The three-day event incorporates Age-Group Championships and Para Championships in addition to the finale of the Championship Series season.

Today began with age-group events in the super-sprint distance, covering a 300 metres swim from Pontevedra's Tirantes Bridge, 6.4 kilometres bike course and 1.6km run finishing inside the Centro Galego de Tecnificación Deportiva stadium.

Alejandro Romero Perez De Tudela provided a Spanish victory in the men's 30 to 34 age bracket with a time of 24min 16sec, beating Ash Chambers of Britain by 1:01, and Lucas García Picón triumphed in the 15 to 19 event in 22:51, finishing 40sec clear of Britain's George Turner.

Britain did enjoy success of their own in the men's events, Craig Dale winning in the 35 to 39 category in 24;19, Donald Brooks triumphing at 45 to 49 in 23:43, Steven Carragher winning the 50 to 54 race in 24:54 and Michael Smallwood victorious among the 75 to 79 athletes in 33:03.

In the women's events, Sarah Richardson led a British one-two with Amy Pritchard in the 45 to 49 category, triumphing in 26:52, and Judith Mackay was the 85 to 89 winner in 55:11.

However, it was the United States who dominated in terms of age-group victories.

On the men's side, Rick Kozlowski in 28:59 won the 70 to 74 race, and John Charman the 85 to 89 in 55:11.

There were also six American winners in the women's age-group races - Raphaela Lima with a time of 27:18 in the 15 to 19, Elizabeth Ordeman in 27:39 in the 20 to 24, Steph Popelar in 27:38 at 55 to 59, Michele Tuttle in 30:21 at 60 to 64, Donna Smyers in 32:43 in the 65 to 69 and Sibyl Jacobson in 53:42 in the 80 to 84 category.

Germany enjoyed multiple successes, Julian Becker triumphing in the men's 20 to 24 in 22:58, Thomas Winkelmann with a time of 23:46 in the men's 40 to 44, Udo           Van Stevendaal in 24:47 for the men's 55 to 59 win and Inge Stettner in 37:54 in the women's 75 to 79.

Andrea Damiani's time of 28:40 in the women's 40 to 44 and Suzanne Chandler's 28:04 effort in the 50 to 54 categories provided a Canadian double, and there were two victories for New Zealand through Ange Keen's 26:55 in the 35 to 39 and Joy Baker's 34:51 in the 70 to 74.

Bradley Janse van Rensburg triumphed for South Africa in the men's 25 to 29 as he clocked 25:14, Antonio Fernando Horta of Portugal won the men's 60 to 64 in 26:22, France's Denis Pierrat notched 27:10 for the 65 to 69 victory and Italy's Gherardo Mercati was first across the finish line in the 80 to 84 in 42:59.

In the other women's races, Poland's Aleksandra Bańbor triumphed in the 25 to 29 in 26;23, and Estefany Isabel      Segura Vázquez of Mexico won the 30 to 34 in 28:23.

Competition is due to continue tomorrow in Pontevedra with the World Triathlon Para Triathlon Championships, Under-23 Men Championships and the elite men's race in the Championship Finals, in which Britain's Alex Yee or New Zealand's Hayden Wilde are the favourites to be crowned world champion for the first time.