Luis, Zaferes win Super League Malta
This year’s ITU Grand Final winners and WTS World Champions Katie Zaferes of the U.S. and Vincent Luis of France took top honors at the Super League Triathlon in Malta, the second round of the sprint distance weekend series.
Women
After losing to Cassandre Beaugrand of France last month at the RBC Super League Jersey in the opening round of the 2019-2020 Super League Triathlon series, Katie Zaferes of the U.S. avenged her defeat with a dominating final round Sunday in Malta.
After two days of semi-finals and elimination rounds, it all came down to final rounds of 15 competitors. Unfortunately, Zaferes could not defeat her rival on the course as Beaugrand was forced to withdraw due to a mechanical issue on an early bike leg.
The Women’s Equalizer finale started with a bike individual Time Trial followed by a slam bang pursuit-style swim-bike-run-swim-bike-run test. Yuko Takahashi of Japan emerged from the first swim in first place and held the lead into the first bike stage. On the first bike stage, Zaferes dispatched Takahashi and took the lead hoping to hold off an expected charge by Beaugrand throughout the remainder of the six quick stages. However, as Day One Semi-Final winner Beaugrand started to make her charge, the Frenchwoman suffered a mechanical failure to her derailleur halfway up the hill on the second bike leg and left the race in tears.
With clinical precision and power, Zaferes held on for the final stage lead and won the weekend’s overall title in a time of 35:33 with an 11 seconds margin of victory over Rachel Klamer of Netherlands and 22 seconds over 3rd place Yuko Takahashi.
Men
Vincent Luis of France repeated his Super League Jersey victory with a come-from-behind win in this weekend’s Super League clash.
Just as in the format of the Women’s Equalizer finale, the Men’s finale started with a bike individual Time Trial followed by a slam bang pursuit-style swim-bike-run-swim-bike-run test.
Vasco Vilaca of Portugal set the fastest time in the opening Time Trial, which gave him the pole position in the pursuit-style start for the shortened Enduro finale. Vincent Luis had to start 6th after a mediocre Time Trial and had to charge hard to make up for his deficit.
Luis torpedoed through the first swim and started the first bike leg in first place with Belgium’s Marten Van Riel and Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt in close pursuit. After a slow swim, New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde charged on the bike and soon broke into a 4-man lead pack. On the final four legs, Blummenfelt tried to break unto the lead on the final run leg, but Luis unleashed a better final sprint for the win. Luis finished in 32:14 with a 4 second margin of victory over Blummenfelt and 14 seconds on 3rd place finisher Hayden Wilde, who outsprinted Van Riel for the last podium slot.
Super League Triathlon – Malta
October 19-20, 2019
Multiple stage and lap combinations on a basic sprint distance course over 2 days
S 300 meters / B 3.5x4k laps / R 2×1.6k laps
Women’s Final Results
1. Katie Zaferes (USA) 35:33
2. Rachel Klamer (NED) 35:44
3. Yuko Takahashi (JPN) 35:55
4. Taylor Spivey (USA) 36:14
5. Sophie Coldwell (GBR) 37:15
6. Léonie Périault (FRA) 37:39
7. Summer Rappaport (USA) 38:06
8. Ilaria Zane (ITA) DNF
9. Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) DNF
10. Beatrice Mallozi (ITA) DNF
11. Angelica Olmo (ITA) DNF
12. Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (AUS) DNF
13. Elena Danilova (RUS) DNF
14. Megan Foley (USA) DNF
15. Bianca Seregni (ITA) DNF
Men’s Final Results
1. Vincent Luis (FRA) 32:14
2. Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) 32:18
3. Hayden Wilde (NZL) 32:28
4. Marten Van Riel (BEL) 32:34
5. Gustav Iden (NOR) 32:43
6. Pierre Le Corre (FRA) 32:47
7. Anthony Pujades (FRA) 32:58
8. Vasco Vilaca (POR) 33:02
9. Tyler Mislawchuk (CAN) 33:09
10. Aaron Royle (AUS) 33:15
11. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 33:19
12. Ben Kanute (USA) 33:41
13. Léo Bergere (FRA) DNF
14. Csongor Lehmann (HUN) DNF
15. Richard Murray (RSA) DNF
