BCA Super League Triathlon Bali – Macca’s Super 6 Predictions
Crunch time! Qualification for the second global series of Super League Triathlon racing is about to begin, and we have some hungry professional athletes looking to dine at the top table!
Chris ‘Macca’ McCormack has been studying the form book and analysing the start lists to produce a group of contenders he thinks will be fighting it out for their Golden Tickets!
“The fight for qualification in Bali is going to be fierce with more professional athletes than ever before looking to gain entry into the series. The racing will be off the charts! With this in mind, I have selected the athletes you can see below to be my picks as the leading contenders” Macca
Woman’s Field
1. Felicity Sheedy-Ryan (AUS)
Felicity Sheedy-Ryan is the stand out talent in this women’s field and one of the most devastating and experienced triathletes on the planet. As a world duathlon champion, she carries lethal run speed, and this type of racing will suit her style. Her wealth of experience will leave a significant impression on this professional race.
2. Erin Storie (USA)
Experience and knowledge of what to expect go a long way in this kind of racing, and Erin Storie has precisely that. The formats over the weekend will suit her lethal run speed, and with a beach swim, she may well benefit from the increased swell.
3. Danielle De Francesco (AUS)
Expect her to be right off the front from the gun utilising her massive swim and great bike power. She still lacks a little bit on the run, but this will improve as she spends more time exposed to the world’s best. She must survive the Equalizer Run TT on Day 1, but experience in this style of racing can pay dividends!
4. Maighan Brown (AUS)
Under the tutelage of Australian triathlon legend Craig Walton, she is destined to be a star of the future. She might be a little green on the international racing front and the intensity of SLT may well be a surprise, but she has the talent. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a breakthrough performance from her this weekend in Bali.
5. Sandra Dodet (FRA)
The French thrive in this style of racing, they grow up with similar formats and their high-performance programme is geared towards success in this kind of pressure cooker. They are light years ahead of the rest of the world in the evolution of the sport, and because of this, we are seeing success. A culture of excellence breeds a culture of success; the French will be awesome because that’s all they know.
6. Claire Adorna (PHI)
A top triathlete of the Philippines, Maria Claire Adorna has seen her fair share of success. She finished third in the 2014 New Taipei ASTC Triathlon Asian Cup, second in the 2015 Unilab Active Health’s Tri United in Subic, and won the first gold medal for her country in the 2015 Southeast Asian Games. She certainly has the pedigree behind her to find success at SLT, so don’t be surprised to see her fighting at the front.
Men’s Field:
1. Raphael Aurelien (FRA)
With their high-performance programme and refined approach to this type of racing, the French have identified very quickly that Super League is the best pathway to skill development and Olympic success. They are ahead of the game in every way and sending their talent to these events is the right approach. Raphael Aurelien is bred from this high-performance programme and will be right at the pointy end of things.
2. Ryan Fisher (AUS)
Australian Olympian with experience of Super League from both Hamilton Island and Jersey, he recently made the switch back from long course racing to be part of the explosion that is SLT. His focus is now to get a contract, and if he is on-form, he will destroy this field.
3. Tommy Zaferes (USA)
Part of the Super League journey since it started, Tommy Zaferes is a massive swimmer with immense bike strength and a solid run. He has the race wits and experience to put himself back in the series, and knows precisely what it takes to be successful in these two formats. He will set the racing up with his massive swims so look for him to be all over the front of this event.
4. Jumpei Furuya (JPN)
His inexperience with the big formats and the intensity of this style of racing was evident in Singapore where he was wild-carded a spot. The advantage of the Bali event is this course is less skill-driven and may allow these weaknesses to be covered up. Jumpei could shine if he backs off the bike speed and allows his other disciplines to be stronger. If he gets a contract, this is something he will have to work on a lot. This is not the WTS – this is next level.
5. Pierre Le Corre (FRA)
An Olympic athlete who’s finding success after success, Pierre Le Corre knows how to race. He recently won the 2018 European Championships in Glasgow and is now looking to secure his place in the upcoming Super League Season. This man has talent, a swimmer since he was six, he has the skills and racing brain to be dictating terms in Bali.
6. Andy Wibowo (INA)
An experienced athlete with years of competition behind him, Andy Wibowo is the only Indonesian male to have ever raced Kona. Formerly a swimmer, having represented Indonesia at the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, he now focuses on triathlon. He knows he has the swim speed, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him string it all together and book his slot!
Macca’s Super 6 are decided. However, will he be proved right? There are no certainties with Super League, anything can and will happen on course. All we do know is it’s going to be a nail-biting weekend of non-stop action!
Pay close attention to all of our channels as things start to heat up in Bali and the qualifications begin!
Check out the full startlists HERE!
