When indoor triathlon blows a fuse

The butterfly on show might not have been of the quality Michael Phelps produced in the London Aquatics Centre and the crowd size may not have rivalled that of the 2012 Olympics, but the 2,000 that did fill the stands for April’s Super League Arena Games final seemed thoroughly entertained.

Various reps of 200m swims, 4km bike legs on turb0s, and 1km runs on treadmills, make up this newest, hybrid, born-out-of Covid, format, and to succeed it dearly needs such audience buy-in.

It also needs characters like the USA’s Chase McQueen, whose impromptu fly in Lane 7 served as a release valve for his frustration at another tenet this concept can’t survive without – robust tech.

What happened to Chase McQueen in London?

Because, with a world title on the line, McQueen believed his treadmill went on the blink, and, for want of a better expression, threw in the towel. That much we know for certain, but ‘believed’ is the operative word here because Super League refutes there was a problem.

The organisers cite times from across the heats, repechages and finals, sensor calibrations before and after racing, and associated heart-rate data that could be compared with athletes’ earlier Arena Games races.

None of which is any consolation for McQueen who, having won in Montreal, topped his heat in London and produced the fastest swim in the opening stage of the final, was poised for a tilt at the title.

The incident sadly detracted from what is a gladiatorial test of swim, bike and run

Unfortunately, and against the background of Hungarian Zsanett Bragmayer struggling in the women’s final an hour earlier – and using the same treadmill – McQueen lost 21secs to leader Nicolo Strada on the first run; unsalvageable at this level, particularly as he’d have to return to the same belt twice more. Cue a few lengths of fly.

McQueen handled the setback with the same grace as he responded to a dunking by Alistair Brownlee that led to the Yorkshireman’s disqualification in the Leeds World Series race in 2021.

It belied his 24 years, and should boost his stock for bigger tests to come, but the incident sadly detracted from what is a gladiatorial test of swim, bike and run – just ask Ironman world champ Gustav Iden who battled to fifth place.

How is Super League driving innovation?

Perhaps more than any other tri organisation, Super League is driving innovation and fan engagement. Stylishly designed for close-contact broadcast, the format is repeatable so that races could take place at the same time in different locations, and covers an esport element that the Olympics is looking to embrace.

They’re also pushing technological limits knowing we’re far less forgiving of computer malfunctions than we are of real-world misfortune such as punctures. Some of that may be the concept’s nascency, but chiefly it’s because if there is blame it will rest squarely with the organisers.

That’s why Super League chief executive Michael d’Hulst’s top priority before the series was making the technology robust. The treadmill accuracy had even been optimised as part of an ongoing project at Leeds Beckett University.

What London proved was that as the showcase grows, so too does the scrutiny. Super League must retain and build the trust of athletes. It’s not just enough for the data to be accurate, there must be confidence in its precision. The Arena Games’ future depends on it.

Illustration credit: Daniel Seex