The Professional Triathletes Organisation confirmed a three-year partnership with global payments platform Sokin on May 7, 2026 — bringing the T100 Triathlon World Tour its first dedicated financial infrastructure partner and giving the legendary Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon a title sponsor for the first time in the race’s 46-year history.
The announcement arrived alongside a more pressing story. Athletes had been waiting on prize money and bonus payments from the December 2025 Qatar T100 Grand Final and the overall 2025 series rankings. The PTO confirmed this week those payments are now in motion.
The Sokin Deal — What It Covers
Under the three-year agreement, Sokin becomes Official Global Business Payments Partner of the T100 Triathlon World Tour. The most immediate visible change: the San Francisco T100 (June 6–7, 2026) becomes the Sokin San Francisco T100 Triathlon, and the co-located amateur race becomes the Sokin Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon — produced in partnership with global events company MARI.
Sokin isn’t a passive badge sponsor. Founded in 2019, the payments platform reports revenue growth of 100% year-on-year and an eightfold increase since 2022. Its sports portfolio already includes Manchester United and the British & Irish Lions. Partner organizations use the Sokin platform as part of the deal structure — a model built around generating real case studies rather than logo placements.
“The US is a major growth market for Sokin and having the honor of putting our name on the legendary Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon puts us in front of exactly the kind of business audience we want to reach there. Sports partnerships have been one of the most effective ways for us to build brand presence in international markets and sports organizations like the Professional Triathletes Organisation have the global reach and complex business operations that Sokin’s platform is built to support. That dual fit is what made this an obvious partnership for us.” — Vroon Modgill, Sokin CEO
PTO CEO Sam Renouf framed the deal within the organisation’s broader trajectory — a planned expansion to more than 80 events globally from 2027, in partnership with World Triathlon.
“Sokin’s expertise in simplifying global payments will play an important role as we expand into new markets and continue our mission to take triathlon mainstream.” — Sam Renouf, PTO CEO
The Payment Situation — Addressed Directly
The sponsorship announcement wasn’t the week’s most urgent conversation. That was prize money. Athletes from the 2025 T100 season and the Qatar T100 Grand Final — held December 12, 2025, in Lusail — had not yet received prize money or series bonus payments heading into May 2026. A PTO spokesperson confirmed to TRI247: “Payments are being made this month, as planned.”
Renouf, reached in Abu Dhabi, was direct about the delay — and pushed back on the idea it caught anyone off guard.
“Earlier in the year, given what was happening in the region — in the Middle East — we anticipated there could be some delays to payments. So we informed the athletes that by early May, prize money from the end of season would be paid. Which is exactly where we are now, and it’s exactly when they’re being paid. We were just hedging — we’ve worked in this market before, and we know things take time.” — Sam Renouf, PTO CEO
The sums at stake are considerable. Hayden Wilde earned $25,000 for winning Qatar plus a $200,000 series bonus after going six-for-seven in T100 races across 2025. Kate Waugh — who won the women’s series title in her debut T100 season, clinching it dramatically in Qatar with a 3:31:30 effort that saw her stumble to her knees crossing the finish line — earned the same $200,000 series bonus on top of her $25,000 race win.
What’s at Stake in San Francisco
The 2026 season is already underway. Wilde picked up exactly where he left off, winning the Singapore T100 on April 25 by a record 6:21 margin over Sam Dickinson (GBR) — the largest winning margin in men’s T100 history — finishing in 3:21:58 with a 1:01:54 run split. Taylor Knibb won the women’s opening race in Gold Coast back in March. The 2026 format splits men’s and women’s pro races across separate events, each carrying a $275,000 prize fund and $50,000 to the winner.
San Francisco on June 6–7 is next on the men’s calendar. The course runs 2km swim, 80km bike, 18km run. Wilde arrives as the heavy favourite to extend his grip on the series ahead of the Qatar T100 World Championship Final later this year.
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