Hayden Wilde’s first podium on World Triathlon’s premier short-course circuit in nearly two years overnight has been tempered by news the Kiwi superstar will miss next weekend’s World Triathlon Cup Tauranga.
Shortly after claiming the bronze medal at World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS) Abu Dhabi in the early hours of Saturday, Wilde sent a video message to fans confirming his withdrawal from the November 22 sprint races in Mount Maunganui.
In the message, the double Olympic medallist explained the ever-fluid World Triathlon calendar, impacted all year by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, was the root cause of his decision.
Wilde is set to race T100 Dubai tonight (7.03pm Saturday NZT), continuing his now familiar two-race weekends. The reigning T100 champion will then turn his attention to the T100 Grand Final in Qatar on December 12, where he will look to successfully defend his title.
With so much at stake, the PTO No.1 has understandably opted against another long-haul trip and the additional demands of racing in Tauranga between the two T100 events.
“…just coming to the conversation to say unfortunately I won’t be coming to Tauranga this year as much as I really wanted to,” Wilde said in the video.
“It’s a pretty big ask to come back home, especially around racing a double this weekend [WTCS Abu Dhabi and T100 Dubai] and then heading back to Tauranga and then having to come to Qatar to race the T100 Grand Final.”
Wilde did have reassuring words for Kiwi triathlon fans looking ahead to the second and third years of Tauranga’s triple crown of World Triathlon events, culminating in the T50 World Triathlon Tour Grand Final in 2028.
“Rest assured I’ll definitely be there next year for one of the [newly rebranded T50] world series stops in 2027 and obviously the grand final in 2028. Really looking forward to being there.”
Triathlon New Zealand CEO Pete de Wet says the disappointment of losing Wilde from the Tauranga start list is tempered by an understanding of the circumstances confronted by the Andorra-based 29-year-old.
Wilde has been forced to repeatedly revise his 2026 schedule, beginning when WTCS Abu Dhabi was postponed in March following the outbreak of the US-Israel war with Iran.
More recently, security concerns in Saudi Arabia saw T100 Jeddah, originally scheduled for November 27 as a men’s-only race, postponed until April. The penultimate round of the T100 men’s championship was subsequently incorporated into the already scheduled T100 Dubai women’s race this weekend, forcing another rethink for Wilde.
“We’re obviously gutted that Hayden won’t be able to make it back to Tauranga next weekend but understand the logistical challenges he faces,” de Wet said.
“The changes to the calendar this year due to the uncertain geopolitical situation have meant that events have shifted around and that has had an impact across the board.”
New Zealand will still be strongly represented by its LA28 and Brisbane 2032 Olympic campaigners at next Sunday’s World Triathlon Cup Tauranga, with the women’s and men’s races to be streamed live and free on TVNZ+ from 1.50pm and 3.50pm respectively.
Dylan McCullough, Tayler Reid, Saxon Morgan, Caleb Wagener, Henry McMecking, Joel Lange, Finnley Oliver, Robbie White and recent Tour of Southland stage winner Benjamin Airey are on the men’s start list.
On the women’s side are Nicole van der Kaay (who is also racing T100 Dubai on Saturday), Brea Roderick, Ainsley Thorpe, Phoebe Carter, Amara Rae, Lucy Evans and Isabelle Bannister.
Reid finished a season-best 13th and Wagener 38th on WTCS debut in Abu Dhabi overnight, while Roderick produced a career-best 22nd in the women’s race.
“Hayden will clearly be missed but we still have a really strong field contesting next weekend’s World Triathlon Cup Tauranga, including New Zealand’s best, and we can’t wait for the action to start.”
Wilde’s bronze in Abu Dhabi was his first WTCS podium since winning the same race in February 2025. His focus over the past two years has largely shifted towards middle-distance racing, highlighted by his 2025 T100 title and victory at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice in September.
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