Multisport World Championships ready to deliver massive 61-nation Ibiza takeover

With a record number of nationalities signed up for the 2023 Multisport World Championships Ibiza, the 29 April-7 May event is set to be a blockbuster occasion and another feast of competition across a host of different formats and combinations of swim, bike and run endurance.

For the elite races, TriathlonLive.tv will have full coverage of the duathlon (including mixed relay), aquathlon and long distance triathlon events, and extended highlights of the cross duathlon and cross triathlon, and with over 3,000 athletes from 61 countries compete for world titles across Elite, U23, Junior, Para and Age-Group racing, all age group races will have a finish line camera watchable on the platform.

Here’s what to expect and what’s coming up on the White Isle later this month…

Mola makes rare duathlon start

The racing begins with the Duathlon World Championships on 29-30 April, where another strong French delegation will be spearheaded by defending men’s champion Krilan le Bihan. Giorgia Priarone (ITA) and Ai Ueda (JPN) are among the women’s favourites and all eyes will be on three-time World Triathlon Champion Mario Mola as he makes his first Duathlon World Championships start since his Junior silver way back in 2009.

Team Belgium will be looking to defend the Duathlon Mixed Relay world title they won in Targu Mures when only the second-ever edition of the event takes place on Sunday, 24 hours after the individual.

Bragmayer in Aquathlon mix

The Aquathlon World Championships will be next on the Santa Eularia schedule, starting in the ocean off the east coast of the island on 1 May. The powerful Richard Varga and last year’s runner-up Kevin Tarek Vinuela Gonzalez could be contenders again in the men’s race, while Zsanett Bragmayer of Hungary returns to the fray for the first time since silver in Pontevedra four years ago.

Cross racing over two formats

Targu Mures also hosted the inaugural Cross Duathlon World Championships last year, and Belgian Thibaut de Smet will be back to defend his title over the run-mountain bike-run format when it hits San Antonio on the west coast on Wednesday 3 May. TriathlonLive will have extended highlights of the cross racing in place of live coverage.

Two days later, the Cross Triathlon World Championships will once more unite the best in the business for a 1km swim, 21km mountain bike and 6km run. As with the cross duathlon, the bike segment will include a testing 345m climb on both laps, something Arthur Serrieres (FRA) will have to negotiate if he is to score a third straight title and fend off the likes of Eric Lagerstrom and the Forissier brothers, while Sandra Mairhofer of Italy is also looking for back-to-back wins in the women’s race.

Long Distance stars come out

Wrapping up the action on 7 May will be the Long Distance Triathlon and Aquabike events, the former seeing the elites tackle a 3km swim, 116km bike and 29km run that will test the very best. Among the names set to tackle the course, that includes 745m of climb on each of two bike loops from Elvissa into the heart of the island, will be Joe Skipper (GBR), Joshua Amberger (AUS) and women’s champion in 2019 Alexandra Tondeur (BEL).

Championships-record of nations

The Aquabike World Championships will close out the Age Group events, across which there will be a remarkable 53 nationalities represented among over 3,000 athletes, with a championships-record 61 nations including the elites.

For the full set of start lists, click here.

Ibiza Schedule

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