Canadian Desirae Ridenour Takes Gold in Napier
With the fastest run split of the day, Ridenour secured the top step of the podium.
World Triathlon
At the Oceania Triathlon Cup and Sprint Championships in Napier, Desirae Ridenour stood alone as the only Canadian on the start list. She left with back-to-back titles.
After a heartbreaking DNF at the Grand Final in Wollongong to close out 2025, Ridenour returned to New Zealand determined to reset. As she said at the end of last season: “Sad to call it quits when all I wanted to do was finish, but that is sport. I am not going to let one bad race take away from the incredible season I have had.”
An offseason spent training through the Kiwi summer proved restorative. Any lingering hamstring concerns resolved. The foot injury that plagued her in Wollongong, where she ran the final lap without a shoe after a cut reopened, fully healed.
In Napier, she delivered exactly what the race demanded. Ridenour unleashed the fastest run split of the day, a decisive 16:48 over 5km, creating the separation she needed from Australia’s Aspen Anderson to secure the win.
On the men’s side, hometown star Hayden Wilde opened his 2026 campaign in commanding fashion. The New Zealander, who spoke last season about doubling down on his swim to match the front pack, executed with precision. After positioning himself early, Wilde set the tone with the fastest bike split of the day, then followed with a blistering 15:01 run to stop the clock at 51:46 and take the title.