The World Triathlon Championship Series is the annual series of races used to crown an annual world champion. There are multiple rounds of races culminating in a Grand Final race, to cap the season. Athletes compete head-to-head for points in these races that will determine the overall world champion. The elite championship races are held over two distances: the standard and the sprint distance.

Prior to 2009, the world champion was formerly crowned in the ITU Triathlon World Championship, a single championship race that was held annually from 1989, the same year as the formation of the International Triathlon Union (ITU), to 2008.

In 2008, the day after the 2008 Men’s Olympic triathlon race, the ITU announced starting next year it would be replacing the single race world championship with a six-race World Championship points super series culminating in a Grand Final, it was to be called the World Championship Series.

World Triathlon Champions - Elite Men
Olympic History and Medallists

World Triathlon World Champions - Elite Women

Year Location Gold Silver Bronze
2023 Pontevedra, ESP Beth Potter (GBR) Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) Emma Lombardi (FRA)
2022 Abu Dhabi, UAE Flora Duffy (BER)(4) Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) Taylor Knibb (USA)
2021 Edmonton, Canada Flora Duffy (BER)(3) Taylor Knibb (USA) Taylor Spivey (USA)
2020 Hamburg, Germany Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) Flora Duffy (BER) Laura Lindemann (GER)
2019 Lausanne, Switzerland Katie Zaferes (USA) Jessica Learmonth (GBR) Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR)
2018 Gold Coast, Australia Vicky Holland (GBR) Katie Zaferes (USA) Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR)
2017 Rotterdam, Netherlands Flora Duffy (BER) (2) Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) Katie Zaferes (USA)
2016 Cozumel, Mexico Flora Duffy (BER) Gwen Jorgensen (USA) Ai Ueda (JPN)
2015 Chicago, United States Gwen Jorgensen (USA) (2) Andrea Hewitt (NZL) Sarah True (USA)
2014 Edmonton, Canada Gwen Jorgensen (USA) Sarah Groff (USA) Andrea Hewitt (NZL)
2013 London, Great Britain Non Stanford (GBR) Jodie Stimpson (GBR) Anne Haug (GER)
2012 Auckland, New Zealand Lisa Nordén (SWE) Anne Haug (GER) Andrea Hewitt (NZL)
2011 Beijing, China Helen Jenkins (GBR) (2) Andrea Hewitt (NZL) Sarah Groff (USA)
2010 Budapest, Hungary Emma Moffatt (AUS) (2) Nicola Spirig (SUI) Lisa Nordén (SWE)
2009 Gold Coast, Australia Emma Moffatt (AUS) Lisa Nordén (SWE) Andrea Hewitt (NZL)

 

ITU Triathlon World Champions - Elite Women

Year Location Gold Silver Bronze
2008 Vancouver, Canada Helen Tucker (GBR) Sarah Haskins (USA) Samantha Warriner (NZL)
2007 Hamburg, Germany Vanessa Fernandes (POR) Emma Snowsill (AUS) Laura Bennett (USA)
2006 Lausanne, Switzerland Emma Snowsill (AUS) (3) Vanessa Fernandes (POR) Felicity Abram (AUS)
2005 Gamagōri, Japan Emma Snowsill (AUS) (2) Annabel Luxford (AUS) Laura Bennett (USA)
2004 Madeira, Portugal Sheila Taormina (USA) Loretta Harrop (AUS) Laura Bennett (USA)
2003 Queenstown, New Zealand Emma Snowsill (AUS) Laura Bennett (USA) Michellie Jones (AUS)
2002 Cancún, Mexico Leanda Cave (GBR) Barbara Lindquist (USA) Michelle Dillon (GBR)
2001 Edmonton, Canada Siri Lindley (USA) Michellie Jones (AUS) Joanna Zeiger (USA)
2000 Perth, Australia Nicole Hackett (AUS) Carol Montgomery (CAN) Michellie Jones (AUS)
1999 Montreal, Canada Loretta Harrop (AUS) Jackie Gallagher (AUS) Emma Carney (AUS)
1998 Lausanne, Switzerland Joanne King (AUS) Michellie Jones (AUS) Evelyn Williamson (NZL)
1997 Perth, Australia Emma Carney (AUS) (2) Jackie Gallagher (AUS) Michellie Jones (AUS)
1996 Cleveland, United States Jackie Gallagher (AUS) Emma Carney (AUS) Carol Montgomery (CAN)
1995 Cancún, Mexico Karen Smyers (USA) (2) Jackie Gallagher (AUS) Joy Leutner (USA)
1994 Wellington, New Zealand Emma Carney (AUS) Anette Pedersen (DEN) Sarah Harrow (NZL)
1993 Manchester, United Kingdom Michellie Jones (AUS) (2) Karen Smyers (USA) Joanne Ritchie (CAN)
1992 Muskoka, Canada Michellie Jones (AUS) Joanne Ritchie (CAN) Melissa Mantak (USA)
1991 Queensland, Australia Joanne Ritchie (CAN) Terri Smith (CAN) Michellie Jones (AUS)
1990 Orlando, United States Karen Smyers (USA) Carol Montgomery (CAN) Joy Hansen (USA)
1989 Avignon, France Erin Baker (NZL) Jan Ripple (USA) Laurie Samuelson (USA)