Super League Triathlon London results 2022: Wilde repels gutsy Hauser

Outright favourite Hayden Wilde started his 2022 Super League Triathlon Championship Series campaign in perfect style with a win in London – but not before he was given a massive scare by a gutsy Matt Hauser.

Hauser appeared to be given a harsh penalty for a false start on the swim, which replays suggested should have gone to Eagles teammate Jamie Riddle, and it left him with a mountain to climb.

But scale it he did, so much so that he was in the lead when taking a short chute on the final run leg.

But Kiwi Wilde, racing for the Sharks, always had him in his sights and powered past to repeat his victory from 12 months ago, with home favourite Alex Yee (Rhinos) rounding out the podium in third.

Triple Mix Stage 1 – Swim, Bike, Run

It all started in controversial circumstances, with an Eagle definitely diving in early but it appeared to be Riddle rather than Hauser.

And it wasn’t just a five seconds penalty – Hauser had to wait at T1 until the last swimmer had exited.

Either way the Eagles at least took the short chute and prevented their rivals picking one up on the bike which was led by Emil Holm.

On the run the biggest guns of all came to the fore, with Yee just outsprinting Wilde and Jonny Brownlee.

Triple Mix Stage 2 – Run, Bike, Swim

Those believing Hauser was out of contention were forced into a rapid rethink as he roared back on Stage 2.

He helped drive a fierce pace on first the run and then the bike, with Max Stapley crashing out.

Pivotal to Hauser was the swim as he took 11 seconds out of his rivals and it was game on for Stage 3.

Triple Mix Stage 3 – Bike, Swim, Run (pursuit start)

SLT London 2022 Hayden Wilde photo credit Darren Wheeler thatcameraman and SLT — [Photo Credit: Darren Wheeler – That Cameraman / SLT]

There was virtually nothing between the Commonwealth Games one-two-three of Yee, Wilde and Hauser starting the final stage, with daylight back to the rest.

But this time – and perhaps because of those earlier efforts – Hauser wasn’t able to dominate the swim.

Wilde was right alongside him throughout in the water and also bossed the inner line.

Yee too had kept in touch but a glitch at T2 dropped him back and he would never regain contact with the front two, especially as the Rhinos had decided to give the short chute he won on the Stage 1 run to Vasco Vilaca.

Taking his own short chute, Hauser was briefly in the lead but it didn’t last long as Wilde’s run prowess took him to a dramatic victory from the battling runner-up.

SLT London 2022 Matt Hauser photo credit Darren Wheeler thatcameraman and SLT — [Photo Credit: Darren Wheeler – That Cameraman / SLT]

Yee was third and there was a fantastic sprint for fourth, with Tyler Mislawchuk just getting the better of Brownlee, while youngster Sergio Baxter Cabrera was a superb sixth on his SLT debut.