FIVE MEN IN THE HUNT FOR THE 2023 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES TITLE

NEOM is set to play host to the most exciting finish to the men’s Championship Series for several years.

The enhanced points on offer in NEOM and the Series Leaderboard being won as a result of the best two results from the first three events (London, Toulouse, Malibu) plus the Grand Final has really shaken things up.

There are five men who look set to battle it out, so who needs to do what to win?

Top TRIO know a win will do

With 20 points for the winner in NEOM and 18 for second – and the last result counting in the event of a tie – Leo Bergere (29 points), Jonny Brownlee (28 points), and Hayden Wilde (27 points), all know victory secures them the title. If they win, then there is nothing else anybody can do about it.

Superleague Triathlon Toulouse 2023 — Could we have a repeat of Bergere vs Brownlee in NEOM?

Indeed, no matter who wins the race, the equation only really changes if they all finish outside of the top five and their nearest rivals don’t leapfrog them. But that is so unlikely that it is barely worth speculating on.

Yee and Schoeman the dark horses

Sat level on 25 points are Alex Yee and Henri Schoeman. That gives them a realistic chance to win the title.

Chances are they will have to win in NEOM. If they do that then they need to finish three places ahead of Bergere and two places ahead of Brownlee and Wilde to get their hands on the trophy.

Tomz2682 — Henri Schoeman’s strong swim could play to his advantage in the title race

Is it a big ask? Yes? Is it possible? With such a stacked field anything could happen, and if both race well then they have the potential to occupy podium places and damage some of the others in the process.

Swim and run going to the wire

There is going to be a lot of tension among the athletes as they chase the $15,000 prize for winning the Discipline Leaderboards, with the swim and the run incredibly close for the men.

Henri Schoeman and Max Stapley are tied on 12 points each in the swim, while Chase McQueen is just four points back. Those three look the most likely to take the title. For McQueen to take the $15,000, he would need to take the swim and hope Schoeman and Stapley fail to score, otherwise it will be down to whoever finishes ahead out of those two.

Emil Holm has a commanding six point advantage in the bike leaderboard. If he scores at all then he wins. For him to fail to win, either Kristian Blummenfelt or Leo Bergere need the full eight points and Holm will have to finish outside of the top three.

If Reese Vannerson scores in the run then he takes the leaderboard. If he finishes outside of the top three then Vitalli Vorontsov is the only person who can deny him the title, and the Ukrainian would need to finish first or second to overhaul the American.