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One island, 25 Olympians and £100k up for grabs... Tomorrow, Jersey welcomes the Super League Triathlon to the marina for an intense weekend that will push athletes from around the world to their limits.
Express meets the athletes and answers your burning questions…
Super League is a triathlon with a twist – made with great views, great entertainment and even greater prize money at its core. Athletes from all over the world have flocked to the island to try their hand at winning $1.5million in prize money in a unique series of short-course races this weekend.
Video: What is Super League? This video explains all...
The event will truly put a spotlight on Jersey. Millions of viewers from around the world will tune in via the ESPN and DSPORTS live streams and social media, while there will also be highlights shows broadcast on international networks.
Senator Lyndon Farnham, the minister who has been responsible for setting up the triathlon described it as “an honour” for Jersey to host the race, and wished all athletes the best of luck.
Athletes including 25 Olympic medallists – including Team GB’s Jonny Brownlee – and Jersey’s own Dan Halksworth will take on the Triple Mix on Saturday, which involves three alternating stages of swim, bike and run.
Video: An introduction to the Super League race course.
On Sunday, things get brutal: ‘The Eliminator’ will only allow the fastest to survive. There will be three stages of swim-bike-run, with athletes finishing below a certain threshold being eliminated. Stage one will see the starting number whittled down to 15 and stage two will only let the top 10 compete for the ‘Eliminator’ title.
There's another added twist - athletes got to draw each other's starting positions from a box. Some chose tactically and put their opponents in 25th place at a 302m disadvantage, while others were kind. Jake Birtwhistle (Australia) was the one lucky athlete that chose himself - and naturally went with first place.
Cycling and running stages of the race can be viewed around the Castle Quay area, while the triathletes will make a splash in the swimming stage through Elizabeth Marina.
Pictured: Elizabeth Marina, where spectators will be able to view the race.
Saturday:
Sunday:
Athletes from as far afield as Australia, Canada and the US will be competing, as well as a strong bunch of top names from across Europe.
Men
Spain’s Mario Mola – a man without a mean word for any of his competitors – is a strong contender, but it was South Africa’s Richard Murray who took the first event on Hamilton Island last time round.
If you’re sticking with Team GB, watch out for 18-year-old GB athlete Ben Dijkstra – he might have only just finished his A Levels, but this youth Olympian has spent a lot of time training and won’t go down without a fight.
Video: Express caught up with Jonny ahead of the race.
For Brit supporters, Olympian Jonny Brownlee is likely to raise a strong crowd reaction. His brother Alastair is out of the game after an operation this year, so will instead take on a commentator role – something Jonny says he’s not sure he’s looking forward to.
But don’t forget Jersey’s own superstar – Dan Halksworth, who has the good fortune of having been selected to start in fourth position.
Women
The ladies’ side is dominated by strong names – Non Stanford (GB), Emma Pallant (GB), Emmie Charayron (France) to name but a few. Switzerland’s Olympian Nicola Spirig has just had a baby, but is already keen to bounce back on track. Canadian Desirae Ridenour will make for an interesting watch – at just 17 years old, she’s an athletic prodigy, and had the added advantage of starting in fifth position.
Video: Jodie Stimpson speaking at a press conference on Friday.
But it’s likely Jodie Stimpson who will have the most eyes on her – the Team GB athlete’s multiple international wins make her a fearsome competitor, even if an Olympic qualification has so far eluded her.
There’ll be a dedicated fanzone with food, drinks, snacks and live entertainment in the form of a DJ from 9:30 until 18:00 on both Saturday and Sunday.
Pictured: The 40 metre street art wall has been set up by the Fan Zone.
Local creatives GOOGSI, Kid Midnight and Bokra have created a 40metre 'Super Wall - Street Art.' Designed specifically for the event by the Fan Zone, the wall features the three disciplines of the triathlon and some of the athletes. It also includes a photo station for the perfect selfie opportunity. Revealed on Friday, the wall attracted the eye of many passers-by but none were more impressed than the competitors themselves who came down to sign it. It is hoped that some parts of the wall could be auctioned after the event.
Pictured: The triathletes in front of the wall.
If you happen to watch the action by the Radisson, keep an eye for the 'Power Zone,' a 60 metre digital video wall l video created by GOOGSI, Crystal Dinosaur, Submarine Creative and Ekho. Before the races the wall display a one-minute countdown with original graphics and music created by local artists. During the races it will also play orginal graphics and musics specifically designed for each discipline. The wall is set up just before the finish line and is sure to make the final metre interesting for the athletes.
Pictured: The Power Zone video wall is 40metre long and will display original graphics and music.
Both installations are the product of a GOOGSI call-out to all Jersey artists, opening the doors to a collaboration of artistic talent and ideas. The videographer wanted local artists to be indolved to open up opportunities and have genuine Jersey pieces of work on public display.
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