Who made the most triathlon prize money in 2023?
Four of the top-five prize money winners in triathlon last year were women!
Photo by:
Kevin Mackinnon
Long-distance racers dominated the prize money lists in 2023, according to the detailed analysis by Trirating.com’s Thorsten Radde. While two of the top-five money earners from the year did compete in short-course races, the lion’s share of their income came from Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) and Ironman races. Here’s a breakdown of the top money earners from the year. (All figures US$)
Overall
According to Radde there were 29 athletes who earned more than $100,000 in prize money in 2023, down from 33 last year. A total of 818 athletes earned prize money last year, up from 762 in 2022.
Anne Haug (GER)Â topped the overall prize money list last year ($335,788) thanks to a few big wins, including the PTO European Open in Ibiza, but also thanks to three huge runner-up finishes at Challenge Roth, the PTO Asian Open and in Kona. In terms of breaking down the source of her income, $250,000 came from the PTO, $68,000 from Ironman ($65,000 from Kona, $3,000 from her win at Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote) and $17,788 from her win at Challenge Gran Canaria and that runner-up finish at Challenge Roth.
Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) finished second overall in the prize money list with $325,775. None of that came from Ironman, with $285,000 being earned through the PTO, $25,775 from World Triathlon racing and $15,000 from Super League events.
Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) was third overall in the standings, just behind Blummenfelt, with $323,821. $18,750 of that came from 70.3 racing, $290,000 from PTO events and $15,071 from “other” races, no-doubt including her 10th win in Noosa.
Taylor Knibb (USA) was another athlete who competed in draft-legal short course races last year, but the 70.3 world champ and fourth-place finisher in Kona ended up fourth in the standings ($281,700) thanks to her $77,500 earned at Ironman and 70.3 races along with her $180,000 pay check from the PTO. ($19,200 of her race income came from World Triathlon.)
Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) rounded out the top five with $246,750. $127,750 came from her win in Kona ($125,000) and her runner-up finish at Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau (2,750) and $119,000 from PTO.
All four of the women who ended up in the top-10 of the overall prize-money standings ended up in the top-five – numbers six through 10 were all men.The rest of the top-10 earners included:
- Magnus Ditlev (DEN) $202,953
- Jan Frodeno (GER) $196,500
- Jason West (USA) $190,500
- Hayden Wilde (NZL) $190,338
- Leo Bergere (FRA)$181,600
PTO racing
The top five PTO earners included:
- Ashleigh Gentle – $290,000
- Kristian Blummenfelt – $285,000
- Anne Haug – $250,000
- Jan Frodeno – $185,000
- Taylor Knibb – $180,000
Ironman races
The $125,000 winners cheques for the Ironman World Championship was enough to put Lucy Charles-Barclay and Sam Laidlow (FRA) at the top of the Ironman prize money list.
- Lucy Charles-Barclay – $127,750
- Sam Laidlow – $125,000
- Laura Philipp (GER) – $94,500
- Taylor Knibb – $82,500
- Patrick Lange (GER) – $71,250
Challenge Family
Athlete loses race as he stumbles less than a metre from the line
The winners of the Challenge Family World Bonus topped the prize money list for the Challenge events this year.
- Mathis Margierier (FRA) – $53,246
- Magda Nieuwoudt (RSA) – $44,583
- Imogen Simmonds (SUI) – $32,684
- Caleb Noble (AUS) – $32,046
- Thomas Bishop (GBR) – $31,122
World Triathlon and Super League
The top money winners in short course racing excelled at both the World Triathlon events and Super League Triathlon races.
- Hayden Wilde – $99,500/ $76,000 – $175,500
- Leo Bergere (FRA) – $69,100/ $105,000 – $174,100
- Beth Potter (GBR) – $159,600/ $13,000 – $172,600
- Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) – $108,900/ $55,000 – $163,900
- Kate Waugh (GBR) – $42,500/ $93,000 – $135,500
Click here to read Radde’s full analysis on TriRating.com.
