The Championship 2026 Preview: Marta Sánchez ahead of the Challenge Family Grand Final
The Championship 2026 takes place this Sunday, May 24th in Šamorín with a top-level professional list, 100.000 euros in prizes and free broadcast for the whole world.
The event is the major international competition of Challenge Family in middle distance and will once again bring together some of the strongest names on the international circuit at the x-bionic sphere complex in Slovakia.
The professional career will begin at 8:30 EST, with live broadcast from the 8:15 ESTThe organization has also confirmed tracking via The Championship's official app and coverage on social media.
A meeting with 70 professionals and more than 2.400 triathletes
The Championship It is held in a medium-distance format, with 1,9 km of swimming, 90 km of cycling and 21,1 km of running race.
The 2026 edition arrives with a broad professional field and sold-out popular participation, with more than 2.400 triathletes from 63 countries between the different tests of the weekend.
The event maintains its status as one of the most recognizable races on the Challenge Family calendar. For professionals, the competitive appeal lies in the average starting level, the prize money, and a course that typically rewards both strong cyclists and runners capable of comfortably completing the half marathon.
Marta Sánchez, Spain's great hope
In the women's race, Marta Sanchez She appears as the main Spanish contender. The Catalan athlete arrives in Šamorín with a real chance of fighting for the top positions in a race that doesn't have a clear favorite, although several triathletes have a strong case for reaching the podium.
Caroline Pohle She starts as one of the strongest contenders after her recent victory at Challenge Gran Canaria. The German has shown consistency in middle-distance races and arrives at an event where the cycling leg could play a significant role.
Pohle will be joined by Katrine Græsbøll Christensen, Lena Meissner, megan mcdonald, Elisabetta Curridori y Justine GuerardAmong others. Curridori also arrives with the recent reference of his victory in Challenge Salou-Costa Daurada 2026, where he shared the spotlight with Will Draper.
The Spanish female presence is completed by Sofia Aguayo y Zaira LorenzoAguayo arrives after a training block in Sierra Nevada, while Lorenzo will be looking to take a step forward after his result in Salou.
Draper, Funk and Heemeryck raise the bar for men.
The men's race is also open. Will draper appears among the top candidates after winning in Challenge Salou-Costa Daurada, a victory that allows him to arrive in Šamorín with confidence and competitive rhythm.
The Briton will face several top-level specialists. Frederic Funk He's once again one of the men to watch because of his ability to break up the race on the bike. Also on the podium will be... Henry Rappo, Pieter Heemeryck, Kieran Lindars, Daniel Bækkegård y Florian Angert, all with profiles capable of influencing the test from different segments.
Another important name will be Pierre Le Corre, winner in Šamorín at the 2022 ITU Long Distance World Championships. His running performance could be decisive if the race remains compact going into the final leg.
In Spanish key, Carlos Oliver He will be one of the top national contenders in the men's race. The Balearic Islander arrives at a demanding event, facing a deep professional field and several rivals capable of making a difference before the half marathon.
Favorites from The Championship 2026
| Category | Names to watch | Sports key |
|---|---|---|
| female | Caroline Pohle, Marta Sánchez, Katrine Græsbøll Christensen, Lena Meissner, Elisabetta Curridori | Open race, with options for strong cyclists and solid female racers |
| Men | Will Draper, Frederic Funk, Pieter Heemeryck, Henry Räppo, Kieran Lindars, Pierre Le Corre | The cycling sector can select the race before the half marathon. |
| Spanish | Marta Sánchez, Sofía Aguayo, Zaira Lorenzo, Carlos Oliver | Marta Sánchez and Carlos Oliver are the main national references. |
Where to watch The Championship 2026 live
The Championship 2026 can be followed live and free through the official Challenge Family platform.
- Date: Sunday May 24
- Start of broadcast: 8:15 EST
- Career opportunities: 8:30 EST
- Direct: challenge-family.live
- Networks: Challenge Family Official Instagram
- Follow-up: The Championship App
- Comments: Belinda Granger
The Šamorín race will close out a busy weekend for Challenge Family, with professionals, age groups, and various distances competing in the same environment. For the elite, it will be one of the last major opportunities of the first part of the season to test their mettle in the middle distance.
