Final race in the 2022 Super League Triathlon series comes Saturday in Saudi Arabia
The finale will be held at the $500 billion futuristic, Sci-Fi style eco-city currently being built in the Tabuk province in northwestern Saudi Arabia, east of Egypt.
The races for the Men’s and Women’s titles at the 2022 Super League Triathlon in NEOM Saudi Arabia could not be less alike.
On the men’s side, Olympic medalist Hayden Wilde of New Zealand has won three of the first four previous races.
Wilde has built a 58 to 41 points lead over Aussie Matthew Hauser. Wilde, after 3 wins (London, Malibu and Toulouse and a third-place finish at Munich) Wilde has already earned $70,000. With a win at NEOM and team and specialty bonuses, he could take home a maximum of $185,000.
With 20 points awarded to the Grand Final winners- 5 points more than the first four SLT events this year – it is theoretically possible that Hauser could overcome Wilde. But only if the Kiwi, who is in a simultaneous battle for the World Triathlon series Olympic-distance World Championship, suffers catastrophic bad luck.
By contrast, defending Super League Triathlon 2021 women’s champion Georgia Taylor-Brown of Great Britain and Taylor Spivey of the United States are tied at 56 points apiece. In essence, whoever crosses the line first will take the title.
What is at stake for Taylor Brown and Spivey is the women’s half of a total $1.4 million Super League Triathlon prize purse. After the first four SLT events held in London, Munich, Malibu and Toulouse, Spivey and Taylor-Brown have earned equal $60,000 prizes. If all goes perfectly, Taylor-Brown could walk away with $160,000 – or Spivey could bag $137,500.
Super League Triathlon joins a rise in recent high-dollar professional triathlons such as the PTO’s Collins Cup, PTO’s Canadian and US Pro Championships as well as $750,00 and $350,000 prize purses at the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 World Championship. Super League features high-speed, slam-bang short course action, which demands unique skills that draw upon sprint distance, Olympic distance, and mixed relay veterans. With a $1.4 million series purse draws high quality talent from all quarters of the sport, this year’s Super League series has proven to elevate Olympic contenders (Georgia Taylor-Brown, Cassandre Beaugrand, Taylor Spivey) and top gun men (Hayden Wilde, Jonathan Brownlee) but from time to time may leave other very successful triathletes off the back (Alex Yee, Mario Mola, Marten Van Riel – Vicky Holland, Beth Potter, Lauran Lindemann).
Saturday’s Grand Finale is a variation on a super-sprint race format called the Enduro and includes three back-to-back triathlons (all in classic swim-bike-run order) with no breaks in between. Each stage will consist of a one-lap 300-meter swim, a one-lap 4-kilometer bike, and a two-lap 1.8-kilometer run. In play is a 90-seconds rule – any athlete who falls 90 seconds or more off the lead pace at the end of any individual lap will be shown the yellow elimination flag and is out of the race.
Unique to Super League is the Short Chute – a short cut that can be taken within the race by an athlete who earned that right by leading at a previous point in the race.
There are three ways to earn a Short Chute at Neom: 1, First athlete across the Mount Line after the swim on Stage 1. 2 The first across the Mount Line after T2 after the bike on Stage 1. 3.The first athlete across the Mount Line at the end of Stage 1 (first to finish the first run).
SLT Rankings after Toulouse – Women
• 1. Georgia Taylor-Brown – 56pts
• 2. Taylor Spivey – 56pts
• 3. Sophie Coldwell – 39pts
• 4. Beth Potter – 36pts
• 5. Verena Steinhauser – 34pts
• 6. Jeanne Lehair – 33pts
• 7. Miriam Casillas Garcia – 31pts
• 8. Cassandre Beaugrand – 27pts
• 9. Kate Waugh – 23pts
• 10. Nicole Van Der Kaay – 21pts
Men
• 1. Hayden Wilde – 58pts
• 2. Matthew Hauser – 41pts
• 3. Tayler Reid – 38pts
• 4. Kenji Nener – 33pts
• 5. Jonathan Brownlee – 32pts
• 6. Vasco Vilaca – 32pts
• 7. Chase McQueen – 31pts
• 8. Shachar Sagiv – 31pts
• 9. Jamie Riddle – 25pts
10. Emil Holm – 25pts
Current pre-race status: Rachel Klamer is out of the race with a broken elbow suffered in a crash at Toulouse. Laura Lindemann was due to replace, but she is now out due to a recent Covid positive.
Latest status of the favorites: For the women, Taylor-Brown is defending champion – oddly she triumphed in 2021 without winning a single race. This year she won both Munich and Toulouse, but could lose to Spivey, whose consistent record is 2nd- 3rd-1st-2nd.
Sophie Coldwell of Great Britain has a super slim chance to win the series as a win NEOM will offer a higher-than usual 20 points.
For the men, Hayden Wilde leads by 17 points over Matthew Hauser. Wilde dominated London, Malibu and Toulouse with his only flaw a third place at Munich. Aussie Matthew Hauser has had outstanding performances but crashes at Malibu and Toulouse left him dropping far from the lead.
How to watch:
Races on Saturday October 29.
Women’s Enduro starts at 0420 Eastern Standard Time
Men’s Enduro starts at 0840 Eastern Standard Time
Tune in USA to TRI247.com
In Europe – tune in Eurosport or BBC Red Button beginning 1400 local time.
Recap of the first four battles of the season
Round One: London – Women
While Cassandre Beaugrand took the win in London, she would drop out of contention in the rain during Round Two in Munich. Which set the stage for the ultimate series duel. Admittedly rusty after a stretch of high-altitude training, but energized by the non-stop Enduro Format (three non-stop complete swim-bike-runs) Taylor Brown took charge for second place. Declaring she was in it to win it, Taylor Spivey took third, surrendering just one point to the Olympic silver medalist.
1. Cassandre Beaugrand– 15
2. Taylor Spivey – 14
3. Georgia Taylor-Brown – 13
4. Sophie Coldwell – 12
5. Beth Potter – 11
Round Two: Munich – Women
It was rainy and the bikes had to navigate where traction was at a premium. Conditions best suited for the master of slippery corners – defending Super League Triathlon Championship Series champion, 2021 Olympic individual silver medalist, 2022 Commonwealth Games champion, 2020 ITU World Champion, and 2022 World Triathlon Sprint Champion – Georgia Taylor Brown.
In the SLT Enduro format, competitors navigate three back-to-back triathlons in the standard swim-bike-run order. On the first bike leg, Taylor-Brown charged out front, and was never challenged. British teammate Sophie Coldwell was next best, outsprinting London first round runner-up Taylor Spivey of the U.S. On the final swim of Stage 3, Taylor-Brown stayed calm while she gave up a few seconds to Spivey, Coldwell and Rainsley. But once Taylor-Brown started the bike leg, the door to her chasers was firmly shut.
Round 2 Enduro – Women
1. Georgia Taylor-Brown GBR – 15 points
2. Sophie Coldwell GBR – 14 points
3. Taylor Spivey USA – 13 points
Round 3: Malibu ¬ Women
Mid-race on the bike, Taylor-Brown slipped and hit the deck, ending her victory chances at Malibu – and perhaps the series. In her finest moment, Taylor-Brown recovered and charged through the pack to take 3rd. Thanks to her home advantage on the beach and pounding ocean waves, Spivey kept her cool and won. After taking second in London and third in Munich, Spivey score 2-3-1 podiums to take a one-point series lead over Taylor Brown.
Round 3 Malibu: Women
1. Taylor Spivey – 15pts
2. Miriam Casillas – 14pts
3. Georgia Taylor-Brown – 13pts
Round 4: Toulouse – Women
While Taylor-Brown was feeling ill, she managed to recover well enough to compete. Taylor-Brown since raced – and won – at the World Triathlon Championship Series in Italy on October 8, where she produced a 10k run split of 32:43, 50 seconds faster than eighth-placed Spivey.
After 10 SLT podiums, Taylor Brown finally bagged her second win. Spivey fought back after an off-form first stage and took advantage of a short chute pass to outpace Coldwell for second. So, after a 3-1-3-1 record in the first four events, Taylor-Brown tied her U.S. rival, who posted a 2-3-1-2 record, at 56 points.
Round 3: Malibu – Women
1. Georgia Taylor-Brown – 15pts
2. Taylor Spivey – 14pts
3. Sophie Coldwell – 13pts
4. Cassandre Beaugrand – 12pts
5. Beth Potter – 11pts
Overall standings after Round 4 at Toulouse
1. Georgia Taylor-Brown – 56pts
2. Taylor Spivey – 56pts
3. Sophie Coldwell – 39pts
4. Beth Potter – 36pts
The Men
Round 1: London
Pre-race favorite Hayden Wilde started his 2022 Super League Triathlon Championship Series campaign with a win in London – but not before he weathered a scare by a gutsy Matt Hauser.
Matthew Hauser appeared to be given an unfair penalty for a false start on the swim, but replays suggested teammate Jamie Riddle was the real culprit. Never a whiner, Hauser sucked it up, put his head down and went on a no excuses tear. It worked and Hauser was in the lead when taking a short chute on the final run leg. But Kiwi Wilde had more in the tank and powered past Hauser to repeat his victory from 12 months ago.
1. Hayden Wilde – 15
2. Matt Hauser– 14
3. Alex Yee – 13
4. Tyler Mislawchuk– 12
5. Jonny Brownlee – 11
Round Two: Munich – Men
Matt Hauser took 2nd the previous weekend at SLT London, then Improved his lot with a strong day at Munich. Once again, Hauser incurred a deficit to start his day. On the second run, Wilde unleashed his ace in the hole and took a 5-seconds lead. Hauser began that final swim with a 14 seconds deficit, and starting the run, Wilde used his short chute advantages, but Hauser loomed just one second behind the leading duo. Hauser then ran away to take the Round 2 victory, and the series lead going into Round 3 in Malibu.
Munich Results – Men
1. Matt Hauser AUS – 15 points
2. Vasco Vilaca POR – 14 points
3. Hayden Wilde NZL -13 points
4. Jonny Brownlee GBR – 12 points
Overall Standings after Munich
1. Matthew Hauser AUS – 29 points
2. Hayden Wilde NZL – 28 points
3. Jonny Brownlee GBR – 23 points
Round 3: Malibu – Men
After his SLT win in Stage 1 in London, Wilde got a firm grip on the series with a spectacular surge on the final at Super League Triathlon Malibu. Meanwhile, Hauser was eliminated and received no points, while Wilde took the final run leg of the day. Afterwards, Wilde said: “The victory felt good today. But I was really gutted to see Matt Hauser on the sidelines and getting eliminated.”
Round 3 MEN'S RESULTS
1. Hayden Wilde NZL Stage 3 – 15:18 Overall 45:23
2. Shachar Sagiv ISR Stage 3 – Overall 45:35
3. Vasco Vilaca POR Stage 3 – 15:27 Overall 45:46
Round 4 – Toulouse – Men
Wilde, the winner in London and Malibu, summoned the big watts on the bike in stage three and never looked back. In his weakest discipline, Wilde was swallowed up by the ‘fish’ (fast swimmers) and as they came across the finish line it was Kenji Nener, Chase McQueen and Jamie Riddle in 1/2/3. But 4th place left Wilde in prime position heading into stage three.
Wilde’s bike advantage was all but eliminated over the swim by Jamie Riddle, Kenji Nener and Dorian Coninx, but with a 2km run ahead – and a short chute to take – he was unthreatened in the lead. During the Stage, Wilde produced something of a miracle. Finishing the bike in 15th, almost a minute back, Wilde swam and ran through the field to rescue fourth place. That meant that Wilde hadn’t quite managed to wrap up the series title.
Round 4: Toulouse – Men
• 1. Hayden Wilde – 15pts
• 2. Dorian Coninx – 14pts
• 3. Kenji Nener – 13pts
• 4. Matt Hauser – 12pts
• 5. Tayler Reid – 11pts
• 6. Jamie Riddle – 10pts
• 7. Jonathan Brownlee – 9pts
Men’s Overall standings after Round 4 – Toulouse
1. Hayden Wilde – 58pts
2. Matthew Hauser – 41pts
3. Tayler Reid – 38pts
4. Kenji Nener – 33pts
5. Jonathan Brownlee – 32pts
