FIVE TARGET SUPER LEAGUE TRIATHLON'S WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES TITLE

After a thrilling first three races it is all on the line heading to the Championship Series Grand Final in NEOM with five athletes having a realistic shout of taking the women’s title.

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 look set to ensure an exciting finish.

So, who needs to do what to win?

What is needed to win!

The leading trio heading into NEOM know they have their fate in their own hands. If they win then the Championship Series title is theirs.

Jeanne Lehair leads the way with 28 points with Emma Lombardi and Kate Waugh one and two points back.

Tomz1014 — Lehair and Lombardi went head to head against each other in Malibu

With 20 points on offer for the win, 18 for second place, and the last result counting in the event of a tie, if any of that trio win then they are the champion.

British duo on the fringes

Beth Potter and Sophie Coldwell need a bit to go their way, but are certainly not out of it. The RTP Sharks duo sit level on 24 points.

For either to take the Series win they would need to beat Lehair and Lombardi by two places and Waugh by one place. That would effectively mean that if they won in NEOM they would need Lehair and Lombardi to finish third or below.

Given their form it is certainly a long way from being over for them.

Beaugrand can shake things up

Injury robbed Cassandre Beaugrand a shot at the Series win with her absence in Toulouse costing her dearly. However, her performance in NEOM is sure to have a huge impact on deciding who wins.

Superleague Triathlon Malibu 2023 — Cassandre Beaugrand could have a deciding factor on the women’s title race

Her imperious victory in Malibu suggests she is the athlete to beat in NEOM, even if winning would leave her on 35 points and realistically out of title contention.

If Beaugrand were to win again then the maths for the others moves down a spot. If she were to finish second then it gets very interesting because if Potter or Coldwell were to win then they would be champions.

Bike points too close to call

There is also a lot on the line when it comes to the Discipline Leaderboards with a cool $15,000 up for grabs for the winner of each.

The most closely contested is the bike, where there have been three different winners so far who come to NEOM all sat on eight points – Cathia Schär, Jess Fullagar and Taylor Spivey. Given Schär has only competed in one event, it would be remarkable for her to win it in her second race of the Series in NEOM, but it goes to show there has not been a domination. Jeanne Lehair and Leonie Periault are also well in it on six points. It will be interesting to see whether these athletes – perhaps aside from Lehair who has a real chance of winning the Series – focus on this.

Superleague Toulouse 2023 — Taylor Spivey in the hunt to win the bike discipline if she returns to race in NEOM

That is not the case for the swim, where Sophie Coldwell is dominating. If she finishes in the top three fastest splits for the swim in NEOM then she wins it. The same is true for Lehair for the run, but Beaugrand secured eight points in her first appearance of the season in Malibu and is favourite to repeat in NEOM, meaning Lehair’s margin for error will be reduced.