From October 15th to 19th, the coastal city of Wollongong, Australia, transformed into the centre of the triathlon world – and Canadian athletes were everywhere. From the elite ranks to the age-group fields, Team Canada made its presence felt across every race and discipline.
Elite Racing
In the elite men’s race, Tyler Mislawchuk raced hard and fast to ninth, marking another world-class performance in a season that saw him consistently among the best. Charles Paquet finished 13th, landing him 10th in the overall year-end standings and underscoring the depth of the Canadian men’s field.
On the women’s side, Emy Legault crossed the line in 30th, while Desirae Ridenour suffered a foot injury that forced her to withdraw mid-race. “It wasn’t the way I wanted to end my season,” she wrote. “After an uncharacteristic poor swim I was chasing hard, but when the cut on my foot reopened, I tried running barefoot. Eventually the pain and cramps made it impossible to continue. Sad to call it quits, but that’s sport.”
Her Instagram photo shows just how valiantly she fought on, racing with little skin left on the bottom of her foot.
The weekend also spotlighted the next generation of Canadian talent. In the junior events, Henry Bristol and Leandre Binette finished 21st and 27th respectively among the men, while Beatrice Filion placed 12th and Brooke Rousselle 19th in the women’s race.
In the U23 events, Daniel Damian finished 17th and Blake Harris 43rd among the men, while Sophia Howell led the Canadian women in 10th, followed by Isla Britton, Molly Lakustiak, and Sidney Clement, who all placed inside the top 30.
Para-Triathlon
The para-triathlon events featured Canada’s Stefan Daniel, who finished fourth in the PTS5 category. “It wasn’t my day,” he admitted. “The guys up front were too good, but I gave it my best shot.”
The Calgary native reflected on a challenging post-Paralympic season marked by injuries and frustration. “I think a long break will help,” he said. “I’m heading home to start coaching with the Kronos Triathlon Club. I’m excited to give back to the sport and help young athletes have a great experience.”
Age Group Highlights
While the spotlight often shines on the elites, it was Canada’s age-group contingent that carried home the hardware, along with their own share of pride and joy. Across the standard, sprint, and aquabike championships, Canadian athletes claimed five medals. Nearly 2,400 age-group athletes raced over the weekend, including 98 Canadians in the sprint and 64 in the standard distance.
Suzanne Chandler, a familiar name on the world stage, once again proved unstoppable, capturing gold in the standard 50-54 category and adding a silver in the mixed relay. Her record now includes an astounding 13 podium finishes across world championship events since 2009.
Philippe Drolet captured gold in the sprint 35-39 division and finished an impressive 11th overall in the entire men’s field. “It took years of work, setbacks, and faith to reach this moment,” he wrote afterward. “Yesterday was pure flow – body, mind, and spirit aligned like never before. This is what a true comeback feels like.”
Gary Pelletier earned silver in the aquabike 75-79 category, while David Jenkin added a bronze in 70-74. Janet Mackay Thompson claimed bronze in the sprint for 75-79.
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