Alex Yee, Beth Potter win 2022 Arena Games eSport World Championship series
Women
In the women’s third and final contest in the 2022 Arena Games Triathlon series, Zsannett Bragmayer of Hungary surprised the field to take a 4 seconds margin of victory over super runner Beth Potter of Great Britain. Potter, who won the first Arena Games event in Munich and took 2nd in the final event in Singapore, took the overall title in the first eSports World Triathlon Championship series by a 713 to 645 points margin over Bragmayer. Olympic silver medalist Georgia-Taylor-Brown of Great Britain took third on the final day – 36 seconds behind Bragmayer – and finished third in the series, 19 points behind Bragmayer.
Bragmayer overcame a long and exhausting path to win the day as she had to race five races, having had to qualify through the repechage. Potter’s day took a lot out of her too. “I was in a wall of pain today” Potter spoke with a grimace immediately after the race.
Adding to a surprise finish, Jessica Learmonth of Great Britain was leading the Singapore round on the final stretch by seven seconds when a hip injury forced her to step off the curved treadmill run with just 100 meters to go. “I’ve had a hip injury – it just gave up on me literally with just a couple of hundred meters to go,” Learmonth told Arena Games media. “I felt fine right up until it went.”
Men
New Zealand Olympian Hayden Wilde started out chasing the front pack, but finally outran pre-race series leaders Justus Nieschlag of Germany, Aurelien Raphael of France and bested British Olympian Alex Yee by 9 seconds to win the day.
Since Singapore winner Wilde eared no points in first round in Munich and second round in London, Yee’s second places at London and Singapore earned him 694 points 16 points more than series runner-up Justus Nieschlag, who earned 250 points for his win at London and 428 for his third place at Singapore. Aurelien Raphael of France, who won 250 points for his win at Munich, but fell to last on the final day and earned just 313 points, took third overall in the series.
Women’s race recap
Stage 1
Super swimmer Learmonth gained little on the swim, but charged the bike and built a 7 seconds lead on Georgia Taylor-Brown with Potter 2 seconds further arrears and they approached the curved treadmill run. With a fast transition, Potter advanced to second place, while Sian Rainsley passed Taylor-Brown for third place.
Talk of pre-race of a Learmonth injury, and so much so that with barely 100m to go she pulled up and couldn’t even finish the race. That left Potter clear for the win, Rainsley in second six seconds behind with Zsanett Bragmayer in third (+9.7).
Stage 2
In this run-bike-swim order stage, Bragmayer and Potter were close on the bike, and Zsannett made up 3 seconds in the run through transition. Utilizing her superior swim skills, Zsannett opened a short lead on Potter and with Taylor-Brown and Anabel Knoll 21 and 23 seconds back in 3rd and 4th.
Stage 3
Back to a classic swim-bike-run final stage, which is conducted in a pursuit format, Potter and Zsannett started the swim well ahead over Rainsley. After the swim, Zsannett and Potter arrived at the bikes virtually tied with Taylor-Brown and Rainsley 20-plus seconds arrears. Potter once again made up time in the run through transition. On the final run segment, Bragmayer gritted her teeth to secure the day’s victory by 4 seconds.
Women Final Results
1. Zsanett Bragmayer (HUN)
2. Beth Potter (GBR) +0:04
3. Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) +0:36
4. Sian Rainsley (GBR) +0.42
5. Anabel Knoll (GER) +0:49
6. Lena Meissner (GER) +1:17
7. Eva Daniels (LUX) +1:22
8. Barbara De Koning (NED) +1:33
9. Hanne De Vet (BEL) +1:54
DNF. Jess Learmonth
Final Championship Standings:
1. Beth Potter (GBR) – 713 points
2. Zsanett Bragmayer (HUN) – 645 points
3. Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) – 626 points
4. Anabel Knoll (GER) – 580 points
5. Lena Meissner (GER) – 570 points
6. Sian Rainsley (GBR) – 565 points
7. Jess Learmonth (GBR) – 462 points
8. Barbara De Koning (NED) – 424 points
9. Eva Daniels (LUX) – 313 points
10. Hanne De Vet (BEL) – 268 points
Men’s race recap
Stage 1
Action began in a swim-bike-run order. Munich winner Aurelien Raphael of France won the swim by 6 seconds, but lost that right away by wrong route in transition and so emerged in 10th and well back in transition. Last out of the outdoor Marina water, Yee ran to second on the curved treadmill, 5 seconds behind Arena Games rookie Wilde. By the finish of the treadmill run, Yee and Wilde were 18 seconds ahead of London winner Nieschlag. Raphael, who began the series with an impressive win, was 10th and last, 44 seconds back in the stage, any hope of a series win dashed.
Stage 2
This stage was conducted in run-bike-swim order. As Wilde had no prior points from Munich and London, he was no threat for the overall series win. Wilde and Yee led off, having pulled clear of Nieschlag. On the bike, Olympic bronze medalist Wilde was leading Yee. A strong swimmer, Nieschlag quickly made-up ground with a possible shot at the overall win. At the end of the bike, Wilde hit the water 9 seconds ahead, while Nieschlag and Yee began the swim virtually tied.
Stage 3
On the concluding pursuit start, swim-bike-run stage, Yee made quick work of his three seconds deficit and quickly bridged to Wilde, while Nieschlag was closing his 16 seconds swim deficit. On the bike, Wilde quickly doubled his day’s lead. While Wilde cinched the day’s lead, Nieschlag and Yee would battle for the series championship. With a 5 seconds lead over Nieschlag coming to the treadmill.
Wilde took the day’s win by 9 seconds, and Nieschlag couldn’t produce enough to match the foot speed of Yee, who topped the German by 20 seconds for second place on the day and a 694 to 678 points margin for the World Championship.
Men’s Final Day Results
1. Hayden Wilde (NZL) – 12:13
2. Alex Yee (GBR) – 12:22
3. Justus Nieschlag (GER) – 12:42
4. Daniel Dixon (GBR) – 13:02
5. Chase McQueen (USA) – 13:10
6. Kenji Nener (JPN) – 13:11
7. Aurelien Raphael (FRA) – 13:24
8. Marten Van Riel (BEL) – 13:25
9. Max Stapley (AUS) – 13:38
10. Trent Thorpe (AUS) – 14:22
Men’s Overall Series Standings
1. Alex Yee (GBR) – 694 points
2. Justus Nieschlag (GER) – 678 points
3. Aurelien Raphael (FRA) – 563 points
4. Chase McQueen (USA) – 549 points
5. Hayden Wilde (NZL) – 500 points
6. Max Stapley (AUS) – 499 points
7. Marten Van Riel (BEL) – 435 points
8. Daniel Dixon (GBR) – 396 points
9. Gordon Benson (GBR) – 386 points
10. Kenji Nener (JPN) – 339 points
