Arena Games Triathlon Singapore: Yee is World Champ, Wilde wins the day

Second place today at the Arena Games Triathlon Finals powered by Zwift saw Great Britain’s Alex Yee match the feat of Beth Potter, to become eSport Triathlon World Champion.

It was his good friend, Hayden Wilde, who took the win at Marina Bay Sands however, as Yee battled it out with Justus Nieschlag for the debut edition of this world championship.

Stage 1: Olympians rise to the top

Starting with swim/bike/run, Munich winner Aurelien Raphael (FRA) was incredible in the water, pulling six seconds clear against some of the best swimmers in the sport. A brilliant start – which he immediately lost by a mistake in transition, taking the wrong route. Pressure can do strange things – and minutes later he was tenth of ten during the early stages of the bike. His title chances were gone.

The super runners of the race, Wilde (NZL) and Yee (GBR), are not the absolute best in the water – but they made light of that. Last out of the water, Yee was second onto the curved treadmill, just five seconds behind Arena Games debutant, Wilde. Those boys can also ride hard!

Arena Games Triathlon Finals Singapore - Hayden Wilde — Photo Credit: Darren Wheeler – That Cameraman/SuperLeague

They were just four seconds apart at the finish, but a whopping 18 seconds clear of London winner, Justus Nieschlag (GER). As for Raphael? 10th and last, 44 seconds behind and his dreams of a world title crushed.

19 year-old Daniel Dixon was performing superbly. Having won his repechage to qualify for the final, he was level with Marten Van Riel, 24 second back in mid table.

Photo Credit: Paul Miller/Superleague Triathlon

Stage 2: A swim sprint finish

As you were at the beginning of stage 2, a run-bike-run reverse triathlon, with Wilde and Yee the first off of the opening 1km run and onto the bikes. Having not raced in Munich or London, Wilde was not in contention for the World Championship title, but Yee was looking good, having pulled clear of Nieschlag.

On the bike, the Olympic bronze medallist was leading the individual silver medallist, but Nieschlag was riding well and moving through the field. With this stage ending with a swim – and Justus the strongest in that discipline of the trio – the championship title was still up for grabs. Up front, Wilde was taking to the Arena Games format like the proverbial duck to water.

Wilde would hit the water nine seconds clear, but there was little between Yee and Nieschlag. A quick transition on the long run to the water played to Alex’s advantage, knowing the Justus would, surely, be hunting him down like a pacman chasing cheese…

He did just that, and the pair also passed Wilde too, the trio hitting the timing board with one second of each other at the finish.

Dixon, again, was impressing. Just six seconds back on two Olmpic medallists, he took fourth on the stage.

Stage 3: Wilde wins, Yee the champion

Here were the standings ahead of the Stage 3, pursuit-start, swim/bike/run event:

Arena Games Triathlon Singapore Men Pursuit Start

Yee made light of the three second deficit to quickly bridge to Hayden Wilde – but behind, Justus Nieschlag was closing in on both. This was going to be a cracking final stage to decide today’s event and the World Championship destination.

16 seconds back at the start, Justus was just six seconds down starting the bike. It really was game on. Wilde had been the bike king in stage 1 and 2 and would need to show that again.

While Wilde and Nieschlag were looking focussed, the pain was clear on the face of Yee – not that appearances create or lose watts, or course. Caught in the swim, Wilde was back into his domain on the bike and dropping the big power, his advantage was soon into double figures in seconds terms. The win was going to be his.

The battle for the eSports title however was going to be between Yee and Nieschlag. The winner between them today, would take top spot, and with a five second lead over the German heading to the treadmill, he was the hot favourite on that score.

Wilde was untroubled on the run for the win and Nieschlag couldn’t produce enough to match the foot speed of Yee. It was a British double of eSports Triathlon World Champions in Singapore.