TRIATHLON – Bahrain Victorious 13 superstar Cassandre Beaugrand secured an incredible elite women’s race victory yesterday while teammate Vasco Vilaca climbed the elite men’s podium at the Quiberon leg of the 2026 World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) in France.
Beaugrand charged to her second triumph in this year’s WTCS – she had earlier won the Alghero stop in Italy last month – in front of her home crowd.
The French Olympic champion and former world champion took first place in a time of 58 minutes and 29 seconds – completing the 750-metre swim in 9:46, the 22-kilometre bike in 31:21, and the 5.1km run in 15:51. Her swim time was the fastest amongst all women’s competitors yesterday.
“I was ready to fight to the end,” Beaugrand was quoted as saying after the race.
“It was crazy. Every time I race in France people push me so much. I just tried to give them my best and give the best show I can.”
Beaugrand was joined on the podium by Tilda Mansson from Sweden, who finished just eight seconds behind, while Jolien Vermeylen from Belgium took third 13s from the winner.
Elsewhere in the race, Bahrain Victorious 13’s Georgia Taylor-Brown claimed a solid seventh in 59:04. Her swim-bike-run splits were 10:03, 31:07, and 16:25.
On the distaff, Vilaca battled hard until the finish line where he was pipped by a mere second by race winner Dorian Coninx from France.
The Portuguese ace had to settle for the runner-up step on the men’s race podium after completing the distance in 53:17.
He had splits of 9:51, 27:41, and 14:28 in his outing.
Vilaca’s countryman Ricardo Batista came third three seconds from Coninx.
Following yesterday’s results, Beaugrand improved four spots to eighth on the WTCS elite women’s rankings where she now has 2,000.00 points after two events.
Taylor-Brown dropped one position to seventh after going to 2,095.04 points after three WTCS appearances to date.
In the elite men’s standings, Vilaca remained in first place with 2,925.00 points from three events, which included wins in his two previous participations in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in April and in Alghero.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh