Singapore kicks off PTO T100 Triathlon World Tour with elite showdown

Singapore is hosting the first race in the Professional Triathletes Organisation’s (PTO) T100 Triathlon World Tour this weekend with the return of heavy hitters from its inaugural race series last year.

The women race first, bringing the excitement this Saturday ahead of the men’s race on Sunday. The 100km distance race starts in Marina Bay with a 2km swim in a fresh-water reservoir. Onto the bike, athletes head out from the Singapore Grand Prix F1 Track onto five laps around a 16km course for a total of 80km.

The run takes athletes around a flat, 4.1km loop four times to cap off a total race distance of 100km.

Men’s field preview

In a recent shake up, American Morgan Pearson withdrew from the race after crashing his bike during training. He is one of the strongest contenders, known for his blazing run splits. That opens up the field to other favourites like last year’s overall winner Marten Van Riel from Belgium, countryman and Ironman 70.3 World Champion Jelle Geens, and American Sam Long.

Though Van Riel is arguably the strongest in the field with three wins out of the four T100 races he competed in last year, and a current number one PTO world ranking, he is coming off of Ironman South Africa last weekend. With a performance that put him in second place, he has a lot to recover from in time to face another battle this weekend.

Geens lines up on a winning streak, having taken the top spot in his last three Ironman 70.3 races. He recently won Ironman 70.3 Geelong last month, the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in December, and T100 Las Vegas last year. But he will have to go head-to-head with the likes of New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde, Paris Olympic silver medallist and second to Geens’ win at the 2024 70.3 World Championships.

Not to be ignored, the French bring a strong duo with Vincent Luis and Leo Bergere, both seasoned athletes and Olympians. Bergere took the third spot behind Geens and Wilde at 70.3 worlds, and is sure to be nipping at their heels once again in Singapore.

Women’s field preview

The women’s field isn’t short of heavy hitters. Olympic gold medallist Flora Duffy from Bermuda continues to dominate on the bike and has continuously improved on the run, despite a few injury setbacks in recent years. Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle is arguably the strongest runner of the field and will put Duffy and other favourite, Switzerland’s Julie Derron, to the test.

While Gentle, Derron and Duffy are currently ranked highest in the PTO world rankings out of those racing this weekend, no one can deny 2023 Ironman World Champion Lucy Charles-Barclay, who promises to put on a show and attract fans to follow the race. The British athlete will have company in fellow countrywoman India Lee, who’s world ranking is eighth, not far ahead seasoned pro, American Taylor Spivey.

Other familiar names lining up are Britain’s Kate Waugh and Jessica Learmonth, and Germany’s Caroline Phole, who will all be expected to apply pressure near the front.

Age group racing

The T100 also hosts numerous age group races over the weekend. Besides sharing the same 100km as the pros, there will also be the long duathlon and standard duathlon, and team relays in all the events.