It was a historic day for Team Germany in Abu Dhabi on Saturday afternoon, as Lisa Tertsch delivered a magnificent run to take the tape in the first race of the 2025 season, followed over the finish line by teammates Nina Eim and Laura Lindemann.
The German trio managed to break away from France's Leonie Periault right before heading onto the blue carpet for the final time, ensuring the first-ever Series podium sweep for Germany and a first Series podium for Eim.
'I'm happy with my execution, but also I prepared really well, so I just executed what I prepared for. I knew I was number one, so I would have no one to cue off (on the line up), and I was just, 'no matter where the others go, I will have to be confident in my position'. I thought about where I want to stand beforehand, so I would be confident on the start line, even if the others would be going to the side, and so, I was just standing there being like, I can swim fast on my own, so I'll do it.'
'It was a cat and mouse game over the last lap, but that's why it's racing, and everyone has to play their cards and go with what they're good at, and I knew what I wanted to do in the end, and so I went with my plan. 2024 was a very exciting year for me. Many firsts, many good firsts, some bad firsts, but I learned a lot from it and I bring those learnings into this year.'
A rapid transition helped Tertsch minimise the damage done by another exquisite Bianca Seregni swim, Jolien Vermeylen the only athlete able to hold on to her feet as they hoovered up the 750m in under nine minutes. Tertsch was out of the water 20 seconds back just behind Taylor Spivey and Diana Isakova, a huge pack right behind them.
A puncture for South Africa's Amber Theunissen ended her race early and suddenly Miriam Casillas and Verena Steinhauser's challenges looked over, too, as they got held up, suddenly finding themselves 20 seconds adrift of a main pack rapidly closing in on the two leaders.
Within no time, Seregni found herself surrounded and it was Tanja Neubert and Nina Eim onto the front and powering things forwards. At the end of the fast, wind-assisted section into Stadium Corner the technical section and then raw power into the track took over, Gwen Jorgensen among those unable to hang on and she would drift to 90 seconds off.
With 32 athletes now together in the train, the attention had to be on as whipping crosswinds caused some issues, Kate Waugh and Leonie Periault delivering the fastest lap fours and at the bell it was very much race wide open.
Waugh had a fluid transition to exit first with Tertsch and Aviv Levi, Annika Koch and Nina Eim in close pursuit. Jeanne Lehair was going through the gears too out front, but as Periault upped the pace it was soon running too hot for the Luxembourg athlete, Neubert and Lindemann joining the lead group.
With 1km to go, Periault, Lindemann, Eim and Tertsch had managed to put 10 seconds into the rest of the field, knowing one of them would miss out on the medals.
Periault looked strong, but it was Eim who rolled the dice first and took to the front, Tertsch onto her shoulder and then using all the experience from her impressive 2024 campaign to time the push to a tee. Eim was undeterred but couldn't fight back, crossing for silver and an excellent debut podium a second back, Lindemann a further second behind of a spirited German podium sweep.
Fourth for Periault, Rosa Maria Tapia 10 seconds back in fifth, followed by Tanja Neubert, Jeanne Lehair, Bianca Seregni, Diana Isakova and Kate Waugh rounding out the top ten.
For the full results, click here.
