series Final in Torremolinos, the Olympics thus served as a crucial opportunity to transform the world title odds of numerous athletes.
Being a standard distance race, Paris was worth 1000 points for the win. Only WTCS Weihai now stands between the field and the WTCS Final and so the current rankings could have a significant bearing on how the Series unfolds. Read on to find out who the latest frontrunners are.
The Women’s Series Rankings
With her triumph in Paris, Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) has assumed control of the women’s Series. The French athlete has not put a foot wrong all season and holds a perfect three-from-three record in the Series after previous wins in Cagliari and Hamburg. She therefore has 2750 points to her name and a commanding lead of over 300 points.
Emma Lombardi (FRA) lost her leadership of the Series but remains very much in contention for a spot on the overall podium for the second consecutive year. Her 4th place in Paris leaves her with 2438.53 points and replaces her 5th place from WTCS Hamburg among her three scores. On paper, a podium in Weihai would be of considerable help to Lombardi. However, as it happens, Beaugrand actually stands to gain more points with a possible podium at the final race of the regular season. This is because Beaugrand’s win at the sprint distance race in Hamburg was only worth 750 points. By contrast, Lombardi’s 4th place finishes in each of Cagliari and Paris earned 791.45 points apiece. Beaugrand may opt against racing in Weihai but from the current status quo it is clear that she holds all the cards over her teammate.
Beth Potter (GBR) has moved into 3rd place overall after a third bronze medal of the campaign. With 2352.98 points, she is only a slither behind Lombardi. At the same time, the threat of Lisa Tertsch (GER) is looming. The German athlete now has 2154.71 points after her 9th place in Paris. Seeing as her Olympic result is the lowest of the leading contenders, Tertsch has the greatest scope to rise with a big performance in Weihai.
Flora Duffy (BER) rounds out the top-5 right now with 1937.91 points. Her 5th place in Paris stands as her best result of the season. In light of the fact that she has not won a medal this year and trails Tertsch by over 200 points, at this stage we can probably rule out a Duffy charge for the world title. Two athletes could also rise from further afield. Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) and Julie Derron (SUI) each have only two scores to their name and sit with 1354.38 and 1349.19 points, respectively. They sit in 11th and 12th overall. A win or podium in Weihai would launch them into the top-3 ahead of the WTCS Final.
In that respect, Derron may be the greater threat. She took the silver medal in Paris and so is in red-hot form. Moreover, she has spent much of her time training in China lately and won the World Cup in Chengdu earlier this year, demonstrating how she has enjoyed said time in the country. With form and the locale in Derron’s favour, then, she will be one to watch.
The Men’s Series Rankings
Matthew Hauser (AUS) occupies the top spot in the men’s Series rankings. His 7th place in Paris comes after a win in Hamburg and a silver medal in Yokohama and altogether leaves him with 2301.40 points. However, the men’s standings definitely look rather inchoate despite there being only one race left in the regular season.
A big driver of this is Alex Yee (GBR) and Hayden Wilde (NZL) only holding two scores. Yee won in Cagliari and Paris, generating 2000 points which is enough for 3rd overall. Wilde’s silver medals at both events have secured 1850 points and put him in 5th. Should either finish in the top-5 in Weihai (and assuming Hauser does not improve upon his current total), they will blow past the Australian athlete and take the Series lead. Given Hauser’s form earlier this year, though, he could easily also claim another podium finish to confuse matters further.
Another factor to add to the oddness is that Pierre Le Corre (FRA) sits in 2nd place with 2110.36 points. With Hauser’s current lead over Le Corre, his advantage should maybe be regarded as being more comfortable than it actually seems. On the other hand, after Le Corre’s 4th place in Paris and 3rd place in Hamburg, he should not be overlooked when it comes to making a late surge towards the top spot in Weihai. The Olympic bronze medallist, Leo Bergere (FRA), could also be in the mix. He has 1957.63 points in 4th place.
As a result, we find ourselves in a strange position in which Hauser holds a very healthy yet somewhat vulnerable lead at the top of the table. Yee and Wilde have the potential to zoom ahead but it will only take one bad day, or a complete absence in Weihai, to hand the initiative back to Hauser and even Le Corre. The men’s standings therefore look a lot more open than the women’s at this stage where Beaugrand seems increasingly set for a coronation. Any of four or five men could seize the world title with two wins or maybe even two medals. The question is: who will make it happen?
You can view the women’s WTCS rankings here and the men’s standings here. Stay tuned for the final stop of the regular WTCS season in Weihai and keep all the latest developments at your fingertips across all World Triathlon channels.
