French Athletes Dominate Day One at Super League Jersey

French athletes Cassandre Beaugrand and Vincent Luis were impressive on the first day of racing at RBC Super Leauge Jersey on the island of Jersey, U.K. Both athletes endured an intense three-stage format that saw eliminations at every step. Read the recaps from Super League below. Next up, the athletes will compete in the Enduro format—which sees athletes compete in a swim-bike-run-swim-bike-run-swim-bike-run without any break.

Women’s Race

Stage 1 (Swim, Bike, Run)
Cassandre Beaugrand held her nerve to claim the victory in the Women’s Triple Mix on the first day of the RBC Super League Jersey. The 21-year-old was on top form throughout the three-staged technical format, taking the lead at the end of every stage.

This first stage saw the athletes race in their familiar swim-bike-run format, diving off from the pontoon in the Elizabeth Marina. Young Sophie Coldwell (GBR) was first out the water after an incredible swim, which saw her take advantage of the new “short chute” reward: a shortcut onto the course from the transition area awarded to the first athlete to reach the dismount line.

Jodie Stimpson (GBR), Rachel Klamer (NED ) and Georgia Taylor-Brown (GBR) put in fast bike performances, but it was Beaugrand and Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) who put in the fastest runs. Beaugrand crossed the line first to trigger the 10-minute break across the field and Gentle finished just one second behind the French leader, with Kirsten Kasper (USA) in third at the end of this epic round.

In Triple Mix, anyone who falls 90-seconds behind the race leader at each transition is cut from the competition. Falling victim to this brutal rule at this stage were Vanesa De La Torre (MEX), Erin Storie (USA), Danielle de Francesca (AUS), and Klaudia Sebok (HUN).

Going into the third and final round and mixing it up once more to a bike-swim-run format, the athletes were given a staggered start depending on their finishing position in the previous round. Beaugrand looked comfortable throughout this final Triple Mix stage, being awarded the “short chute” going into the swim, saving her valuable time. Zaferes’ strong bike performance saw her move up positions to challenge Beaugrand going into the swim, but Beaugrand didn’t let her form drop as she transitioned from the water into the last run. She ran to her SLT victory eleven seconds ahead of course-rival Zaferes, who ran through the pain to claim second place.

Gentle battled Kasper to claim the final spot on the podium and the 27-year-old American had to make do with fourth place. Stimpson kept on the heels of Taylor-Brown throughout this final leg, and it would be the West Midlander to finish one place ahead of Taylor-Brown for fifth place.

Stage 2 (Run, Bike, Swim)
After the 10-minute break, the athletes were back in competition; now in a mixed-up format of run-bike-swim. Gentle was first out the transition area and onto the bike, but USA’s Katie Zaferes put up a fight on her bike, delivering the round’s quickest time in the saddle. Beaugrand, Taylor-Brown, and Kasper put in sensational running performances, which saw them finish this second round, in this sequence, to trigger the final 10-minute break.

Sarah Alexander (USA), Elena Danilova (RUS) and Megan Foley (USA) all finished their disciplines in this stage outside of the time rule and therefore were unable to move into Stage 3.

Stage 3 (Bike, Swim, Run)
Going into the third and final round and mixing it up once more to a bike-swim-run format, the athletes were given a staggered start depending on their finishing position in the previous round. Beaugrand looked comfortable throughout this final Triple Mix stage, being awarded the “short chute” going into the swim, saving her valuable time. Zaferes’ strong bike performance saw her move up positions to challenge Beaugrand going into the swim, but Beaugrand didn’t let her form drop as she transitioned from the water into the last run. She ran to her SLT victory eleven seconds ahead of course-rival Zaferes, who ran through the pain to claim second place.

Gentle battled Kasper to claim the final spot on the podium and the 27-year-old American had to make do with fourth place. Stimpson kept on the heels of Taylor-Brown throughout this final leg, and it would be the West Midlander to finish one place ahead of Taylor-Brown for fifth place.

“It’s such a big event and I really didn’t expect to win,” said Beaugrand. “I knew Katie Zaferes would be very strong. It was hard but I feel really good.”

Female Triple Top Three Final Results
1. Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA) 1:01:44
2. Katie Zaferes (USA) 1:01:54
3. Ashleigh Gentle (AUS) 1:02:08

Men’s Race

First Stage (Swim, Bike, Run)
With the Women’s Triple Mix race setting the tone for determination, grit, and tactics, it was now the men’s turn. After great sporting performances from the likes of Mario Mola (SPA), Vincent Luis (FRA), Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) and Jonny Brownlee (GBR) in recent weeks, the Men’s Triple Mix winner would be anyone’s guess. Jersey’s very own Ollie Turner was racing in his first Super League Triathlon to a cheering home crowd.

Like the women’s race, this first stage saw the athletes race in their familiar swim-bike-run format; and it was South Africa’s Henri Schoeman who took charge in the water, putting in the fastest time for the round, with Luis hot on his heels. Schoeman took advantage of the new “short chute” reward: a shortcut onto the course from the transition area awarded to the first athlete to reach the dismount line. Blummenfelt put in the only sub-seven-minute performance on the bike in this stage but Schoeman’s lead could not be touched, as he triggered the 10-second break when crossing the line first. Blummenfelt and Luis ran through the line in second and third.

The Triple Mix’s brutal time rule means that those who fall 90-seconds or more behind the race leader after each discipline is not allowed to continue the race. Seven athletes ended their race day at this point, with Luke Schofield (AUS), Jack Felix (USA), Arturo Beltran (VEN), Taylor Reid (CAN), Nathan Killam (CAN), Mauro Cavanha (BRA) and Jersey-boy Ollie Turner all falling victim to this rule.

Stage 2 (Run, Bike, Swim)
Schoeman’s Stage 1 win meant he had no time penalty going into Stage 2’s run-bike-swim format. There were strong bike performances across the field, with last year’s SLT champion Richard Murray (RSA) making up time against the race leaders to get the “short chute” going into the bike leg and maintained the lead to be awarded it once more going into the swim. However, his lead dwindled due to a slow swim and Schoeman and Luis were able to catch up. Schoeman powered through to claim the Stage 2 victory, with Luis and Murray behind him.

Due to the incredible speed of the race leaders in the second stage, eight further athletes were cut and could not make it to the third stage: Matthew Sharpe (CAN), Igor Polyanskiy (RUS), Sylvain Fridelance (SUI), Joao Pereira (POR), Andreas Schilling (DEN), Jonas Schomburg (GER) and Jayden Schofield (AUS). Jake Birtwhistle (AUS) suffered a crash but was able to continue his ride, however didn’t make up the time and could not progress into the final stage.

Stage 3 (Bike, Swim, Run)
Just 11 athletes took to the bike-swim-run stage, where they once again had staggered starts depending on their previous stage positions. Blummenfelt and Murray both cycled hard but were unable to make up the time from their time penalties. Luis pulled ahead of Schoeman on the bike to claim the “short chute” going into the swim. The Frenchman didn’t let up in the water and the win was his for the taking, as he high-fived the crowd down the final straight, making it a double-win for the French, following Beaugrand’s victory in the women’s Triple Mix. Schoeman and Blummenfelt followed suit to take the other two podium spots, and it was Great Britain’s Jonny Brownlee who beat Murray to finish in fourth place.

“It was an amazing race,” Luis said of his victory. “I try to make it look easy but it isn’t really. It’s fast and furious, and that’s how I like it. Everyone is really aggressive – it’s how I learned triathlon so I’m used to it. It’s just so fast so you have to stay focused or you crash. You can be dropped so easily, and if you are dropped, you’re down. For sure I’m going to try and make it two gold medals by tomorrow.”

Male Triple Top Three Final Results
1. Vincent Luis (FRA)  0:56:07
2. Henri Schoeman (RSA) 0:56:19
3. Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) 0:56:43