Prize Money Earnings: A Look into the World of Professional Triathlon in 2022

The Big Picture: The world of professional triathlon is a lucrative one for top athletes, with prize money earnings totaling approximately $15 million in the year 2022. While this may seem impressive, it is important to keep in mind that these figures only represent a portion of the total money that athletes can make.

Furthermore, it is crucial to understand that these earnings are pre-expense, with costs such as travel, coaching, and physio coming out of the same pot of cash. In comparison to other sports, triathlon has a long way to go before it reaches the earning levels of others.

What They're Saying: In analysing the prize money breakdown by race series, it is evident that the majority of the earnings come from;

• Ironman ($3.3 million for full-distance races, including two world championships in 2022, and $1.6 million for 70.3s)
• Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) ($5.6 million)
• Challenge ($800,000)

In terms of race distances, the majority of the prize money was earned in long course ($12 million) compared to short course ($3 million).

Context: When considering the top earners in professional triathlon, it is important to differentiate between long course and short course, as well as between men and women. In the men's long course, Kristian Blummenfelt was the top money-earner for 2022, earning a total of $480,000, with the majority of his earnings coming from the PTO. On the women's side, Ashleigh Gentle was the top earner, with a total of $351,368, the majority of which came from the PTO as well.

1. Kristian Blummenfelt - $480,000
2. Gustav Iden - $413,255
3. Magnus Ditlev - $293,038
4. Sam Laidlow - $250,000
5. Lionel Sanders $207,750

1. Ashleigh Gentle - $351,368
2. Daniela Ryf - $335,000
3. Anne Haug - $293.788
4. Chelsea Sodaro $278,250
5. Paula Findlay $222,000

In the men's short-course, Hayden Wilde emerged as the top earner, thanks to his victory at Super League and a third-place finish at the World Triathlon Championship Series (WTCS). Leo Bergere, the World Triathlon Champion, came in second, despite not racing in any Super League events. In total, 62 men earned prize money in the 2022 short-course events, with the top five earners being;

1. Hayden Wilde - $235,000
2. Leo Bergere - $148,100
3. Matthew Hauser - $140,400
4. Alex Yee - $135,000
5. Vasco Vilaca - $72,100

In the women's short-course, Georgia Taylor-Brown took the top spot as the winner of Super League, earning nearly the same amount of money from both race organizers. World Triathlon Champion Flora Duffy finished third, despite not participating in any Super League events. A total of 52 women earned prize money in the 2022 short-course events, with the top five earners being;

1. Georgia Taylor-Brown -$273,000
2. Taylor Spivey - $162,200
3. Flora Duffy - $157,400
4. Sophie Caldwell - $103,700
5. Beth Potter - $87,400

Noteworthy: While the prize money earnings in professional triathlon are significant, it is important to understand that these figures represent just one aspect of the financial landscape of the sport. In order to truly grasp the earning potential of professional triathletes, one must consider other sources of income such as sponsorship and appearance fees.

Despite the growing prize money, triathlon still has a long way to go before it reaches the earning levels of other major sports, but with the increasing popularity and recognition of the sport, it is likely that this trend will continue.

(*) Data sourced via Triathlete.com from TriRatings (Thorsten Radde)