Spivey, Pearson Lead U.S. Elite Triathletes at 2025 Season-Opener WTCS Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Five U.S. elite triathletes, including Olympic Games Paris 2024 mixed relay medalists Taylor Spivey and Morgan Pearson, kicked off the 2025 elite racing season on Saturday, Feb. 15 at the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi.

Spivey (Redondo Beach, Calif.) led the U.S. elite women with a 13th-place finish, while Pearson (New Vernon, N.J.) led the U.S. men, placing 19th. U.S. elite triathletes will return to the race course on Sunday, Feb. 16 for the Mixed Relay event.

The traditional season-opener, World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi marked the start of the WTCS season, which includes six Series races leading to the World Triathlon Championship Finals Wollongong in October.

Triathletes on Saturday raced a new course in Abu Dhabi at Hudayriat Island for the 10th edition of the event. The race started with a 750-meter swim in Bul Sayayeef Marine Reserve, then a three-lap 20-kilometer bike with long sweeping bends and tight, technical sections and finished with a fast and flat 5k run.

Spivey had the day’s third-fastest swim, battling the strong current to clock a time of 9 minutes, 14 seconds. She was a part of a 32-woman group in the lead bike pack, which then quickly broke up during the swift 5k run. Spivey ran 16:49 in the 5k, finishing in 55:21 to place 13th.

Her teammate, Erika Ackerlund (Helena, Mont.) finished right behind, in 14th, while Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.) placed 29th.

Germany’s Lisa Tertsch delivered the win, leading a German podium sweep, as her teammates Nina Eim and Laura Lindemann broke away down the blue carpet to capture the 1-2-3 finish. It was the first podium sweep in a World Triathlon Championship Series race for Germany, a feat the U.S. elite women have accomplished four times. Spivey was a part of the last U.S. podium sweep, in 2019 in Yokohama when Katie Zaferes (Cary, N.C.) claimed the win, Summer Rappaport (Thornton, Colo.) the silver and Spivey the bronze.

For complete results of the women’s race, click here.

Pearson led the U.S. men, placing 19th in a time of 49:42. His teammate, up-and-comer John Reed (Virginia Beach, Va.), placed 26th in 49:54. Reed last season placed sixth at the World Triathlon U23 World Championships, the best result by a U.S. man at U23 World Championships since Tokyo 2020 Olympian Kevin McDowell's fourth-place finish in 2015.

Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist Hayden Wilde of New Zealand won the race in Abu Dhabi, finishing in 48:21. Australia’s Matthew Hauser placed second in 48:23, while Portugal’s Vilaca Vasco took third in 48:39.

For complete results of the men’s race, click here.

U.S. elites will now return to race Sunday’s Mixed Relay event, with a team of four (two men, two women) set to compete in the fast and furious race. The Mixed Relay begins at 1:30 p.m. local time in Abu Dhabi (4:30 a.m. ET) with coverage on TriathlonLive.

Replays of the races in Abu Dhabi are available to watch on-demand on TriathlonLIVE.tv. U.S. fans can use the promo code USA25 to sign up for a 10% discounted annual subscription.

World Triathlon Championship Series schedule

WTCS Abu Dhabi | Feb. 15-16

WTCS Yokohama | May 17

WTCS Italy | May 31

WTCS Hamburg & Mixed Relay World Championships | July 12-13

WTCS Karlovy Vary | Sept. 14

WTCS Weihai | Sept. 26

Championship Finals Wollongong | Oct. 15-19

2025 World Triathlon Championship Series Abu Dhabi

Sprint triathlon: 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike, 5k run

Complete Results

Women

1. Lisa Tersch (GER), 54:29

2. Nina Elm (GER), 54:30

3. Laura Lindemann (GER), 54:31

U.S. Finishers

13. Taylor Spivey (Redondo Beach, Calif.), 55:21

14. Erika Ackerlund (Helena, Mont.), 55:23

29. Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.), 56:21

Men

1. Hayden Wilde (NZL), 48:21

2. Matthew Hauser (AUS), 48:25

3. Vasco Vilaca (POR), 48:39

U.S. Finishers

19. Morgan Pearson (New Vernon, N.J.), 49:42

26. John Reed (Virginia Beach, Va.), 49:54

About USA Triathlon

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 3,500 events and races and connects with and supports more than 300,000 unique active members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.