Pontevedra World Triathlon Championship Finals 23-27 Sep26

29 September 2026 - By Anita Grainger

Anita was over in Pontevedra, Spain last week to wrap up the triathlon season, having swapped and autumnal UK on Wed for sunny spain to take part in the world triathlon championships for Team GB Age Group. She had a nice surprise meeting Sophie Evans (Coldwell) at Stansted whist checking her bike in. Anita made it to Pontevedra just in time to take part in the Parade of Nations and opening ceremony with the old town decorated with bunting and the streets lined with supporters.

Thursday was a busy day with bike checks, registration and bike course reccie before supporting her teammates in the sprint triathlon race. Team briefing on Friday and last minute preparations before Saturday.

Saturday race day, unusually the Aquabike started at 1pm allowing a mini lie in. That sat Anita was up at 8am and down in transition racking and prepping by 10.30am due to the size of the venue.  Transition was in the middle of an athletics stadium next set back off the river where the swim venue was.

Anita’s wave was the second wave setting off at 1.05pm following the standard triathlon distance waves. The swim was out and back along the tidal river, swimming against the current on the way back. Anita had a decent swim catching men from the previous wave and also begin caught by the lead men from the wave behind all around the 1km mark, Anita tried drafting a couple of the men but they got away.

Transition was over into the stadium along blue carpet and then onto the grass to pick up her bike and head out onto the hilly course, basically 2 laps of up for 10km and then down for 10km, the descents were great fun although there were a few crashes. Anita wasn’t her best for the bike but stayed safe and loved the new aquabike finish which is cycling straight over the line to stop the time Tour de France style before a leisurley pedal to the dismount line into transisiton and jog to the finish. Anita managed to pip another athlete to the finish when sprinting for the line on the bike, great fun! Anita finished 18/28, splits and times below

Swim (1.5km)  30:12

T1                        4:50

Bike (40km)  1:36:14

Total               2:11:16

In the evening Anita was able to support the elite ladies in the World Championship Series Final watching Cassandra Beaugrand take the title with a great performance from Georgia Taylor Brown claiming 2nd on the day and moving up from 7th to 3rd in the overall championship. On Sunday the mens elite race was enthralling with an electic atmopshere. Alex Yee had an incredible run leg  catching the lead group in an incredible 28mins and 46 seconds for the 10km leg, the fastest ever 10km in a triathlon! He finished 3rd and 6th overall in the series after a season off & coming into the final race 15th. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a close sprint finish to the line. What an event Pontevedra knows how to put on a World Championship, the organisation , course routes and atmosphere were amazing!