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 Women
Olympic History and Medallists

World Triathlon Champions - Elite Men

Year Location Gold Silver Bronze
2023 Pontevedra, ESP Dorian Coninx (FRA) Hayden Wilde (NZL) Léo Bergere (FRA)
2022 Abu Dhabi, UAE Léo Bergere (FRA) Alex Yee (GBR) Hayden Wilde (NZL)
2021 Edmonton, Canada Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) Marten Van Riel (BEL) Alex Yee (GBR)
2020 Hamburg, Germany Vincent Luis (FRA) Vasco Vilaça (POR) Léo Bergere (FRA)
2019 Lausanne, Switzerland Vincent Luis (FRA) Mario Mola (ESP) Javier Gómez Noya (ESP)
2018 Gold Coast, Australia Mario Mola (ESP) (3) Vincent Luis (FRA) Jacob Birtwhistle (AUS)
2017 Rotterdam, Netherlands Mario Mola (ESP) (2) Javier Gómez Noya (ESP) Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR)
2016 Cozumel, Mexico Mario Mola (ESP) Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) Fernando Alarza (ESP)
2015 Chicago, United States Javier Gómez Noya (ESP) (5) Mario Mola (ESP) Vincent Luis (FRA)
2014 Edmonton, Canada Javier Gómez Noya (ESP) (4) Mario Mola (ESP) Jonathan Brownlee (GBR)
2013 London, Great Britain Javier Gómez Noya (ESP) (3) Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) Mario Mola (ESP)
2012 Auckland, New Zealand Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) Javier Gómez Noya (ESP) Dmitry Polyanskiy (RUS)
2011 Beijing, China Alistair Brownlee (GBR) (2) Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) Javier Gómez Noya (ESP)
2010 Budapest, Hungary Javier Gómez Noya (ESP) (2) Steffen Justus (GER) Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS)
2009 Gold Coast, Australia Alistair Brownlee (GBR) Javier Gómez Noya (ESP) Maik Petzold (GER)

 

ITU Triathlon World Champions - Elite Men

Year Location Gold Silver Bronze
2008 Vancouver, Canada Javier Gómez (ESP) Bevan Docherty (NZL) Reto Hug (SUI)
2007 Hamburg, Germany Daniel Unger (GER) Javier Gómez (ESP) Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS)
2006 Lausanne, Switzerland Tim Don (GBR) Hamish Carter (NZL) Frédéric Belaubre (FRA)
2005 Gamagōri, Japan Peter Robertson (AUS) (3) Reto Hug (SUI) Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS)
2004 Madeira, Portugal Bevan Docherty (NZL) Iván Raña (ESP) Dmitriy Gaag (KAZ)
2003 Queenstown, New Zealand Peter Robertson (AUS) (2) Iván Raña (ESP) Olivier Marceau (SUI)
2002 Cancún, Mexico Iván Raña (ESP) Peter Robertson (AUS) Andrew Johns (GBR)
2001 Edmonton, Canada Peter Robertson (AUS) Chris Hill (AUS) Craig Watson (NZL)
2000 Perth, Australia Olivier Marceau (FRA) Peter Robertson (AUS) Craig Walton (AUS)
1999 Montreal, Canada Dmitriy Gaag (KAZ) Simon Lessing (GBR) Miles Stewart (AUS)
1998 Lausanne, Switzerland Simon Lessing (GBR) (4) Paul Amey (NZL) Miles Stewart (AUS)
1997 Perth, Australia Chris McCormack (AUS) Hamish Carter (NZL) Simon Lessing (GBR)
1996 Cleveland, United States Simon Lessing (GBR) (3) Luc Van Lierde (BEL) Leandro Macedo (BRA)
1995 Cancún, Mexico Simon Lessing (GBR) (2) Brad Beven (AUS) Ralf Eggert (GER)
1994 Wellington, New Zealand Spencer Smith (GBR) (2) Brad Beven (AUS) Ralf Eggert (GER)
1993 Manchester, United Kingdom Spencer Smith (GBR) Simon Lessing (GBR) Hamish Carter (NZL)
1992 Muskoka, Canada Simon Lessing (GBR) Rainer Müller-Hörner (GER) Rob Barel (NED)
1991 Queensland, Australia Miles Stewart (AUS) Rick Wells (NZL) Mike Pigg (USA)
1990 Orlando, United States Greg Welch (AUS) Brad Beven (AUS) Stephen Foster (AUS)
1989 Avignon, France Mark Allen (USA) Glenn Cook (GBR) Rick Wells (NZL)