WIN
A 3-NIGHT STAY AT
CLUB LA SANTA
ENTER NOW
Club La Santa

Learmonth and co set to turn up the volume as Arena Games hits London

Jess Learmonth is set to return to Arena Games action in London this weekend and is looking forward to experience the format in a venue packed with fans. 

Learmonth, who won Olympic gold for Team GB in the mixed relay last year, missed out on the Arena Games opener in Munich a fortnight ago but will compete before what is virtually a sell-out crowd at the London Aquatics Centre.

Speaking on the Arena Games Triathlon Shorts / Short Chute podcast powered by Zwift, Learmonth admitted she had not been convinced about the format beforehand. 

Advertisement

Clear potential

But having competed in and won the inaugural one-off Arena Games race in Rotterdam 2020, she soon saw its potential. 

Super League Triathlon Arena Games Rotterdam 2020
Photo: That Cameraman / Darren Wheeler / Super League Triathlon

Learmonth said: “At first, I thought ‘surely not, how is that going to be entertaining for people?’ 

“I was really up for the pool swim because I’m game for lane ropes and I think we should have them in triathlon. If everyone had their own lane ropes, we’d all be fine! 

“When we got there, I couldn’t believe it, because it was Covid as well. When you imagine how good it was and then you think what if there were actually crowds there? 

“They made the spectacle so good. I just thought this is brilliant. How good is it that it is all in one place.” 

Advertisement

Easier to relate

Part of the attraction, according to Learmonth, is the way supporters are able to see the action so close at hand and watch triathletes doing things they could attempt at their local sports centre. 

She said: “People who are watching can see how fast you swim and relate to it because they will get in a pool that’s 50 or 25m long.  

“On the bike, they may not know how much we weigh, but they can see what watts we are putting out.  

“Then on the run, we’re on the treadmill, so it’s so much more relatable to the people that are watching, I think, rather than watching people swimming in a lake and thinking ‘she might not be going fast’. 

Super League Triathlon Arena Games Rotterdam 2020
Photo: That Cameraman / Darren Wheeler / Super League Triathlon

“I think it was brilliant and I am really excited to see what it will be like with the crowds.”  

Beth Potter dominated the women’s race in Munich but is set to face a tougher-looking field in London on Saturday.

Not surprisingly there will be a strong British presence, including Georgia Taylor-Brown who famously won that Mixed Relay gold alongside Learmonth in Tokyo last year and then went on to pip her to the overall Super League Triathlon crown.

Avatar
Written by
Ed Mezzetti
Latest News
Rebecca Clarke photo credit Korupt Vision for IRONMAN
IRONMAN 70.3 Taupo: Start time, preview and how to follow live
Marc Dubrick Casper Stornes Sam Long Indian Wells 2023 podium photo credit IRONMAN
Sam Long celebrates 30th career podium after third place at IRONMAN 70.3 Indian Wells
Fenella Langridge 2 winning GWM IRONMAN Western Australia 2023 photo credit IRONMAN
PTO World Rankings: Langridge moves up – but not due to first IRONMAN win
India Lee wins the Challenge Championship in Samorin 2023 [Photo credit: Activimages / Challenge Family]
India Lee rounding off a year to remember at 70.3 Bahrain with the ‘Brit Pack’
Challenge Barcelona 2023 - Photo Credit: Jose Luis Hourcade
IRONMAN 70.3 Bahrain: Start time, preview and how to follow live