Speedy Spivey, Hauser’s Class And Team Tactics: Five Things We Learned From Super League Triathlon London

Super League Triathlon’s 2022 Championship Series kicked off in spectacular fashion as thousands of fans lined the streets in London to watch some epic battles.

Hayden Wilde and Cassandre Beaugrand made winning starts to the Series, while the Bahrain Victorious Scorpions sit top of the Teams Leaderboard.

But there was so much more to learn from the day SLT’s biggest ever Championship Series got underway.

We take a look at five things we learned from London 2022:

Hauser’s a genuine contender

For all the talk of Yee v Wilde in London, and the speculation that with Yee only a Wildcard in London that Wilde could walk away with the Series title, Matt Hauser proved he is a massive force to be reckoned with.

It’s easy to see why Tim Don was so keen to get him as his first draft pick.

He suffered with a controversial five second penalty that made it hard for him to get the win, but it was a truly remarkable show of strength to put that out of his mind and get back into it.

In Stage 2 he put 11 seconds into Yee and Wilde, and though it was the New Zealander that took the win, Hauser is only one point behind after one race and looks as though he is a real title contender.

Team Managers will be vital

In the build-up to London, Bahrain Victorious Scorpions manager Chris McCormack was being repeatedly asked whether he would give a Short Chute to either Georgia Taylor-Brown or Cassandre Beaugrand.

He consistently replied that he would probably give it to another one of his team.

Nobody believed him. But that’s exactly what happened.

Macca was in touch with Bahrain Victorious boss Michael Gilliam, who ultimately was the one who made the final call – to give it to Cathia Schär.

It was a work of brilliance. GTB and Beaugrand slugged it out at the front and both finished on the podium, while Schär’s Short Chute helped elevate her into a top ten finishing position.

Tactics are more vital than ever this year.

Speedy Spivey is Back

Taylor Spivey is a Super League favourite. She is without question one of SLT’s most experienced performers, but 2021 saw an understandable roller-coaster of a ride as she battled niggling injuries and the hurt of missing out on the US Olympic Team.

Well she is well and truly back in 2022.

Spivey was fantastic in London, showing that incredible all-round strength that has made such a weapon in these formats in the past.

She so nearly won it, but, vitally, she finished ahead of Taylor-Brown.

With Beaugrand only racing four events, the French star is hugely unlikely to figure for the Overall Leaderboard, so in real terms she currently leads.

Short Chutes can be blocked

The strength of the Bahrain Victorious Scorpions in the female field proved that team tactics on the course are also vital.

The Team Managers really took this seriously pre-race. There were meetings day after day as they and their charges discussed how to tackle the first race. While they would have learned a lot, the performance of the Scorpions was revealing.

They effectively led a tactical charge which saw them grab the first Short Chute with Taylor-Brown and Emma Jeffcoat dominating the swim, and then push the other teams out of contention for the next two. It meant they effectively won all three. In reality the rules mean they just get one, but, crucially, nobody else does.

Jonny Brownlee is FAR FROM a spent force

There may not be too many headlines when a born winner like Jonny Brownlee finishes fifth in a race, but this was a significant result.

After a long time out with injury after the bike crash at WTCS Leeds, nobody was quite sure whether Jonny would be up the front, or out the back.

He proved he still has top end speed, despite surely being a little rusty. And that only bodes well.

Jonny has always been a good Series player, but he knows he cannot fall too far behind while he plays himself into form.