Photo Credit: Wagner Araujo/World Triathlon
Maira Carreau Places 15th at Triathlon U23 World Championships
9/25/2026 5:00:00 PM | Triathlon
Denver senior wraps up a strong international season
DENVER – University of Denver women's triathlon senior Maira Carreau earned a top-15 finish on Friday in the 2026 Word Triathlon U23 Championships in Pontevedra, Spain.
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Carreau placed 15th in the field of 58 athletes as she completed the Olympic-distance event in two hours and two minutes and 49 seconds.
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The Le Prairie, Quebec, native was about a minute off the lead coming out of the water after posting a split of 20:49 in the 1,500-meter swim, but she had the 20th-fastest bike time after finishing the 40-kilometer course in one hour and 16 minutes. Carreau continued to make up ground as she was 17th-quickest in the 10K run in 36:17.
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The World Championship course featured a two-lap swim in the Lerez River before the competitors transitioned to the bike, which had a route of eight, five-mile laps that featured turnarounds to the north of the river in the countryside as well as near the city center on the south bank of the river. The second transition was separate from the first, as it was closer to the city center. The run was four laps of 2.5 miles each throughout the main part of the city in northwest Spain.
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The Olympic distance was twice what is usually raced at in the college level, which is a 750-meter swim, 10K bike and 5K run.
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Denver's triathlon captain, who represents her native Canada in competition, has now wrapped up her international season, which began in March at the Americas Triathlon Cup in Gulfport. In the women's elite level on the Americas Cup sprint circuit, Carreau placed fifth in Ixtapa, Mexico (May 16); seventh in Montreal, Quebec (June 27); and sixth in Magog, Quebec (July 12). She also came in 12th in the World Triathlon Cup race in Edmonton, Alberta, on July 18.
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Carreau's U23 World Championship performance come on the heels of placing second in the elite race and defending her U23 Championship at the Canadian Nationals in Victoria, British Columbia, in late August. It was her fourth straight season where she claimed the Canadian National Championship.
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DU's next team race is Sunday as the Pioneers take on the Desert's Edge Triathlon at Highlight State Park in Loma, Colorado.
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Carreau placed 15th in the field of 58 athletes as she completed the Olympic-distance event in two hours and two minutes and 49 seconds.
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The Le Prairie, Quebec, native was about a minute off the lead coming out of the water after posting a split of 20:49 in the 1,500-meter swim, but she had the 20th-fastest bike time after finishing the 40-kilometer course in one hour and 16 minutes. Carreau continued to make up ground as she was 17th-quickest in the 10K run in 36:17.
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The World Championship course featured a two-lap swim in the Lerez River before the competitors transitioned to the bike, which had a route of eight, five-mile laps that featured turnarounds to the north of the river in the countryside as well as near the city center on the south bank of the river. The second transition was separate from the first, as it was closer to the city center. The run was four laps of 2.5 miles each throughout the main part of the city in northwest Spain.
Â
The Olympic distance was twice what is usually raced at in the college level, which is a 750-meter swim, 10K bike and 5K run.
Â
Denver's triathlon captain, who represents her native Canada in competition, has now wrapped up her international season, which began in March at the Americas Triathlon Cup in Gulfport. In the women's elite level on the Americas Cup sprint circuit, Carreau placed fifth in Ixtapa, Mexico (May 16); seventh in Montreal, Quebec (June 27); and sixth in Magog, Quebec (July 12). She also came in 12th in the World Triathlon Cup race in Edmonton, Alberta, on July 18.
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Carreau's U23 World Championship performance come on the heels of placing second in the elite race and defending her U23 Championship at the Canadian Nationals in Victoria, British Columbia, in late August. It was her fourth straight season where she claimed the Canadian National Championship.
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DU's next team race is Sunday as the Pioneers take on the Desert's Edge Triathlon at Highlight State Park in Loma, Colorado.
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Visit DenverPioneers.com for complete coverage of all 18 of DU's NCAA Division I sports
Like Denver Pioneers and Denver Women's Triathlon on Facebook
Follow @DU_Pioneers and @denverwomenstri on X
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Players Mentioned
/ Triathlon
Sunday, September 27
Sunday, September 27
Friday, September 25
Wednesday, September 23
