During the 2018 season, I’ve continued to process the results of all Ironman and 70.3 races, the Challenge racing series, the highest level of ITU racing (the “World Triathlon Series” WTS) and a couple of independent races. With this data, I’ve helped Challenge produce their regular Money List. Challenge updates the current Top 50 athletes on their website on a regular basis and will likely to continue to do so for the 2019 season. This post has a closer look at the different segments and some overall trends for the 2018 season.
Overview
First, here is an overview of the races that are included in the money lists and a comparison to the 2016 season. The total is shown in US$, for races that paid their prize purse in a different currency the amounts have been converted into US$.
| Type | Description | Total Money | Change to 2017 |
# Races (2017) |
# Athletes (2017) |
| Ironman | WTC Ironman-branded races | $2.622.750 | -2,0% | 35 (33) | 295 (284) |
| 70.3 | WTC 70.3-branded races | $2.245.000 | -5,0% | 71 (73) | 385 (397) |
| Challenge | Challenge-branded full and half-distance races (incl. Bonus Pool) |
$1.116.042 | 3,0% | 29 (34) | 196 (240) |
| ITU | ITU WTS races (incl. Bonus Pool) | $2.185.000 | -6,4% | 9 (10) | 102 (125) |
| Other | Wildflower, Escape From Alcatraz, ITU Long Distance Worlds, Alpe D’Huez L, Embrun, Gerardmer XL, SuperLeague Jersey, Malta and Mallorca, XTerra World Championships, Noosa Triathlon, Laguna Phuket Triathlon |
$1.225.802 | n/a | 12 (9) | 183 (117) |
| Total | $9.212.696 | n/a | 156 (159) | 764 (784) |
A couple of observations:
- For Ironman and 70.3s we saw another decline of the prize money in 2018. The total number of WTC Pro races hasn’t changed but the purse for a lot of races has decreased in this year. The total prize money WTC has awarded in 2018 has declined by 3.4%, following a decrease of 5.7% in 2017. The WTC prize money has shrunk by almost $500.000 in the last two years!
- Challenge has continued to expand their prize purse. The fewer number of Pro races has resulted in fewer athletes earning money but that was more than compensated by the increased purse in Roth and the new race in Daytona.
- It looks as if the ITU has reduced their prize money as they have one less paying race as part of their WTS series, but that is almost completely offset by one more Mixed Team Relay that is not included in the Prize Money List.
- Since the races that I include in the “Other” category are changing from year to year, you can’t really compare the numbers for this category and the total numbers from year to year.
Overall Money List
The overall list is of course dominated by athletes that have raced well in the “Big Money Races” such as the Ironman or 70.3 World Championships ($650.000 and $250.000) or Challenge Roth ($200.000) and those that placed well in a number of ITU WTS races and consequently also in the ITU Bonus Pool ($855.000).
This season’s top money earner is Daniela Ryf (who once again won both the Ironman and 70.3 Championships), even though she earned slightly less money than last year. (This is an indication of her lighter racing schedule this year.) She is followed by three ITU athletes – the WTS series winners Mario Mola and Vicky Holland and second place Katie Zaferes who also earned a lot of money by racing and winning SuperLeague.
The top earners have made less money in 2018 (last year Flora Duffy made $295.000), but the amount to make it into the Top20 is almost unchanged. Last year Yvonne Van Vlerken was 20th with $73.388, this year’s 20th Kirsten Kasper earned just $138 less.
Photo: By the time she started the marathon, Dani was in control of the Kona race that helped her secure the top spot in the overall money list. Credit: Ingo Kutsche
| # | Name | Nation | Sex | Total | Ironman | 70.3 | Challenge | WTS | Other |
| 1 | Daniela Ryf | SUI | F | $201.000 | $150.000 | $51.000 | |||
| 2 | Mario Mola | ESP | M | $199.500 | $197.500 | $2.000 | |||
| 3 | Katie Zaferes | USA | F | $177.400 | $117.400 | $60.000 | |||
| 4 | Vicky Holland | GBR | F | $166.100 | $163.100 | $3.000 | |||
| 5 | Lucy Charles | GBR | F | $165.000 | $90.000 | $20.000 | $55.000 | ||
| 6 | Vincent Luis | FRA | M | $159.300 | $109.300 | $50.000 | |||
| 7 | Patrick Lange | GER | M | $134.485 | $128.000 | $4.750 | $1.735 | ||
| 8 | Sebastian Kienle | GER | M | $103.014 | $10.000 | $93.014 | |||
| 9 | Richard Murray | ZAF | M | $99.850 | $70.850 | $29.000 | |||
| 10 | Anne Haug | GER | F | $92.500 | $46.500 | $31.000 | $15.000 | ||
| 11 | Henri Schoeman | ZAF | M | $91.400 | $46.400 | $45.000 | |||
| 12 | Jan Frodeno | GER | M | $90.000 | $30.000 | $60.000 | |||
| 13 | Michael Weiss | AUT | M | $89.000 | $53.000 | $36.000 | |||
| 14 | Kristian Blummenfelt | NOR | M | $87.150 | $14.000 | $63.150 | $10.000 | ||
| 15 | Bart Aernouts | BEL | M | $85.175 | $75.000 | $6.250 | $1.425 | $2.500 | |
| 16 | Lionel Sanders | CAN | M | $81.000 | $6.000 | $45.000 | $30.000 | ||
| 17 | Jake Birtwhistle | AUS | M | $80.400 | $80.400 | ||||
| 18 | Georgia Taylor-Brown | GBR | F | $78.800 | $72.800 | $6.000 | |||
| 19 | Ashleigh Gentle | AUS | F | $73.461 | $57.350 | $16.111 | |||
| 20 | Kirsten Kasper | USA | F | $73.250 | $50.250 | $23.000 |
WTC Races
The first “subcategory” of the Money List I want to take a closer look at is the money earned in WTC races (i.e. Ironman-branded and 70.3-branded races). This list is clearly dominated by athletes that did well in the two “biggest money races”, Kona and the 70.3 Championships – as last year the two top spots are occupied by the Kona winners Daniela Ryf and Patrick Lange.
Photo: Daniela leading 70.3 Worlds in front of Lucy Charles, Credit: Donald Miralle/Getty Images for IRONMAN
| # | Name | Nation | Sex | WTC Money | Ironman | 70.3 | Total |
| 1 | Daniela Ryf | SUI | F | $201.000 | $150.000 | $51.000 | $201.000 |
| 2 | Patrick Lange | GER | M | $132.750 | $128.000 | $4.750 | $134.485 |
| 3 | Lucy Charles | GBR | F | $110.000 | $90.000 | $20.000 | $165.000 |
| 4 | Jan Frodeno | GER | M | $90.000 | $30.000 | $60.000 | $90.000 |
| 5 | Michael Weiss | AUT | M | $89.000 | $53.000 | $36.000 | $89.000 |
| 6 | Bart Aernouts | BEL | M | $81.250 | $75.000 | $6.250 | $85.175 |
| 7 | Anne Haug | GER | F | $77.500 | $46.500 | $31.000 | $92.500 |
| 8 | Sarah Crowley | AUS | F | $64.000 | $59.000 | $5.000 | $64.000 |
| 9 | Mirinda Carfrae | AUS | F | $61.000 | $36.000 | $25.000 | $66.000 |
| 10 | Braden Currie | NZL | M | $59.000 | $49.000 | $10.000 | $61.015 |
| 11 | Melissa Hauschildt | AUS | F | $54.500 | $30.000 | $24.500 | $54.500 |
| 12 | Matt Hanson | USA | M | $52.250 | $40.000 | $12.250 | $52.250 |
| 13 | Sarah True | USA | F | $51.750 | $37.500 | $14.250 | $51.750 |
| 14 | Lionel Sanders | CAN | M | $51.000 | $6.000 | $45.000 | $81.000 |
| 15 | Terenzo Bozzone | NZL | M | $50.000 | $30.000 | $20.000 | $50.000 |
| 16 | David McNamee | GBR | M | $47.750 | $40.000 | $7.750 | $47.750 |
| 17 | Rodolphe Von Berg | USA | M | $44.000 | $44.000 | $49.000 | |
| 17 | Timothy O’Donnell | USA | M | $44.000 | $29.000 | $15.000 | $46.400 |
| 19 | Heather Jackson | USA | F | $43.500 | $30.000 | $13.500 | $48.500 |
| 20 | Cody Beals | CAN | M | $41.750 | $27.000 | $14.750 | $41.750 |
Ironman (outside of Kona)
When looking at a list just for Ironman races, it’s interesting to exclude Kona (as including Kona skews the rankings towards those that did well there). Without the Kona money, this list is dominated by multiple winners (or at least podium finishers) such as Sarah Crowley (winner in Mar del Plata and Hamburg, third in Frankfurt) and the other athletes who won a Regional Championship in 2018.
Photo: Sarah Crowley winning IM Hamburg, Credit: TriRating
| # | Name | Nation | Sex | IM Money | Total Money |
| 1 | Crowley, Sarah | AUS | F | $43.000 | $64.000 |
| 1 | Weiss, Michael | AUT | M | $43.000 | $89.000 |
| 3 | Hanson, Matt | USA | M | $40.000 | $52.250 |
| 4 | Adam, Teresa | NZL | F | $36.000 | $36.000 |
| 5 | Buckingham, Kyle | ZAF | M | $33.500 | $34.750 |
| 6 | Abraham, Corinne | GBR | F | $30.000 | $45.338 |
| 6 | Bozzone, Terenzo | NZL | M | $30.000 | $50.000 |
| 6 | Charles, Lucy | GBR | F | $30.000 | $165.000 |
| 6 | Currie, Braden | NZL | M | $30.000 | $61.015 |
| 6 | Frodeno, Jan | GER | M | $30.000 | $90.000 |
| 6 | Hauschildt, Melissa | AUS | F | $30.000 | $54.500 |
| 6 | Jackson, Heather | USA | F | $30.000 | $48.500 |
| 6 | Ryf, Daniela | SUI | F | $30.000 | $201.000 |
| 14 | Cheetham, Susie | GBR | F | $27.500 | $31.000 |
| 15 | Beals, Cody | CAN | M | $27.000 | $41.750 |
| 16 | Corbin, Linsey | USA | F | $23.000 | $40.000 |
| 17 | Skipper, Joe | GBR | M | $21.500 | $43.925 |
| 18 | Gossage, Lucy | GBR | F | $21.000 | $32.088 |
| 19 | Amberger, Josh | AUS | M | $20.000 | $25.750 |
| 19 | Siddall, Laura | GBR | F | $20.000 | $67.616 |
| 19 | Svensson, Jesper | SWE | M | $20.000 | $21.425 |
70.3 (outside of 70.3 Championships)
Similar to the Ironman list above, leaving out the Championships shows athletes that have raced well across a number of 70.3s in the 2018 season. The list is topped by Lionel Sanders (five 70.3 wins, only beaten by Jan Frodeno at 70.3 Oceanside), Rodolphe Van Berg and Ellie Salthouse (both had five 70.3 podiums including three wins).
Photo: Lionel Sanders on the run at his win at 70.3 Indian Wells. Credit: TalbotCox
| # | Name | Nation | Sex | 70.3 Money | Total Money |
| 1 | Sanders, Lionel | CAN | M | $45.000 | $81.000 |
| 2 | Von Berg, Rodolphe | USA | M | $39.500 | $49.000 |
| 3 | Salthouse, Ellie | AUS | F | $34.750 | $41.250 |
| 4 | Appleton, Sam | AUS | M | $33.250 | $39.750 |
| 5 | Weiss, Michael | AUT | M | $31.000 | $89.000 |
| 6 | Kahlefeldt, Radka | CZE | F | $30.000 | $58.917 |
| 7 | Oliveira, Pamella | BRA | F | $29.500 | $39.500 |
| 8 | Laundry, Jackson | CAN | M | $28.750 | $28.750 |
| 9 | Seymour, Jeanni | ZAF | F | $28.500 | $34.500 |
| 10 | Kessler, Meredith | USA | F | $26.000 | $37.000 |
| 11 | Findlay, Paula | CAN | F | $25.500 | $28.000 |
| 11 | Starykowicz, Andrew | USA | M | $25.500 | $30.000 |
| 13 | Carfrae, Mirinda | AUS | F | $25.000 | $66.000 |
| 14 | Mendez Cruz, Mauricio | MEX | M | $24.750 | $26.250 |
| 15 | Hauschildt, Melissa | AUS | F | $24.500 | $54.500 |
| 16 | Reed, Tim | AUS | M | $22.000 | $24.000 |
| 17 | Lawrence, Holly | GBR | F | $21.250 | $21.250 |
| 18 | Philipp, Laura | GER | F | $21.000 | $29.000 |
| 19 | Wurtele, Heather | CAN | F | $20.250 | $30.588 |
| 20 | Bozzone, Terenzo | NZL | M | $20.000 | $50.000 |
Challenge
The Challenge money list is dominated by athletes who focused their summer racing on the Challenge races and placing well in the Challenge Bonus Pool ($ 165.000 total). Sebastian Kienle took the win at Challenge Roth and three half-distance races, Pablo Dapena either won or placed second in all his eight Challenge races this year. Yvonne Van Vlerken won the female Bonus Pool by winning Challenge Almere and three half-distance races.
Photo: Sebastian Kienle on the bike leg of Challenge Roth, Credit: James Mitchell
| # | Name | Nation | Sex | Challenge Money | Total Money |
| 1 | Kienle, Sebastian | GER | M | $93.014 | $103.014 |
| 2 | Van Vlerken, Yvonne | NED | F | $60.505 | $71.255 |
| 3 | Charles, Lucy | GBR | F | $55.000 | $165.000 |
| 4 | Dapena Gonzalez, Pablo | ESP | M | $52.144 | $62.144 |
| 5 | Siddall, Laura | GBR | F | $47.616 | $67.616 |
| 6 | Saemmler, Daniela | GER | F | $44.338 | $59.588 |
| 7 | Heemeryck, Pieter | BEL | M | $37.134 | $46.634 |
| 8 | Dreitz, Andreas | GER | M | $30.838 | $33.338 |
| 9 | Sanders, Lionel | CAN | M | $30.000 | $81.000 |
| 10 | Verstuyft, Katrien | BEL | F | $29.307 | $31.307 |
| 11 | Kovacic, Jaroslav | SLO | M | $28.832 | $47.424 |
| 12 | Roberts, Lisa | USA | F | $22.254 | $36.748 |
| 13 | Sali, Kaisa | FIN | F | $20.000 | $52.000 |
| 14 | Wurf, Cameron | AUS | M | $17.986 | $48.486 |
| 15 | Thomas, Jesse | USA | M | $17.707 | $22.957 |
| 16 | Kahlefeldt, Radka | CZE | F | $17.213 | $58.917 |
| 17 | Haug, Anne | GER | F | $15.000 | $92.500 |
| 18 | Santimaria, Margie | ITA | F | $14.358 | $14.358 |
| 19 | McNeice, Dylan | NZL | M | $11.119 | $11.119 |
| 20 | Lewis, Sarah | GBR | F | $10.176 | $21.426 |
ITU
As noted above, the ITU Money List is a reflection of the order of athletes in the final WTS rankings, the top athletes are this year’s champions Mario Mola and Vicky Holland. All of these athletes focused on shorter distances, earning all additional money on other short course racing such as SuperLeague. (The exceptions are Kristian Blummenfelt and Casper Stornes who finished first and third at 70.3 Bahrain in December.)
Foto Credit: © ITU Media, Wagner Araujo
| # | Name | Nation | Sex | ITU Money | Share of Total | Total Money |
| 1 | Mola, Mario | ESP | M | $197.500 | 99% | $199.500 |
| 2 | Holland, Vicky | GBR | F | $163.100 | 98% | $166.100 |
| 3 | Zaferes, Katie | USA | F | $117.400 | 66% | $177.400 |
| 4 | Luis, Vincent | FRA | M | $109.300 | 69% | $159.300 |
| 5 | Birtwhistle, Jake | AUS | M | $80.400 | 100% | $80.400 |
| 6 | Taylor-Brown, Georgia | GBR | F | $72.800 | 92% | $78.800 |
| 7 | Murray, Richard | ZAF | M | $70.850 | 71% | $99.850 |
| 8 | Blummenfelt, Kristian | NOR | M | $63.150 | 72% | $87.150 |
| 9 | Gentle, Ashleigh | AUS | F | $57.350 | 78% | $73.461 |
| 10 | Kasper, Kirsten | USA | F | $50.250 | 69% | $73.250 |
| 11 | Learmonth, Jessica | GBR | F | $47.850 | 100% | $47.850 |
| 12 | Duffy, Flora | BER | F | $47.800 | 100% | $47.800 |
| 13 | Schoeman, Henri | ZAF | M | $46.400 | 51% | $91.400 |
| 14 | Alarza, Fernando | ESP | M | $40.550 | 93% | $43.550 |
| 15 | Klamer, Rachel | NED | F | $40.000 | 64% | $62.200 |
| 16 | Lindemann, Laura | GER | F | $37.600 | 100% | $37.600 |
| 17 | Stimpson, Jodie | GBR | F | $34.800 | 77% | $45.100 |
| 18 | Spivey, Taylor | USA | F | $31.450 | 60% | $52.450 |
| 19 | Le Corre, Pierre | FRA | M | $30.750 | 100% | $30.750 |
| 20 | Stornes, Casper | NOR | M | $29.050 | 87% | $33.550 |