The Mixed Relay Triathlon World Championships

The Mixed Relay Triathlon World Championships are undoubtedly one of the most impressive competitions in the sport. A thrilling super-sprint for triathletes, a true spectacle for the audience! But do you know what this innovative event entails? What distances do the teams cover? Let's zoom in on an exhilarating triathlon: the Mixed Relay World Championships.

What are the Mixed Relay Triathlon World Championships?

In 2009, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) (recently renamed World Triathlon) organized the first Mixed Relay World Championships in the United States, in Des Moines, the capital of Iowa. The inaugural title went to the Swiss team.

This marked the birth of a new, explosive, and ultra-fast race format! Since then, its popularity has soared, and annual World Championships have been held each year. This new event captivates both triathletes and spectators alike. With the mixed relay, the individual nature of the sport transforms into a true team effort, fostering a strong team spirit and generating incredible excitement. Fueled by the adrenaline of the relay, triathletes no longer race just for themselves but primarily to bring their team to victory!

The Mixed Relay Triathlon World Championships take place in a single event. Since 2013, it has been held in the German city of Hamburg, as part of the World Triathlon Series (WTS). The Hamburg leg is part of the WTS circuit, a series of international competitions that crown a male and female world champion at the end of the season. In 2019, the ITU calendar introduced the very first Mixed Relay World Series, comprising four stages held in Abu Dhabi, Nottingham, Hamburg, and Edmonton.

The mixed relay's success is so significant that the event is now included in the Olympic program, starting from the Tokyo 2020 Games.

A triathlon that wins everyone over!

What are the distances for the mixed relay triathlon?

The Mixed Relay Triathlon World Championships adhere to the golden rule of the sport: swim, bike, run… all without stopping the clock.

The distinctive feature of this format lies both in the relay principle and the short distances.

A super-sprint awaits the triathletes in the various events, with distances shorter than an XS triathlon:

• 300 m open water swim;

• 6 to 8 km road cycling;

• 1 to 2 km running.

The distances vary depending on the competition location. Generally, each relay lasts about 20 minutes, with a total race time of around 90 minutes.

It is, therefore, a very intense format leading to a frenetic race. An explosive cocktail for the crowd's greatest delight!

How are the teams composed?

In the Mixed Relay World Championships, the team composition is both female and male.

Each national team comprises four triathletes:

• two women;

• two men.

The teammates must strictly adhere to the following order: one woman, one man, one woman, one man. They are free to choose which female triathlete starts first and which male triathlete finishes the race.

The principle is simple: the four competitors take turns on an identical course, passing the relay. The team with the best time is crowned world champion!

The record

France leads the world ranking by nation, with 4 gold medals to its name! The French relay team claimed its first victory in the Mixed Relay Triathlon World Championships in 2015, ahead of Australia and the United Kingdom. A superb performance by the French team: Jeanne Lehair, Dorian Coninx, Audrey Merle, and Vincent Luis.

In 2018 and 2019, the French team won the crown twice in a row. They solidified their leading position in 2020.

The United Kingdom is a triple world champion, while Switzerland has won two titles. Australia, Germany, and the United States have each been crowned once.

The podium of the 2020 Mixed Relay Triathlon World Championships:

• Gold medal for France: Léonie Périault, Léo Bergère, Cassandre Beaugrand, and Dorian Coninx.

• Silver medal for the United States: Taylor Spivey, Kevin McDowell, Katie Zaferes, and Morgan Pearson.

• Bronze medal for the United Kingdom: Georgia Taylor-Brown, Barclay Izzard, Jessica Learmonth, and Alex Yee.

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