The T100 Triathlon is making waves in the world of professional triathlon racing, offering athletes the chance to earn up to $310,000 in prize money while drawing amateurs eager to compete on the same courses as world champions. This groundbreaking 100-kilometer format is bridging the gap between the explosive nature of short-course racing and the endurance-testing demands of long-distance events, creating what many are calling the perfect triathlon distance.

Supported by the Professional Triathletes Organisation (PTO) and recognized by World Triathlon as the official World Championship tour for long-distance triathlon, the T100 is attracting both Olympic medalists and Ironman champions to compete head-to-head in a format that's as thrilling for spectators as it is challenging for athletes.

What Makes T100 Triathlon Unique

The T100 derives its name from its total race distance of 100 kilometers (60 miles), strategically divided into:

• 2km (1.2mi) swim
• 80km (49.7mi) bike
• 18km (11.2mi) run

This medium-distance format fills a crucial gap in triathlon racing. As Jack Evans notes, "It's shorter than both a half and full Ironman, which amount to 70.3mi / 113km and 140.6mi / 226.3km respectively, in a bid to make the format more explosive and exciting while also testing the athlete's stamina."

What makes this distance revolutionary is its cross-discipline appeal. The 100km format draws in both short-course specialists and long-course athletes who rarely compete against each other on level ground. Olympic distance champions can test their endurance against Ironman legends, creating compelling matchups that were previously impossible.

The racing dynamics are fundamentally different too. Unlike the steady-state pacing of Ironman events, T100 races feature more explosive racing with surges, tactical moves, and exciting sprint finishes that keep spectators engaged throughout the entire event.

The Professional T100 World Tour Structure

The centerpiece of the T100 revolution is its professional race series, featuring a global championship tour that visits some of the world's most spectacular locations. The 2025 season has already visited Singapore, San Francisco, and London, with the remaining races scheduled for:

• 30-31 August: French Riviera, France
• 20 September: Valencia, Spain
• 18 October: Wollongong, Australia
• 15 November: Dubai, UAE
• Date TBC: Grand Final in Qatar

Elite athlete selection is highly competitive, with only the top performers earning spots. The tour is reserved for the top ten female and male triathletes from the previous year's rankings, the top six in PTO world rankings, and four wildcards or "Hot Shots" in each gender category.

This exclusivity has created a star-studded field featuring Olympic medalists like Flora Duffy and Taylor Knibb alongside Ironman champions such as Lucy Charles-Barclay and Sam Long. The result is unprecedented depth of competition across the entire triathlon spectrum.

Financial Revolution in Professional Triathlon

The T100 has fundamentally transformed athlete earning potential in professional triathlon. The tour awarded $7 million total in 2024, comprising:

• $3 million in athlete contracts
• $2 million in prize money
• $2 million in final tour rankings bonuses

Crucially, men and women receive equal pay across all categories.

Individual earning potential has reached new heights. 2024 champions Taylor Knibb and Marten van Riel earned $310,000 and $301,000 respectively in prize money alone, not counting their guaranteed contract payments. This represents a massive leap from traditional triathlon prize pools and provides athletes with genuine career sustainability.

The contract system provides financial security, while prize money and ranking bonuses reward performance, creating a comprehensive support structure that's attracting the world's best athletes to commit fully to the tour.

Current Champions and Rising Stars

2024 saw dominant performances from Taylor Knibb and Marten van Riel, who claimed the inaugural world championships. Knibb won four consecutive races to secure her title, while van Riel triumphed three times, including at the Dubai Grand Final.

The 2025 season has brought new dynamics. While established stars like Lucy Charles-Barclay and Hayden Wilde have claimed victories in London, Julie Derron currently tops the women's overall standings thanks to her San Francisco win and consistent podium finishes. In the men's tour, Mika Noodt leads despite not yet winning a race, demonstrating the value of consistency across the season-long championship.

This depth of competition, with different athletes winning at different venues, showcases how the T100 format prevents any single athlete from dominating through superior fitness alone - tactics, course knowledge, and race-day execution all play crucial roles.

Amateur Participation and Accessibility

The T100 offers something unprecedented: the chance for amateur athletes to race on the exact same courses and closed roads as the world's best professionals. Most T100 events organize amateur races with distance options including the full 100km, Olympic distance, and Sprint options.

Entry fees vary by location and distance. For example, the French Riviera T100 charges €360 for the 100km distance, €125 for Olympic distance, and €95 for Sprint distance. While premium compared to local races, these fees provide access to world-class organization, professional-level course support, and the unique experience of racing where champions are crowned.

The amateur race experience mirrors the professional event, with the same high-quality organization, timing systems, and post-race celebrations. Athletes consistently report that competing in a T100 event feels significantly more premium than traditional age-group races.

Performance Analysis and Times

Professional benchmarks are impressive but achievable-looking for elite amateurs. Male professionals typically finish in around 3 hours 20 minutes, while elite women complete the course in approximately 3 hours 45 minutes.

Record performances showcase the format's speed: Taylor Knibb's 3:29:17 in Dubai and Marten van Riel's 3:09:17 demonstrate just how fast these races can be when conditions align.

Amateur performance targets provide clear goals for different ability levels:

For Women:

• Competitive level: Sub-4:30 (top 15 finishers)
• Strong age-grouper: Sub-5:00 (top 60 finish)
• Solid completion: Sub-5:30 (mid-pack)

For Men:

• Competitive level: Sub-4:00 (top 30 finishers)
• Strong age-grouper: Sub-4:30 (top 200 finish)
• Solid completion: Sub-5:00 (top 400 finish)

These benchmarks, drawn from actual London T100 results, provide realistic targets while acknowledging that course difficulty can significantly impact finishing times.

Training Considerations for the 100km Distance

The T100 distance requires a unique training approach that differs from both Olympic distance and Ironman preparation. The 100km format demands:

Sustained aerobic power rather than pure endurance, meaning training intensities sit between short-course and long-course preparation. Athletes need to maintain higher speeds for longer periods without the recovery opportunities present in shorter races.

Brick training becomes crucial as the run leg begins when athletes are already significantly fatigued from the bike portion. The 18km run represents a challenging half-marathon distance that must be completed on compromised legs.

Nutrition strategy requires careful planning, as the race duration sits in the challenging 3-5 hour window where fueling becomes critical but gut tolerance can be tested.

The Future of Triathlon Racing

The T100 represents more than just another race distance - it's positioning itself as the future of professional triathlon. The format's spectator-friendly nature, combined with significant prize money and global tour structure, creates a sustainable model for professional triathlon that hasn't existed before.

Amateur participation continues growing as athletes discover the challenge of the 100km distance. It provides a significant step up from Olympic distance without the intimidating commitment of full Ironman training.

Global expansion seems inevitable, with Qatar committed as the Grand Final venue for the next five years and new locations being added to accommodate growing demand from both professional athletes and amateur participants.

Getting Started with T100

For current triathletes considering the step up to T100 distance, the format offers an ideal bridge between Olympic distance and half-Ironman racing. The training volume is manageable while providing a genuine endurance challenge.

For spectators, the T100 tour offers premium race-day experiences with live streaming coverage and world-class venue selection that makes following the tour both accessible and exciting.

For aspiring participants, research upcoming T100 events in your region and consider the distance options available. The sprint and Olympic distance options provide entry points to experience T100 racing before committing to the full 100km challenge.

The T100 revolution is reshaping triathlon racing by creating a format that optimizes both athletic performance and spectator engagement. With sustainable prize money, equal gender pay, and global appeal, it represents the evolution of professional triathlon into a truly world-class sporting spectacle while remaining accessible to ambitious amateur athletes.