Alex Yee wins dramatic finish in Super League Triathlon Championship
Olympic gold and silver medallist Alex Yee (GB) won the Super League Triathlon Championship Jersey in a dramatic finish producing a late rally to take the win away from compatriot Jonathan Brownlee who took silver and Hayden Wilde (NZ) who lost gold in the final stretch of a sprint finish taking bronze.
The first part of the triathlons did not favour Yee but this is a race of three back-to -back triathlons so tactics plays an important part in the ‘Enduro’ race and Yee saved his best for last with a good swim and bike on the final triathlon leg leaving him in a great position to apply his running prowess.
Pre-race favourite World Champion Frenchman Vincent Luis made all the front running in the first leg triathlon claiming the first Short Chute at the end of the initial swim, with Brownlee, Wilde, Van Riel (BEL) Vilaca (POR), Rider (USA) and Hauser (AUS) all in contention.
The second leg triathlon saw the Frenchman Luis in a spot of bother not being able to keep pace with the bike pack of Wilde and Brownlee and group of six others including Yee who finished the run all in contention.
Onto the final leg triathlon, out of the swim and onto the bike it was Wilde pushing the pace with Van Riel, Wilde, Nener, Brownlee and Yee all holding their own. Wilde was on a mission to win as he set off with a furious pace on the run. But Brownlee and Yee were running Wilde down as they approached the last 400 metres and as they hit the black carpet it was all down to a sprint finish with Yee breaking the tape first with Brownlee second and Wilde third.
As for Jonathan Brownlee, after describing his short-course career over after the Olympic nothing could be further from the truth on this performance as this Championship proves to be very productive weekend not just financially but proving to himself, he is still a top contender for a gold medal in the Paris Olympics 202
