LESS THAN ONE MONTH TO GO: WORLD’S BEST TRIATHLETES SET FOR SHOWDOWN AT INAUGURAL DUBAI T100 TRIATHLON WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

·        Over 40 of the biggest names in triathlon, including world champions, Olympic medallists, and rising stars, set to wow the crowds in Dubai this November.

·        Alongside the elite racing, multiple age group and community events will welcome athletes of all ages and abilities as part of the Dubai Fitness Challenge.

Dubai, Monday 28 October: With less than one month to go, the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final is set to ignite Dubai this November, delivering a high-stakes showdown between the world’s best elite triathletes.

The competition, marking the culmination of the inaugural T100 World Tour, will see an exceptional field of male and female athletes battling for ultimate supremacy in a city renowned for hosting iconic sporting events.

The T100 Triathlon World Tour is a seven-race series, designed to push triathletes to their limits across a mix of iconic global destinations and a unique competition format - a 2km swim, 80km bike, and 18km run.

Throughout the season, athletes have accumulated points across races in Miami, Singapore, San Francisco, London, Ibiza and Las Vegas.

The grand final in Dubai is the last chance for the top PTO World Ranked athletes to win additional points as they vie to be crowned the inaugural T100 World Champion. The sum of each athlete’s three best point-scoring performances across the season plus their score from the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final will give each athlete’s total score. In addition to crowning the first T100 World Champions, the Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final will determine the final split of the record $7 million prize pot.

Men’s Field: Fierce Contention at the Top of the Rankings

Sitting 19 points clear at the top of the men’s field is three-time Olympian, Marten Van Riel. The Belgian claimed his maiden T100 victory earlier this year in a dramatic three-way sprint finish between Kyle Smith and Germany’s Rico Bogen on the iconic ‘Escape from Alcatraz’ course in San Francisco. He followed it up with a spectacular win in Ibiza, becoming the first male two-time T100 champion. Another world-class performance in Las Vegas earlier this month saw him take silver spot on the podium, securing him pole position in the overall men’s rankings. In his last visit to Dubai, Van Riel won the IRONMAN 70.3 Dubai in 2022 – he’ll be hoping to repeat this success to claim T100 glory next month.

"It’s amazing to claim the top spot in the rankings after an incredible race in Vegas this weekend,” commented Van Riel.

“Winning the T100 series would be a huge moment in my career - but I know there’s still a long way to go and there's plenty of fast guys ready to push me to the limit in Dubai next month! I’ve had some great results racing in Dubai in the past, and I love the energy of the city so I'm excited to come back and give it everything I’ve got."

With just five points separating the rest of top five ranked athletes, it’s all to race for. Second place in the rankings is Danish superstar Magnus Ditlev whose ability to dominate the bike leg and hold off his competitors in the run has cemented his reputation as one of the men to beat. Ditlev has had a phenomenal season with victories at both the first leg of the 2024 T100 World Tour event in Miami and Challenge Roth.

“I’ve really enjoyed the challenge which the new T100 Triathlon World Tour has given us this year, through a season-long series of high profile races featuring the world’s best athletes going head-to-head. Starting with a win at the first T100 race in Miami was a great way to kick off my season, whilst the injured hand which stopped me racing in Singapore was frustrating. But I’m looking forward to the first ever Dubai T100 Triathlon World Championship Final and will be doing everything I can to win the inaugural T100 World Championship title.”

Third in the rankings, New Zealand’s Kyle Smith will also toe the line in Dubai. A wildcard into the 2024 T100 series, Smith has proved he deserves his spot in the star-studded line-up following an incredible sprint finish in the San Francisco T100 Triathlon where he was pipped into second place by Marten Van Riel, and another second place finish at the London T100.

Joining them on the start line is fourth-ranked Sam Laidlow from France, who became the youngest man ever to claim the IRONMAN World title in 2023. Laidlow joined the T100 World Tour in 2024, clinching his first victory at the T100 World Tour race in London in April and a silver medal in the Ibiza race last month.

Another wild card lining up in Dubai is Dutch star Youri Keulen, who has already enjoyed T100 success with a fourth place in Miami in March, followed by a sensational victory in Singapore in April.

Crowd-favourite Alistair Brownlee from Great Britain will also line up in Dubai – the only triathlete in history to complete the grand slam of Olympic, World, European, and Commonwealth titles. A two-time Olympic gold medallist, two-time Commonwealth champion, and four-time world champion, Brownlee’s legendary status in the sport speaks for itself. With his unparalleled experience and aggressive racing style, you can never count Brownlee out as a threat to the podium.

Women’s Field: A Battle Between Legends and Rising Stars

The women’s field is equally star-studded, headlined by USA’s Taylor Knibb. One of the most consistent racers on the global triathlon circuit, Knibb will certainly prove one to watch in Dubai following her blazing win at both the Ibiza and Lake Las Vegas T100 Triathlon races , adding to her win in San Francisco in June.

Knibb will be up against second-ranked Ashleigh Gentle from Australia. Since turning her sights to long-distance racing in 2021, the two-time Olympian has proved her dominance time and time again. Gentle has had an exceptional 2024 T100 World Tour season, securing victories in both the Singapore and London races. Indisputably one of the best runners on the global triathlon circuit, the Dubai course could prove a winning formula for Gentle to finish her season in style as the inaugural T100 World Champion.

“Winning the T100 series would be my ultimate dream. I haven’t really thought about it too much, but since a couple of people have asked me about it recently, I didn’t realise quite how much I would love to achieve that. It would be super special to have a World title to my name. It’s been 14 years since my last individual championship and that was when I was a junior, so if I could do that as a senior on the new T100 Tour it would literally be a dream come true.”

Hot on her heels will be Flora Duffy – the first and only Olympic gold medallist from Bermuda - who is making her much anticipated switch to long course triathlon racing. Duffy’s versatility, tactical racing and incredible bike handling skills have made her one of the most respected athletes in the sport. With a host of championships to her name, the world will be watching to see if she can assert her Olympic dominance in the long-course T100 format. Duffy secured her first T100 podium in Lake Las Vegas and will be hoping to continue this form into Dubai.

Another Olympic star heading to Dubai is Julie Derron from Switzerland. Derron has claimed the runners up position in three of the biggest races of the 2024 triathlon season - the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Ibiza T100 Triathlon and the Las Vegas T100 Triathlon. She will be looking to go one better in Dubai next month and claim the top podium spot.

Other contenders include Canada’s Paula Findlay, Switzerland’s Imogen Simmonds, and Germany’s Laura Philipp and Anne Haug - all of whom bring a wealth of experience and podium finishes into the mix.

A Showdown of Epic Proportions in Dubai

With athletes from around the globe descending on Dubai for the T100 World Tour Final, this will be an unforgettable weekend of competition. The course itself, which weaves through some of Dubai’s most iconic landmarks, is designed to challenge every aspect of the triathletes' skill set, from the open-water swim to the fast and flat bike-run combination culminating at Dubai’s iconic Meydan Racecourse.

“The calibre of athletes preparing to race in the inaugural T100 World Tour Final in Dubai this November is truly world-class - a testament both to Dubai’s position as a host of global sports competitions, and the T100 World Tour’s vision to elevate the sport of triathlon. The Final will undoubtedly be a landmark moment for the sport. I can't wait to see who will emerge victorious next month” commented PTO CEO Sam Renouf.

“Of course – the action will not only be limited to the elites. Thousands of age group triathletes will go head-to-head in the 100km and Sprint Distance Age Group race formats – each one chasing their own personal bests. The T100 race weekend offers a unique opportunity for these athletes to race on the same course and on the same weekend as their triathlon heroes.

“And for those in the community looking for a more relaxed experience – I encourage you to register for The Music Run – an untimed, 5km fun-run open to all. We’re expecting over 10,000 participants to take part across the various events – a true celebration of athleticism, fitness and community.”

For more information, visit the official website at https://t100triathlon.com/dubai/pro/. To sign up for The Music Run go to https://themusicrun.ae/