WTCS Yokohama 2025: Hayden Wilde headlines stellar men’s field in Japan

Hayden Wilde is one of the star-studded names scheduled to feature at World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama on Saturday, May 17 – the second event of the 2025 season following Abu Dhabi in February.

Wilde won the WTCS opener set on the Arabian Peninsula, outlasting Australian Matt Hauser who finished just two seconds behind the Olympic silver medallist from Paris last year. Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca finished a creditable third and all three podium dwellers are on the provisional start list in Japan.

Other notable names expected to be in attendance will be defending champion Morgan Pearson, French talents Léo Bergere and Dorian Coninx, T1 Indoor World Cup Lievin winner Henry Graf, Canadian Tyler Mislawchuk and the British quintet of Max Stapley, Ben Dijkstra, Hugo Milner and Jack Willis.

Wilde set to star once again

New Zealand sensation Wilde has had an exceptional start to the 2025 season, claiming victories at WTCS Abu Dhabi and T100 Singapore – showcasing his speed and stamina across the short and middles distances.

After his narrow success in the WTCS opener, Wilde further cemented himself as a contender across two distances when taking an exceptional victory in Singapore ahead of rival Bergere in second place.

Wilde also earned an IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship silver medal in 2024, and should be the man to beat in Japan.

However, Bergere will be keen to reverse the order of the Singapore venture. The Frenchman raced Wilde four-times over the Olympic distance in 2024, beating his fierce rival just once in Weihei – Bergere finished second behind Great Britain’s Alex Yee, with Wilde back in seventh.

The defending champion is American Pearson who was due to lock horns with Wilde and Bergere in Singapore, but was forced to withdraw following an accident on the bike. If he is able to recover in time, the USA standout will need to find some form – after Yokohama last year he has finishing places of 40th, 23rd, 31st, 16th and 19th in his five Olympic distance races.

Hauser set to renew rivalry

2025 WTCS Abu Dhabi runner-up Hauser – who won at WTCS Hamburg last term before finishing seventh at the Olympic Games in Paris – will also expect to contend. Hauser did attempt a middle-distance race in March but was a DNF at IRONMAN 70.3 Geelong.

Portugal’s Vilaca came third in Abu Dhabi this year, and was set for a strong finish 12 months ago in Yokohama before being brought down in a crash that involved a number of riders on the bike. He also earned a podium at WTCS Hamburg in 2024 behind Hauser.

T1 Triathlon World Cup Lieven victor Graf is certainly a name to consider at the front of the field. He finished fourth in Abu Dhabi before besting Wilde and others in World Triathlon’s exciting indoor showcase in France.

We must not forget the British contingent with both Dijkstra – who finished eighth in Abu Dhabi – and Stapley – who competed well at T100 Singapore – capable of being in the mix. Milner is also set to star, although he is first scheduled for pacing duties at the London Marathon, and will need to recover from that effort in time.

Start List – who is racing in Yokohama?