British triathlete Jonathan Brownlee is seeking redemption at the Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria, the race he has chosen to kick off his international season. Brownlee is aiming to settle an old score with this race in Anfi del Mar (Mogán), where he competed in 2022 and finished in a bittersweet ninth place.
With two months to go until its ninth edition on April 26, 2025, Gran Canaria’s only international triathlon is already assembling a stellar lineup of global stars. Among them, Jonathan Brownlee adds his name to a start list that promises a spectacular showdown in the middle-distance format.
Brownlee took part in the 2022 edition as a clear favorite, wearing bib number 1. However, a nutrition issue during the run leg slowed him down. Despite building a solid lead in the first half of the race, he crossed the finish line in the top 10—far from his goal, which he is determined to achieve in the upcoming 2025 edition.
Brownlee already hinted at his intentions in a YouTube interview and has now confirmed his decision to begin his European season in Gran Canaria. Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria is widely recognized as the iconic starting point for the international triathlon season, and it has become a global meeting point for the sport, consistently attracting one of the highest numbers of professionals in the Challenge Family circuit.
One of the most successful athletes in British triathlon history and a fierce competitor with a long list of achievements, Brownlee returns to Gran Canaria, raising the bar of the competition. The event is accelerating toward another landmark edition, with surprises and several confirmed champions—men and women alike—set to race.
Brownlee, who delivered a thrilling finish at the European Cup in Kielce, Poland, boasts 14 international medals. His impressive record has established him as one of the most influential athletes of his generation. The Leeds-born triathlete has competed in three Olympic Games, winning three medals, along with a world championship title, three world runner-up titles, three mixed relay world titles, a European silver medal, and two world sprint titles.
His Olympic record includes a bronze in London 2012 in individual triathlon, the same year he was crowned world champion. He followed that with a silver in Rio 2016 and a gold medal in Tokyo 2020 in the mixed relay event.
Brownlee was also crowned World Champion in Auckland (New Zealand) and has earned five World Triathlon Championship medals between 2011 and 2016.
He was a junior world champion in both 2006 and 2007 and comes from a family of sporting excellence. His brother, Alistair Brownlee, recently retired after years as one of the stars of international triathlon. Alistair was also Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria champion in the second edition of the event, held in 2017. Together, the Brownlee brothers created one of the sport’s most impactful initiatives: the Brownlee Foundation, which has introduced nearly 80,000 new triathletes to the sport—one of their most meaningful legacies.
Epicenter of Triathlon Elite
Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria will be held at Anfi del Mar beach, offering two race formats: the short distance, with 1.5 km swim, 40 km bike, and 10 km run; and the premier middle-distance race, both taking place on April 26th.
The middle distance event is a true challenge: a 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike, and 21 km run, filling Anfi del Mar with elite sport on race day. With the start and finish lines located right on Anfi del Mar beach, the town of Mogán will serve as the training hub for many of the world’s best athletes in the weeks leading up to the race, attracting elite competitors from all across Europe.
With an average temperature of 22°C, calm waters, safe roads, and top-tier hotel and sports infrastructure, Mogán has been repeatedly voted the best triathlon destination in the world.
The island’s eternal springtime—one of the sunniest climates in all of Europe—makes Gran Canaria a year-round paradise for training, recovery, and competition. Every year, hundreds of triathletes return for their unmissable date with Challenge Mogán Gran Canaria.
