Africa Triathlon

For those that have not experienced it first hand, it can be hard to express what Tiszaujvaros is like when the World Cup comes to town. Whereas the World Cup circuit has led athletes to major cities already this year, such as Hong Kong and Chengdu, the small countryside town of Tiszaujvaros is a world apart. Yet it is also home to an atmosphere and triathlon culture that is almost impossible to find anywhere else.

At the first edition in 1997, Craig Walton led an Australian lock-out of the men’s podium. Emma Carney made it an Australian double gold by winning the women’s event. In the years since, the honours board of winners has become a veritable who’s who of elite triathlon.

Katie Zaferes notched a win in 2013. Rachel Klamer took the gold the following year while Sophie Coldwell came out on top in 2018. In addition, a very baby-faced Pierre Le Corre earned his first World Cup victory in the town back in 2012, with Ashleigh Gentle crossing first in the women’s race that year. 2012 was also a special moment as it represented the first occasion in which Tiszaujvaros ran over its now-famed two day format.

Another icon of the sport, Gwen Jorgensen, claimed her first ever World Cup win in 2011 as she kick-started her road to triathlon stardom. Her compatriot, Renee Tomlin, later became a rare double victor with her gold medals coming in 2016 and 2017. When it comes to back-to-back golds, Javier Gomez Noya is another to have accomplished the feat through his wins in 2007 and 2008. With this year being an Olympic year, perhaps insight can be gleaned from Gomez’s victory in the latter race. Later in the summer, he went on to finish 4th in Beijing, which currently stands as the best subsequent Olympic result from the Tiszaujvaros World Cup winner of the same year.

Moreover, Tiszaujvaros has also been filled with home success over the years. In the most recent event, Csongor Lehmann took the title in 2023. Bence Bicsák and Akos Vanek triumphed in 2017 and 2014, respectively, while Gábor Faldum has been no stranger to the podium.

For young athletes and old alike, Tiszaujvaros has evolved into a rite of passage of sorts. The semi-final/final format creates a unique challenge, demanding strategies and energy conservation seldom seen elsewhere. The heat in Tiszaujvaros is often a factor too. On the flip side, it can be home to sudden storms, as was the case when the 2018 men’s final had to be called off due to frankly ridiculous conditions. And then there is the legendary after-party, which forms a significant part of the Tiszy lore. To spare some blushes, we will swiftly move on from that point!

From its first whirl in 1997 until 2019, the Tiszaujvaros World Cup was a fixture of the summer. Due to the pandemic, it was not held in 2020 and spent a couple of years as a European Cup until Lehmann brought the World Cup home in style last year.

Now in its 25th edition, the race is among the most loved in the sport. Its continued success is largely down to the tireless work of the local triathlon community and, after Dr Gabor Markus played a pivotal role in bringing the World Cup to the town, his son Gergely Markus of World Triathlon remains an important presence in keeping the flame alive.

At this year’s World Cup, then, the athletes will step onto the pontoon and brace themselves for the fighting to come in the three-lap 750m pond swim. In doing so, they will follow in the footsteps of Olympic medallists, world champions and WTCS winners. Crucially, they will do so at a moment of celebration for Tiszaujvaros. As World Triathlon’s longest standing World Cup, it has acquired a special status, becoming a home from home of sorts, and the latest edition may be one of its biggest weekends yet.