Georgia Taylor-Brown won the Super League Triathlon grand finale in Saudi Arabia to defend her overall title.
The Olympic gold and silver medallist and 2021 Super League champion overtook Sophie Coldwell in the final 100m to take the tape, with Beth Potter in third and Taylor Spivey in fourth.
After visiting London, Munich, Malibu and Toulouse, the five race series had come down to a head-to-head between Taylor-Brown and Spivey.
The pair started the race in Neom on 56pts each, meaning barring a crash or injury it was a straight shootout between the two.
Taylor-Brown's form meant she started as the favourite in the nonstop Enduro format - comprising three continuous supersprint swim, bike and runs. She also enjoyed a dominating victory when the Enduro was last used in Munich.
“It means an awful lot. It’s been a long season," said Taylor-Brown. “We’ve had five incredible races and I’m just so happy to come out on top.
“You never know what to expect with Super League, it always changes and it’s sometimes just pure luck! But I kept my head down and can honestly say I’ve given every single race my all.”
It was also an emotional farewell for European champion Non Stanford, who was competing in her final ever triathlon having announced her retirement earlier in the year.
What happened in stage one of the Enduro?
Emma Jeffcoat led out the first 300m swim to gain valuable team points for the Scorpions, who were lying second to Michelle Dillon’s Sharks after the first four events.
The Australian also picked up a short chute, which could be given to any of her team-mates, including Taylor-Brown, later in the race.
The one-lap 4km bike leg was a mixture of compacted gravel and desert highway as Coldwell quickly surged to the front and held the gap to take the second short chute for the Cheetahs.
Potter cut into the lead over the 1.6km run, but Coldwell held her position until the end of the first stage and thwarted the Shark picking up a vital short chute.
Cassandre Beaugrand put in the quickest run leg to earn more bonus points for the Scorpions and cement her place as the series overall run leader, as both Taylor-Brown and Spivey remained in contention as they headed into stage two.
What happened in stage two of the Enduro?
Coldwell was clearly having a good day as she led out the second swim.
Potter then made a break on the bike ahead of a chasing pack of four including Taylor-Brown, Spivey, Coldwell and Nicole Van der Kaay as the race began to break up and back markers eliminated through the 90sec rule.
Potter held a 5sec lead out onto the run, but the five soon came together as they headed into the final swim, bike and run with all to play for.
Steinhauser and Casillas were just under 10sec back with everyone else 30sec or more adrift as Jeffcoat and Sophia Green were both eliminated.
What happened in stage three of the Enduro?
Coldwell was back in front to lead out the swim knowing she needed to stay within one place of Potter by the finish to avoid being overtaken for third in the overall rankings.
Taylor-Brown tucked in on the bike to save her legs for the run, but her task was made more difficult when Scorpions’ team manager Michael Gilliam inexplicably handed their short chute to Beaugrand.
Coldwell did take her short chute to take an early lead, but Taylor-Brown made a move on Spivey to put herself into second, before serenely cruising past her fellow GB triathlete to take the win.
Super League Triathlon Neom Results
- Georgia Taylor-Brown 49:50
- Sophie Coldwell +4sec
- Beth Potter +8sec
- Taylor Spivey +12sec
- Nicole Van der Kaay +15sec
Super League Triathlon Final Standings
- Georgia Taylor-Brown 76pts
- Taylor Spivey 70pts
- Sophie Coldwell 57pts
- Beth Potter 52pts
- Verena Steinhauser 44pts
Top image credit: Darren Wheeler - That Cameraman/Super League Triathlon
