Elite triathlon stars head for China with bumper $100k prize pot on the line at Challenge Beijing

Elite triathlon heads for China this weekend with a bumper $100k prize pot on offer at Challenge Beijing.

The non-draft legal Olympic Distance showdown takes place on Sunday September 8, with a number of top stars heading to Asia for what should be a fascinating showdown.

New Zealand’s Kyle Smith, Canada’s Paula Findlay and Switzerland’s Julie Derron top the bill – read on to find out more.

Start time and how to watch

The event starts at 07.30 local time for Pro Men and 7.35am for Pro Women. That’s 00:30 in the UK, 01:30 CET and 19:30 on Saturday for those on Eastern Time.

It will be streamed live by Challenge Family and we’ve embedded that below so you don’t need to leave this page.

Women’s Start List

Derron provides real interest here after her absolutely brilliant performance to claim silver behind Cassandre Beaugrand in the Olympic Games at Paris 2024. She was able to hang with Beaugrand and Britain’s Beth Potter all the way during a brutal race in the French capital – only losing out to the home favourite’s lethal finishing kick in the closing stages.

Findlay has been ultra-consistent so far in 2024, notching IRONMAN 70.3 wins in St George and Mont-Tremblant, and finishing third in Oceanside. She also claimed fourth at T100 Miami and sixth in San Francisco.

Britain’s Lucy Byram adds further intrigue, coming off a fifth-place finish at T100. She has claimed victory in three Challenge races recently – at Wales in 2022 and 2023 and at Puerto Varas in 2023.

We have competitors from Australia and New Zealand going for the big prize pot with Ellie Salthouse (fourth at IRONMAN 70.3 Zell am See last weekend) and Amelia Watkinson (fourth at T100 Singapore this year) making the trip to Beijing. Britain’s Sian Rainsley meanwhile adds further short-course spice.

Men’s Start List

World number two Smith heads the men’s field after putting together some terrific performances so far in 2024 – notably second-place finishes in truly elite competition at T100 San Francisco and T100 London. He has also claimed victory at The Championship and Challenge Wanaka.

The New Zealander is joined by German Frederic Funk, ranked 11th in the world and second at The Championship 2024. Also competing are Aaron Royle (AUS), Marc Dubrick (USA) and Paris Olympians Henri Schoeman (RSA) and Tyler Mislawchuk (CAN).

Kyle Smith just loses out to Marten Van Riel at T100 San Francisco [Photo Credit – PTO]

Challenge Beijing Course

The Swim Course is in the Gui River. The river runs through the Beijing Expo Park with the Haituo Mountains behind it, with the river and mountains complementing each other, creating a picturesque landscape.

The Bike Course is in the Expo Park and surrounding roads, combining city roads and country roads. The course passes the bridge on the Gui River, the World Grapes Expo Garden, and athletes can see the Haituo Mountains along the course.

The Run Course is in the Expo Park on the “rainbow runway”, passing the iconic buildings and scenery.