Jorgensen and Sereno Go 1-2 to Close Out 2023 World Triathlon World Cup season

VIÑA DEL MAR, Chile – Ending the 2023 elite triathlon season on a high note, U.S. elite triathletes Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.) and Gina Sereno (Madison, Wis.) earned the top two spots on the podium in the final event of the 2023 World Triathlon World Cup season in Viña del Mar, Chile on Sunday, Nov. 12.  

In a dramatic finish, Jorgensen claimed the win with a sprint-distance finish time of 57 minutes and 28 seconds, while Sereno took home the silver.  

U.S. elite triathlete Katie Zaferes (Cary, N.C.) was the first athlete to cross the finish line, followed by Teresa Zimovjanova (CZE) in second and Jorgensen in third. However, a protest was made after the race because Zaferes, Zimovjanova and two other athletes took a wrong turn on the run course, which resulted in them being disqualified.  

The official ruling caused for a podium change, as Jorgensen’s bronze was upgraded to gold and Sereno vaulted to the podium in the second position. The win is Jorgensen’s fourth World Cup gold and fifth World Cup podium of the season. The silver is Sereno’s second World Cup podium, adding to the silver she won in Viña del Mar last year. 

Viña del Mar hosted the final World Cup event of the 2023 season, which included 14 World Cup races across the global, beginning in March in New Zealand. U.S. elite triathletes the season with nine medals earned from four different athletes (Jorgensen, Zaferes, Sereno and Morgan Pearson).  

The women started the day, lining up on the coastal city of Chile, which hosted the 2023 Pan American Games in the capital city of Santiago the week before. 

Zaferes, Jorgensen and Sereno all had strong swims that put them in good positions going into the first transition. A swift T1 got Zaferes into the leading bike pack, where she rode all three laps, putting up a solid gap going into the run.  

Zaferes levied herself into the front position on the run, which she held onto until the end, crossing the line in a time of 57:22. She, Zimovjanova, Anna Godoy (ESP) and Mathilde Gautier (FRA), however, were disqualified after making a wrong turn when they completed the first lap of the run. 

In the men’s race, seven U.S. elite men scattered the roster to close out the season. Seth Rider (Germantown, Tenn.) earned the top result, crossing the line in sixth with a time of 51:09, capping a strong two-week stretch of racing in Chile. Rider placed fifth at the 2023 Pan American Games Santiago the week prior.  

The full broadcast for both events can be watched on-demand on TriathlonLIVE.tv. 

2023 World Triathlon Cup Viña del Mar 
750m swim, 20km bike, 5km run 

Elite Women Podium – Complete Results 
1. Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.), 57:28 
2. Gina Sereno (Madison, Wis.), 58:00 
3. Vicky Holland (GBR), 58:10 

U.S. Women Finishers 
1. Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.), 57:28 
2. Gina Sereno (Madison, Wis.), 58:00 
DQ Katie Zaferes (Cary, N.C.), 58:10 

Elite Men Podium – Complete Results 
1. Manoel Messias (BRA), 50:48 
2. Miguel Hidalgo (BRA), 50:52 
3. Aram Michell Peñaflor Moysen (MEX), 50:59 

U.S. Men Finishers 

6. Seth Rider (Germantown, Tenn.), 51:09 
18. Chase McQueen (Columbus, Ind.), 51:54 
24. Darr Smith (Atlanta, Ga.), 52:25 
36. John Reed (Virginia Beach, Va.), 54:02 
38. Brent Demarest (Charleston, S.C.), 54:09 
40. Ka’eo Kruse (Kauai, Hawaii), 54:10 
51. Griff Morgan (Tempe, Ariz.), 58:14