Matt Hauser, such a gutsy second in the SLT Championship Series opener in London, went one better as he claimed a famous win in Munich.
The Australian, racing for the Eagles, again had a deficit to make up – though not through an incorrect penalty call this time – and he didn’t move to the front until the moment when it mattered, the final run leg.
At that point it was a five-way battle between five different teams and five nationalities but Hauser emptied the tank to see off Vasco Vilaca and last week’s winner Hayden Wilde.
The Enduro format saw three back-to-back triathlons (all in swim-bike-run order), with no breaks in between and here’s how it all panned out…
Stage 1 – Unlucky start for Brownlee
It was the Sharks’ Tayler Reid who both exited the water first and claimed the first short chute which Wilde would later use.
On the bike there was a real tussle to grab the second one, with Valentin Wernz snatching it for the Rhinos (it was handed to Vilaca).
But losing ground on the leg was Jonny Brownlee after a dropped chain which he managed to get back on and by the end of the run he was up to fifth, with Wilde now leading the way.
Stage 2 – Nener in the mix
Kenji Nener led out after the second swim, but Hauser, Brownlee, Vilaca and Wilde were all in touch.
But it was Wilde who went all in on the second run as he looked to repeat his London heroics and that gave him a ‘cushion’ of five seconds – plus a short chute – on the rest by the time he dived into the water for the final time.
And worth pointing out what a huge swim was coming up for Hauser, who was 14 seconds down at the end of Stage 2.
Stage 3 – Thrilling finale
Hauser again delivered when he needed it most – his swim time of 3:34 compared to 3:40 for Vilaca and Nener, 3:44 for Brownlee and 3:54 for Wilde.
It all meant the front five had it between them and on the penultimate leg it was Vilaca who put the power down on the bike to lead virtually the whole way round.
But coming into transition he almost lost control of his bike before racking it, a stunning rescue keeping him right in contention.
He and Wilde took their short chutes at the start of the run but lurking just behind was Hauser, with less than half a second separating the front trio.
But Hauser would prove strongest as he put daylight between himself and the others to take the victory which moves him into the overall Championship Series lead.
Vilaca – who had to ride Georgia Taylor-Brown’s bike last week when only 11th – chased him home for second, with Wilde third.
Brownlee took fourth despite his earlier bike mechanical, while Nener was fifth.
Super League Triathlon Munich 2022 results
Sunday 11 September 2022 – Enduro – Elite Men
- 1. Matt Hauser – 15pts
- 2. Vasco Vilaca – 14pts
- 3. Hayden Wilde – 13pts
- 4. Jonny Brownlee – 12pts
- 5. Kenji Nener – 11pts
- 6. Tayler Reid – 10pts
- 7. Emil Holm – 9pts
- 8. Dan Dixon – 8pts
- 9. Chase McQueen – 7pts
- 10. Valentin Wernz – 6pts
- 11. Shachar Sagiv – 5pts
- 12. Max Stapley – 4pts
- 13. Richard Murray – 3pts
- 14. Sergio Baxter Cabrera – 2pts
- 15. Tyler Mislawchuk – 1pt
Overall standings after Munich (round two)
- 1. Matthew Hauser – 29pts
- 2. Hayden Wilde – 28pts
- 3. Jonny Brownlee – 23pts
- 4. Kenji Nener – 20pts
- 5. Vasco Vilaca – 19pts
- 6. Tayler Reid – 18pts
- 7. Chase McQueen – 13pts
- 8. Alex Yee – 13pts
- 9. Tyler Mislawchuk – 13pts
- 10. Shachar Sagiv – 12pts
Overall team standings after Munich (round two)
- 1. Scorpions 164pts
- 2. Sharks 148pts
- 3. Cheetahs 125pts
- 4. Rhinos 125pts
- 5. Eagles 115pts
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