WTCS Karlovy Vary 2026: Taylor-Brown wins and Marta Pintanel finishes seventh
Georgia Taylor-Brown has won the WTCS Karlovy Vary 2026 with 2:03:05, while Marta Pintanel finished seventh and recorded the best T2 in the last regular event before Pontevedra.
The Briton returned to the top of the World Triathlon Championship Series more than three years after her last victory, achieved in Cagliari in May 2023. Taylor Spivey was second at 36 seconds and Lisa Tertsch completed the podium after starring in the best run of the day.
The women's race this Sunday, September 13th, was marked by rain, cold, and the challenging conditions of the Czech course . Of the 45 triathletes who started, only 30 appear in the final standings with a recorded time.
Taylor-Brown, Spivey and Feuersinger break away from the bike race
Beth Potter , winner in Karlovy Vary in 2025, was one of the first references in swimming, although Bianca Seregni recorded the best split in the water with 17:52.
The Italian was subsequently unable to complete the race, while the main favorites faced the start of the demanding Karlovy Vary cycling circuit together.
It was there that Georgia Taylor-Brown, Taylor Spivey, and Therese Feuersinger managed to break away from the leading group. The three opened up a gap that eventually exceeded two minutes over the main chasing group.
Feuersinger also set the fastest cycling split with 1:09:31 . Taylor-Brown conceded just one second in this segment, with 1:09:32, and Spivey completed the cycling in 1:09:38.
Behind them, Lisa Tertsch, Jeanne Lehair, Beth Potter, Márta Kropkó and Marta Pintanel were trying to limit their losses , but the breakaway reached the second transition with a sufficient advantage to influence the outcome of the race.
Taylor-Brown leaves Spivey behind
Spivey was the first of the breakaway group to start the running race, although Taylor-Brown soon took the lead.
The British woman completed the 10 kilometers in 34:32 and gradually increased her lead over the American, who finished with a split of 35:10.
Taylor-Brown crossed the finish line in 2:03:05 to claim her seventh WTCS victory and her first since Cagliari 2023. Spivey finished second in 2:03:41.
After the race, Taylor-Brown admitted that she had begun to think that she might never win another World Series event, giving special significance to her return to the top of the podium.
Lisa Tertsch comes back with the best 10K
The battle for third place shifted during the run. Lisa Tertsch posted the fastest split of 33:34 and gradually closed the gap, overtaking the rivals who had started the final segment ahead.
The German finished third in 2:04:33 , while Jeanne Lehair was fourth and Feuersinger, who had been part of the breakaway during the cycling, finished fifth.
Beth Potter , winner in Karlovy Vary in 2025, crossed the finish line in sixth position with 2:05:31.
Marta Pintanel, seventh and best T2 of the race
Marta Pintanel finished seventh with a time of 2:05:37 , just six seconds behind Potter.
The Spaniard came out of the water in 18:04, completed the cycling segment in 1:11:58 and ran the final 10K in 34:38.
Pintanel also recorded the fastest T2 transition of the entire race, at 23 seconds . The Spaniard finished ahead of Márta Kropkó, Franka Rust, and Kate Waugh, who completed the top 10.
Women's results from the WTCS Karlovy Vary 2026
| Pos | Triathlete | Country | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Georgia Taylor-Brown | GBR | 2:03:05 |
| 2 | Taylor Spivey | USA | 2:03:41 |
| 3 | Lisa Tertsch | GER | 2:04:33 |
| 4 | Jeanne Lehair | LUX | 2:05:06 |
| 5 | Therese Feueringer | TUE | 2:05:21 |
| 6 | Beth Potter | GBR | 2:05:31 |
| 7 | Marta Pintanel Raymundo | ESP | 2:05:37 |
| 8 | Marta Kropko | HUN | 2:05:42 |
| 9 | Franka Rust | GER | 2:06:04 |
| 10 | Kate Waugh | GBR | 2:06:21 |
The best split times of the race
| Segment | Triathlete | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Swimming | Bianca Seregni | 17:52 |
| T1 | Lisa Tertsch | 27 s |
| Cycling | Therese Feueringer | 1:09:31 |
| T2 | Marta Pintanel | 23 s |
| Race on foot | Lisa Tertsch | 33:34 |
Pontevedra will decide the world title
Karlovy Vary has closed the regular season of the World Series ahead of the Grand Final in Pontevedra , which will be played from September 23 to 27.
Cassandre Beaugrand arrived at this final event with 4.000 points and the lead secured before Pontevedra , while Potter and Tertsch faced Karlovy Vary with the possibility of improving their score for the decisive event.
The final World Championship standings will be decided in Pontevedra, where the highest score in the Grand Final will once again be decisive for the title contenders.
This content has been created with the support of AI tools and reviewed by the Triathlon News editorial team.
