With reigning World Champion Taylor Knibb, rising Swiss star Julie Derron, and comeback queen Lucy Charles-Barclay all on the start list, the fourth stop of the 2025 T100 World Tour is shaping up to be a pivotal showdown. Add in Kate Waugh’s meteoric rise and the return of fan favourites like Ashleigh Gentle and Jess Learmonth, and the August 9 race promises fireworks in front of a home British crowd.
Each athlete’s four best regular-season T100 scores, along with their performance at the World Championship Final in Qatar this December, will contribute to their overall season standings. This makes London a crucial mid-season test with podiums up for grabs as well as important ranking implications.
Hometown Favourites
Lucy Charles-Barclay (GBR) – Always a fan favourite, Lucy will be eager to claim her first-ever T100 victory. She’s finished in second place twice in 2024, at T100 Miami and T100 Singapore, and will enter this race hungry for that elusive win. She’ll also be seeking redemption after a tough break at the 2024 London T100, where an injury forced her off course mid-run and sidelined her for the remainder of the season.
Lucy’s resilience in overcoming injuries and continually rising back to the top of the sport has been remarkable. With a third place finish in T100 Singapore, first place victories at Ironman Lanzarote and Ironman 70.3 Eagleman, and a fourth place finish in T100 Vancouver, she’s shown she’s firmly back in the mix. Expect Lucy to lead the swim, or to team up with Jess Learmonth as they did in Singapore, setting a high bar for the other contenders to chase.
Kate Waugh (GBR) – A rising British star, Kate Waugh is making waves in her transition to middle-distance racing. At 26 years old, Waugh has proven herself as a formidable force. While still racing short-course this season, her dominant victory at T100 Singapore – where she finished with a commanding 6:40 lead over second place – put the triathlon world on notice. She followed that up with a third-place finish in T100 San Francisco, despite sharing on Instagram that she didn’t feel her best that day – “sometimes you’ve just got to grind out a hard day!” With a 100% podium record over the 100km distance, expect Kate to challenge the front-runners in London.
Other Notable GBR Athletes – Jess Learmonth, Lucy Byram, and India Lee round out the contracted athletes competing on home turf. Jess has consistently swum and biked at the front of all the T100s she’s raced this season, with her run steadily improving as she heals from a recent calf tear. Lucy has been a steady and consistent performer over the 100km distance, regularly finishing in the top 10, and will look to build on her solid results this year. India started the T100 season in Singapore but did not finish that race. Now, coming off two recent dominant wins at Ironman 70.3 Loire Valley and Ironman Les Sables, she’s heading into London ready to deliver a full performance and make her mark on the 2025 T100 season.
Notable International Competitors
Julie Derron (SUI) – At 28 years old and currently ranked first in the T100 series, Julie Derron is a force to be reckoned with. Known for her lightning-fast run leg, Julie has been dominant in the 2025 season, including a first-place finish at T100 San Francisco and a second-place finish at T100 Vancouver. She’s also the only athlete to have ever beaten reigning World Champion Taylor Knibb over the 100km distance, making their showdown in London even more thrilling. With the flat and technical nature of the London bike course, Julie’s chances may improve, as the terrain is less favourable for strong bikers like Knibb, who can more easily extend a lead on more challenging bike courses.
Taylor Knibb (USA) – The current World Champion and #1 ranked PTO athlete, Taylor Knibb is a powerhouse and widely regarded as the best middle-distance athlete in the world. Known for her incredible bike strength, the London course may present more of a challenge for her to break away. However, with her nearly perfect track record of T100 victories, the odds are still heavily in Taylor’s favour.
Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) – Ranked 5th in the PTO standings and 6th in the T100 series, Ashleigh has had a solid season, but it hasn’t quite matched the exceptional level of her 2024 performances. Last year, she came incredibly close to claiming victory at the T100 Grand Final in Dubai. Alongside Julie Derron, Ashleigh kept the gap to Taylor Knibb minimal on the bike and then surged on the run, steadily closing in on the lead. It looked like the win could be hers, as she put together one of the gutsiest performances fans have ever witnessed. Just kilometers from the finish, however, the extreme heat of Dubai and the toll of her exertion took their effect, and Ashleigh ultimately finished third. Still, her battle to the line gave fans goosebumps and solidified her as one of the most exciting athletes in the sport.
Stay tuned for wildcard announcements as the London T100 approaches – plus complete race results and in-depth analysis once the action unfolds.
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