Updated Dubai T100 Preview: Field Shifts as Big Names Bow Out
Some stars are out, but the intensity remains as Dubai hosts the final showdown before Qatar.
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The T100 Triathlon World Tour arrives in Dubai this weekend for the penultimate stop before the grand finale in Qatar. Both the men’s and women’s races will take place on Saturday, November 15, with the men starting at 11:30 a.m. and the women at 1:30 p.m. local time (UTC+4). For North American fans, that means an early morning of racing: 2:15 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Eastern Time, or 11:15 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. Pacific on Friday night.
With two races left in the season, every point counts toward the overall series title and the $2 million prize purse that awaits in Qatar.
Women’s Race: Charles-Barclay and Knibb No Longer Racing
The most striking storyline in Dubai is that, after having finished first and second in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship this past weekend, both Lucy Charles-Barclay and Taylor Knibb have withdrawn from Dubai. For Knibb, this will leave her without having completed the required four regular season races, impacting her ability to defend her T100 world title.
With Charles-Barclay and Knibb out, current series leader Kate Waugh has an opportunity to solidify her position at the top. Julie Derron also has a significant opportunity to best her score from Singapore and rise in the series standings. She comes fresh off of a commanding win at Ironman 70.3 Langkawi, showing that she is back to full strength after the injury that forced her to miss Kona.
Other notable athletes include Sara Perez Sala, who has been on fire since her first T100 podium at Wollongong T100. She followed that up with a first place finish at Challenge Xiamen.
Georgia Taylor-Brown is another athlete to watch. Her PTO ranking points show a perfect positive trending line, going from 14th at WTCS Hamburg, to 12th at London T100, 9th at the French Riviera T100, to 4th at the recent Ironman 70.3 World Championships. Her steady progression signals that a breakthrough performance could be near.
Add in Jessica Learmonth, Taylor Spivey, Holly Lawrence, and Lisa Perterer, and Dubai’s women’s race still promises fireworks despite the missing stars.
Men’s Race: Hayden Wilde Hunts for Six Straight
As discussed in our previous race preview, all eyes will be on Hayden Wilde as he looks to make it six wins from six races.
Mika Noodt, who sits third in the standings, has also been impressive. Noodt’s record reads like a steady climb: two third place finishes followed by two seconds. Could Dubai be the race where he finally takes the top step?
Marten Van Riel returns to the start line after racing the Ironman World Championship in Nice in early September. Following a short break from competition but not from training, Van Riel hinted on Instagram in October that he is “starting to feel some progress” and looking “forward to a big winter.” His Dubai performance will show whether the reset has reignited his racing form.
What also stands out with this penultimate race is the number of contracted athletes who will not complete the required four regular season races. In addition to series standing impacts, the question remains as to how this will impact their T100 contracts.
How to Watch and What to Follow
Fans can catch all the action live on PTO+ or the T100 YouTube channel. For an enhanced viewing experience, bookmark the Live Data hub, which provides real time insights into athlete performance – everything from current series standings and in race time gaps to heart rate, power output, average speed, and even gear ratios.