Double gold for Australia at the World Triathlon Championship Series & T100 Pro Series French Riviera

With the WTCS Finals just 6 weeks away, Matt Hauser will head into the home title race on the shores of Wollongong as number one with the maximum 3000 points for the season after five races this year.

Renowned for his powerful swim, Hauser took off like a bullet train from the gun into the water before breaking away from a 10-deep bike pack to put himself in a strong position for what he knew was going to be a fast and furious run finish.

With his rivals Vasco Vilaça and Miguel Hidalgo nipping at his heels, Hauser was not about to let this gold slip through his fingers, taking the tape for his fifth podium in five races this season.

“It was tough today, the heat was a factor,” said Hauser. ‘I wasn’t expecting a breakaway but ten or twelve of us got working. Henry (Graf) and Mark (Devay) did almost all the work and managed to keep us away. And then on the run I was confident but the heat had an impact and at some point I thought that I almost blew it cause I went too early, but as soon as I hit the blue carpet I knew I had it”.

“It’s fantastic to get the victory out there in front of a very passionate French crowd, what a beautiful place to race and it was nice to share it with my partner Georgia and some friends who made the trip to the coast.”

“With a maximum score leading into Wollongong now I’m filled with a lot of confidence and belief that hopefully I can get the job done on home soil. Next up Karlovy Vary in a couple weeks to mirror the challenging course that Wollongong will present and make sure I’m dialled mentally and physically for the grand final.”

Hauser’s victory came 24 hours after fellow Aussie Ashleigh Gentle produced a stunning performance to come from eighth off the bike and win the first ever French Riviera T100 (Pro Series)Triathlon.

Despite winning five times over the Professional Triathletes Organisation’s 100km distance (2km swim, 80km bike, 18km run) in recent seasons, this sixth victory might be the sweetest yet after not getting on the podium in her first four T100 races of this year.

Teammate Ellie Salthouse produced her best race of her T100 career six months after undergoing Knee surgery with an incredible fifth place finish.

Ashleigh Gentle, “It was really good. I mean I came out in a really big group in the swim and I knew I had to stick with them for as long as I could.”

“The first part of the ride was so fast and I knew there were challenging sections ahead. So I tried to not panic and make sure I paced it really well… In London, the wheels fell off the last part and I really paid for it big time. I’m really glad I could pace it a little bit better today.”

“It’ll take a little bit to sink in, to be honest, I’ve been doing triathlon for 20 years now and I’m well aware there’s highs and lows. It doesn’t always go perfectly. I’ve invested just as much as I always do to try and be at the top.”

“It’s just about keeping the faith, and being resilient, and trusting that you can be back on the top.”

In the Men’s WTCS race, Callum McClusky, 11th place, was delighted with a strong finish to put him into contention for an Australian Team spot for the Championship Series Final in Wollongong.

“Another solid result and happy to get another top 20 and [hopefully] lock in my spot for Wollongong. Time to head home now and get ready for the big dance.”

Brayden Mercer, a member of the U23 Australian Team lining up in the U23 race at Wollongong was happy with another WTCS race under his belt coming in 32nd, with teammate Brandon Copeland in 38th.

“A solid race for me in the French Riviera. It was a great experience racing against the best in the world on a tricky course. Coming away from this weekend, I now know what I need to work on in the lead-up to the World Championships in Wollongong. I look forward to getting stuck in back on the Gold Coast with my team over the next six weeks,” Mercer said.

In the WTCS women’s race, Sophie Linn continued her impressive return to the Championship Series in 2025 with a strong 23rd place finish, up from 27th at her first WTCS individual race this season in Hamburg. Teammate Emma Jeffcoat was just behind her in 27th.

• For more information on the WTCS French Riviera click here
• For more information on the T100 French Riviera click here

For information on the 2025 World Triathlon Championships Finals, Wollongong proudly supported by the NSW Government and the City of Wollongong, click here.