World Triathlon Championship Series Sunderland: Preview, schedule, stars and how to watch
The World Triathlon Championship series returns to the UK on 29-30 July. For the first time ever, the port city of Sunderland, located on the north-eastern coast of England, will host the competition.
Triathlon
The World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) returns to the United Kingdom, as the top triathletes in the world will swim, run and bike across the venues of Roker Beach and Seaburn in Sunderland, England.
The Championship Series, which has been used to crown an annual world champion since 2009, will now hold the penultimate round of the 2023 tournament before the Championship Finals are contested in Pontevedra, Spain from 22-24 September.
Below you'll find our preview of the event, including the competition schedule, big names to keep an eye on and how to watch the races.
WTCS Sunderland competition schedule
Saturday 29 July
05:30 Registration and Athlete services area open
05:30 Start of Transition check in
07:00 – 07:30 Youth Super Series
08:00 – 09:00 Senior Super Series
10:15 – 10:30 Sprint Distance Triathlon
11:00 – 11:10 The Big SBR
11:15 The Big SBR Mini
14:00 Elite Male Sprint
15:35 Elite Female Sprint
Sunday 30 July
05:30 Registration and Athlete services area open
05:30 Start of Transition check in
07:00 – 07:50 British Standard Distance Triathlon Championships and Age-Group Team Qualifier
08:00 – 08:10 Standard Distance Triathlon
13:15 Elite Mixed Relay
All times are local
WTCS Sunderland athletes to watch
None of the top five athletes in the women's standings are on the start list for Saturday's race, opening the door for sixth-placed Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) to move up the leaderboard. The Tokyo 2020 mixed relay bronze medallist has competed in three events thus far - compared to her rivals in the top five, all of whom have four races under their belts - and needs to make up 820 points to overtake Beth Potter (GBR) for first place overall.
Cassandre Beaugrand of France reacts after winning the Women's Elite Sprint Race during the Hamburg Wasser World Triathlon on July 15, 2023 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo by Jasmin Walter/Getty Images for IRONMAN)
On the men's side, current championship leader Vasco Vilaca (POR) will compete at his fifth event this coming weekend; the Portugese has earned three top-10 finishes this season (as well as 30th-place finish in Montreal) a for a total of 2938.18 points.
He will be challenged by Hayden Wilde (NZL); the Tokyo 2020 men's bronze medallist is just over 100 points behind Vilaca in second, but has earned two event wins in 2023 already (Hamburg and Yokohama).
How to watch 2023 WTCS Sunderland
All races of the 2023 WTCS will be streamed live on TriathlonLive.tv.