Hayden Wilde described his WTCS return as a “reality check” but also one that shows “anything is possible” after he finished 11th behind runaway series leader Matt Hauser.

Wilde of course had raced – and won – the day before in the T100 race on the French Riviera but typically he had no regrets in going for an ambitious double.

The New Zealander has made a remarkable recovery from a horror bike crash when he was hit by a truck in Japan in May – roaring back with a win in his comeback race at T100 London.

Having already won T100 Singapore before his injury layoff that’s now three wins and pole position for him in the battle to become the T100 World Champion.

But his hopes of following a T100 French Riviera triumph with a WTCS one were all but dashed in the frantic 56-man swim, the discipline in which he has been most impacted by his injuries.

He gave it everything on the bike though, riding pretty much solo to bridge up to the chase group but the gap to the leaders starting the run was still too big for both him and Olympic champion Alex Yee.

‘No excuses’

Speaking to World Triathlon’s Doug Gray afterwards, Wilde was still all smiles and looking forward to his next hit out at WTCS Karlovy Vary in the middle of this month, part of what he called a “diabolical” September schedule for him, with two WTCS races sandwiching the next T100 event at Oropesa del Mar.

Wilde said: “I loved it and being out there again with the boys – but it was a good reality check. Of course I wanted to do the double and give it a good crack and it was just nice to be within the race.

“I think I’m just not ready for these guys yet. Like, there’s no excuses around that.

“These guys swim on a completely different level and I just wasn’t there today. Of course I might have some fatigue from Saturday, but even so, I think overall I had a very good bike. The legs were actually very good. I was pushing some of my best numbers and then I still ran off the bike super well.

“So it’s just nice to come back and know that the little things are there and everything’s there. And then we can go back heading into Karlovy Vary and focus on some things in the water and come back stronger.”

‘I just love racing too much’

Asked whether he had any doubts about taking on both races in one weekend – something he could also do at WTCS / T100 Woolongong depending on circumstances – it was clear there were none.

He replied: “No, I think I just love racing too much and I love a good challenge – and this was a good challenge.

“Obviously a lot of people out there were thinking that I was a bit crazy and what is he doing? But, hey, it was a good hit out and I haven’t run that fast since the crash.

“So it was really nice to get the legs ticking over a little bit like that. And you know, it just shows that anything is possible and you can back up and compete with the best in the world – it was nearly a top 10.

“So, I’ll take that and now we’ll push on from here and see what we can do in Karlovy Vary.”

In terms of Wilde’s chances of being in contention for a first world title, that is now a longshot as his victory at WTCS Abu Dhabi was – somewhat bizarrely – only worth 750 points rather than the 1000 that were on offer for the same-distance Sprint races in both Hamburg and French Riviera.

But strong performances in both Karlovy Vary and then Weihai on 26th September could yet see him challenge for a podium spot.