The men’s World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) Grand Final in Wollongong belonged to one man. From the opening stroke to the final step, Australia’s Matt Hauser delivered a flawless performance that capped off a dream season and earned him the title of 2025 WTCS World Champion in front of a home crowd.
Hauser led from the very beginning, powering through the swim to emerge first from the water.
On the bike, Hauser and Graf drove the pace, ensuring continued distance between the front pack and the chase pack. By the time the leaders hit T2, seven men were still in contention, but it quickly became clear who had another gear to give.
Hauser and Crociani surged ahead within the first kilometre of the 10km run, dropping the rest of the field. On lap two, Hauser made his decisive move, breaking away with the same quiet confidence that has defined his season. Each stride drew louder cheers from the Wollongong crowd, who knew they were witnessing history.
As Hauser made his way onto the blue carpet, the emotion poured out. He high-fived fans, smiled through tears, and celebrated the culmination of a perfect campaign – four victories from the four races that counted toward his final score, making him the first man to achieve a flawless WTCS season.
“Honestly, the crowd out there was absolutely amazing,” Hauser said afterward. “Hard not to be overcome with emotion. I tried to stay locked in and focused, but it was very hard not to soak it up and enjoy the crowd’s atmosphere. It was absolutely amazing out there.”
Reflecting on the long road to the title, Hauser acknowledged the weight of the moment. “It’s been a big last 12 months since Paris and I’ve had my sights set on this ever since I crossed the line there,” he said. “To be able to pull it off is just such a credit to the support team around me. My family and friends, my mates, all drove down to come and support me and then see this.”
Crociani held strong for silver, while Spain’s Cantero del Campo, the 2024 U23 World Champion, added another major podium to his breakout season with bronze.
Canada’s Tyler Mislawchuk delivered a strong run to finish ninth, just 1:19 down on Hauser. As he said post-race on Instagram: “This marks my 4th consecutive worlds that I have finished exactly 9th. Not sure if it’s a blessing or curse at this point. Blew up pretty good on last lap but held on for a 29:36 10km split.”
Canada’s Charles Paquet also wrapped up an impressive season, finishing tenth overall in the final series standings.
In the final WTCS series standings, Hauser was first followed by Brazil’s Miguel HIdalgo in second and Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca in third.
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