Wilde, Spivey Win SLT Malibu
After his SLT win in Stage One in London, Hayden Wilde of New Zealand got a firm grip on the 5-race series with a spectacular surge on the final at Super League Triathlon: Malibu. Wilde used his run prowess to take the final run leg of the day, with Israel’s Shachar Sagiv and Portugal’s Vasco Vilaca earning the silver and bronze medals for the day.
After the shouting was over, Wilde wrapped up his feelings in a SLT interview: “The victory felt good today as I was struggling on the swim. I was really gutted to see Matt Hauser on the side-lines and getting eliminated, so I knew I had to go as hard as I could. That’s racing and I had to do what I had to do today to take the competition.”
Meanwhile, Taylor Spivey took the day’s win and series lead in the SLT Series while Round 2 leader Georgia Taylor-Brown survived a bike crash and took third place in California.
In a reminder that Malibu open water swimming is not indoor swimming pool tame, Vilaca was bitten by a seal on a training swim before the start (and was deemed fit to race). In another tough turn of fate, Jonny Brownlee fell ill and withdrew. In the additions, super cyclist and Ironman expert Cam Wurf of Australia made his Super League debut.
After races in London and Munich’s last weekend where Aussie Matt Hauser was victorious, the Super League Championship rolled into Malibu’s Zuma Beach as part of the famous 2XU Malibu Triathlon.
Malibu was conducted in the Eliminator format with three standard swim-bike-run triathlons with a short break in between. That format saw the final three athletes to finish in Stage 1 and Stage 2 eliminated, before Stage 3’s pursuit-style start based upon combined times from Stage 1 and Stage 2. Each stage consisted of a 300m one-lap swim ocean swim, a 3.6km three-lap cycle bike and a 1.6km two-lap run.
Men's Race Recap
Stage One
Aussie Matt Hauser led the swim, jostling Kiwi rival, Tayler Reid, into T1. Hauser topped Reid to take the Short Chute.
Just like Georgia Taylor-Brown in the women’s race, Hauser slid out and crashed on the tight turns of the sand strewn tarmac. From the front to on the edge of elimination in an instant. Vilaca was the primary beneficiary and led the pack into T2. But it was Wilde who became Stage 1’s winner after taking control on the run, with Sagiv and Germany’s Valentin Wernz close behind. Sadly, Hauser and Wurf, were shown the yellow eliminator flag, leaving Hauser with a steep challenge to climb when racing returns in Toulouse, France in two weeks,.
Stage 2 – Bodysurfers rule
South Africa’s Jamie Riddle and Kiwi Tayler Reid, experienced surf lifesavers, body surfed the angry seas and took a 10 seconds lead at Zuma’s shores. On the subsequent bike leg, Reid took charge and held a 12 seconds lead onto the run. But Wilde then played his ace – the run – and took the Stage 2 lead.
Stage 3 – High Noon showdown
Pursuit start saw Wilde enter Pacific Ocean first, followed by Sagiv (+8 seconds) and Vilaca (+13 seconds) next. Vilaca led the troops out of the salty water, ahead of Dan Dixon of Great Britain, then Riddle. Six stalwarts entered T2 on a tight pack with Riddle taking the Short Chute for an early lead.
Once again, Wilde’s superior run prevailed as the Kiwi Olympian took the day ahead of Sagiv and Vilaca to score another win for his Team Sharks.
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
4. Daniel Dixon GBR Stage 3 – 15:39 Overall 46:00
5. Jamie Riddle RSA Stage 3 15:43 Overall 46:01
6. Chase McQueen USA Stage 3 15L50 Overall 46:21
7. Tayler Reid NZL Stage 3 16:02 Overall 46:35
8. Richard Murray RSA Stage 3 16:05 Overall 46:44
9. Emil Holm DEN Stage 3 16:12 Overall 46:48
10. Valentin Wernz GER Stage 3 16:17 Overall 46:47
Women's Race Recap
After taking second in London and third in Munich, Spivey score a 2-3-1 podium full house to take a one point series lead at the Malibu Eliminator.
Stage 1 – First Eliminated
Rough seas made tough sledding for the premier SLT triathletes. Aussie Emma Jeffcoat was open water ready and exited the surf first, hoping to win the Short Chute pass for her Scorpion team. Jeanne Lehair however, sprinted up the beach to take the free pass ticket.
On the bike, Lehair and Jeffcoat were joined by two other Scorpions – Taylor-Brown and Jess Fullagar. Coming to the dismount line, the whole field jammed up close and Fullagar arrived first and won the Short Chute for the Scorpions.
Taylor Brown was first to finish, blocking any other team from taking the second Short Chute. Nerves were on edge to see which of the competitors would be final three athletes – and eliminated. The yellow flag waved goodbye for Sara Roel for the Eagles, Julie Behrens for the Sharks and Hannah De Vet for the Rhinos.
Stage 2 – The Crash
Swim exit saw Georgia Taylor Brown, Summer Rappaport and Sian Rainsley hit the beach first. Early on the bike Taylor Brown crashed on a corner, lost her chain and 40 seconds. Could she make up the time to avoid elimination? Rainsley also suffered a front wheel puncture and crashed.
Rappaport charged to the front trying to put herself and her Team Cheetahs ahead for the final stage – a pursuit start based on combined time from first two races.
GTB did recover and charged back into contention but Fullager (Scorpions), Jeffcoat (Scorpions) and Gina Sereno (Cheetahs) were dropped.
Stage 3 – Spivey takes charge
Spivey and Miriam Casillas started the stage together 10 seconds ahead of Verena Steinhauser, and Rappaport. Next up was Lehair (+17 seconds) with series leader and Munich winner GTB 22 seconds arrears.
At the swim exit, the home town expert Spivey caught a big wave to shore, earning a Short Chute pass and to start the bike with a solid lead so she could make time on her own.
Spivey thus was able to start the Stage on her own, with Casillas and Rappaport also with room to spare in second and third places with Taylor Brown, Steinhauser and Lehair riding in 4th through 6th.
Spivey finished for a home win, Casillas took silver, while Georgie Taylor-Brown took third.
Women's Results
1. Taylor Spivey – 15pts
2. Miriam Casillas – 14pts
3. Georgia Taylor-Brown – 13pts
4. Summer Rappaport – 12pts
5. Jeanne Lehair – 11pts
6. Verena Steinhauser – 10pts
7. Beth Potter – 9pts
8. Non Stanford – 8pts
9. Nicole Van Der Kaay – 7pts
10. Cathia Schar – 6pts
