Team Europe clinch Collins Cup with machine-like performances

Team Europe clinch the Collins Cup with some machine-like performances. They took advantage of a game plan that fitted the course and their athletes, never panicked and forced Team USA and Team International to need a miracle on Saturday. They didn’t get it, and as a result the Euros have won the inaugural Collins Cup. 

Have you ever noticed that events seem more predictable after they have already happened? Before the Collins Cup took place, most were able to offer a guess as to the outcome, even though there was really know way to actually know what was going to happen. 

And yet, happen it did, as favourites Team Europe romped home to secure a comfortable points win.  

None in their wildest dreams, could foresee the toing and froing on the leader board in the early stages which was set in motion by USA’s short course Olympian Taylor Knibb who demolished her rivals and it did not settle down until Europe’s women Emma Pallant-Browne and Katrina Matthews won their respective matches in the latter stages. With the first two mens matches being won by Jan Frodeno and Gustav Iden it was evident that Team Europe were in the business of pulling a winning performance out the bag  

The Collins Cup was dramatic at the mid-point stage with USA leading by points on the scoreboard and for all intent and purpose at that point looked as if they run away with the Cup. But in the end, Team Europe rode clear to a 42.5 points victory over second place Team USA on 31.5 points while Team International picked up the ‘Broken Spokes’ trophy for finishing last on 25.5 points. 

Round Up of Women’s Matches – Position and Points:  

The United States team certainly made the winners earn their victory with a downhill string of early positional and time-gap points, but in a flurry at the end, the Euros took the trophy  

Round Up of Men’s Matches – Position and Points:  

Points Explainer 

For each of the 12 race matches, points are awarded as follows: 

Winner: 3 Points 

Second place: 2 Points 

Third place: 1 Point 

Bonus points are awarded to every 2-minute margin athletes beat their opponents by. 

+2 mins diff 0.5 Points 

+4 mins diff 1 Point 

+6 mins diff 1.5 Points