Super League Malta: Men’s Eliminator – Stage 2

All the action from Stage 2 of the Men’s Eliminator competition from Super League Triathlon Malta.

The Eliminator tests the resilience, stamina and velocity of the athletes in a pressure-cooker format where field position proves key over timing. Athletes must finish high enough to not be eliminated whilst managing their effort against fatigue. Three stages of traditional swim-bike-run whereby athletes need to hold their ground and watch their backs in each stage to be eventually crowned as the most tenacious and tough athlete on the Super League Circuit.

Go we’re getting underway for stage two of the men’s illuminated this is where it starts to get really tight there is the boy about in the middle of the field and just through that kink on the pontoon it’s it’s closer if you’re at the far end that’s bear in trouble already

You dive straight in put his head up on his already in the back of the field and so yeah he’s not in a great position we see on the far side there Bank canoes going out well and in the middle of that initial shop who’s actually eating with

Shuman right in the middle of all that kind of right in the fight of it all and yeah I think yes Bishop is gonna be first at this yeah boy I don’t think many people would have predicted that I do think we’ll probably see Henry look he is actually fighting to get to

That first place you know he kind of left polyansky lead in the first round but this time he he wants to be up they wants to push it he wants to spread this field out and and make it tough for the guys behind him all right Tyler means

The Chuck and Henry squirming side by side behind them bent knut and then Vince Louie in the pink closes to you on the in fourth position and then behind there my whole bunch you can see Jonas Schaumburg he’s the big long arms and the classic triathlete stroke closes the

Screen and a beautiful shot they’re just showing exactly how well Henry Scoob and can do it when he puts his mind to it eh and sharp of Herrera at the two at the back of the field you look as sharp on the far right of screen Herrera is dead so that’s that

Shows just how tough that first stage was for them and and they’re not set themselves up for a good second one and that is exactly what the illuminator is about to it that stage on stage and conserving and being tactical and not having to bust yourself at any point

Because really ten minutes is not enough to come back from that and we’re seeing that from Joe Pereira who’s already 10 meters or more behind Henry Scoob and who’s doing it easy at the front Marie’s in a good position though for him you know some not necessary strength is in

That line there next to Schaumburg that were on him now that’s Hayden while to Marie’s right our left and Johnny on the outside this is the real kind of bun fight though back here that Schilling sharp and the prayer or who are the last three is still I mean it’s still called

I know there’s a bit of a gap there from the front four and then you know you can see they’re actually swimming quite smooth they’re in a good position and that gaps going back to the guys behind them who were all actually probably going to put quite a lot more effort in

And not something anywhere near as fast it’d be very very good around the boys he he just slides around them so well he sort of goes in together and then comes out of body length in front yeah so the the guy you see these guys trying to

Swim on so if we look at the first one two three four paint a newt they’re in fifth and Johnny’s there and sick there they know the danger that are in there looking up they know there’s a group of guys moving away in front of them and they’re desperately doing all they can

Just to get back in contact now it’s actually about swimming you know it’s not about fighting you know the fields kind of spread out a little bit and there’s comment you know Ben’s master swimming itself back onto that feat they’re in fifth place and he’s okay jimin’s gonna exit they were put water

First as he said and I’d expected to see him go pretty go pretty hard and I’ll be aggressive in his first half of the bike yeah Sean and Sean Bergen sick so why don’t ya Johnny there is Johnny laughter I think Murray’s actually lost a lot of time

Couple hundred meters you know where when it spread out and it actually came down to the swimming he lost quite a few places he’s just going to transition now all right as they come in a transition Henry Scoob and beats on Louis the two that lead our championship are also

Leading this one Tyler means the chap who’s having a great day out is in third bent canoe Jonas Schaumburg and last of all is yeah Pereira coming out and five of these men are going to be eliminated Johnny powering out Leo Berger a behind him there’s Hayden Wiles to working on

His sunglasses and some problems and a very poor transition and jump on the bike resume Herrera very bad transition there’s a lot of I mean if you look at I don’t know for example how she lost him put his feet in his shoes so I thought

He lost time trying to play speaking the shoes on that first foot but he did that afterward to me you know Murray was probably five seconds behind him and is now on his wheel because that shows how important transitions can be as we said Henry is taping this out pretty

Aggressively in Bangka knew who was in fourth position just got himself there at the end of the swim I was in fifth and it was made up now from a great bit about he was talking he was yelling and the alums of you he’s probably saying

Let’s go to group a far away it makes for a much easier run if he hasn’t weakness it is ease run so it makes it just much ensures that he gets through to stage three if they can get a break it’s their way or another group there

With marina ain’t wild looking to get on the back Matt sharp on brash feeling these guys are starting to be in trouble here and we’re going to have a little bit of time before we see our Pereira but at the front it’s at – jibiji bleeders in a group of four Johnny Blaze

No issues yeah he around a bit need to get all of it but well he’ll know as well that they been Knut run is a bit slower as well so they got a good chance of making some time up there if you wanted going hot into that corner those three guy but I’m

Not sure he’s front but that’s Murray second than that group and Johnny in third they went hot down that hill which is why that gap is actually pump right back down again yeah that Lea burger a with Johnny’s group was she would be very very happy if he’s with Leo he’s a

Technically nice it’s a good buy right around now underwriter absolutely yeah he’s been he’s been sick before jersey and he’s still finished in the super Sixers on sunday which is a finishing sixth position and he was unwell to start of this week as well but seems to have got himself right solid solid

All-rounder that’s he’s not a remarkable swimmer it’s good cyclist and not remarkable runner but he’s just good across all three and this kind of race of good guys that and that’s that shopper job while to say yeah this is the sharp this is where the races shilling yeah Ben’s been very very

Aggressive he wants to stay away he wants to keep this group away he’s probably counted is only seven going through and I count eight if you bring that last group in he hasn’t because he knows he hasn’t the strength and he knows that if he can if he can keep

These guys away he can get himself into the final if if some of those other guys come into it you can run you know just 510 seconds out of him then he’s going to go out there to sevens you’re serving as he can stay on it these guys are riding well those three

Are riding well together so it might not even be that bother about catching the guys and they’re just controlling it okay we’ve got paid and wild and really needs to make these next couple of laps on the bike count for it was a great

Bike rider and he has to make it hard to count been racing this like it’s a final yeah thing is he knows this is fires and way as you know he’s had a good rate if it was just a tape wild who’s in a difficult position just making the turn now hatin while

Jonas Schaumburg as well is finding the going tough Matt sharp Andre shilling in jail forever are your bottom five as it stands and Hayden wilds the man who needs to tack himself onto the back of the group and the back of Brownlee and who’s next to behind him Schilling

Maybes will there’s that nice burger a sober Dre is on the bubble and there is Hayden wild so there is the gap as it stands with what’s got one and a half laps on the run after this one and this is the third of four bike laps so

There’s plenty of time to do it but Haven Waverly needs to dig deep load up at the front now you saw them split out across the road which is a telltale sign and show slowing up so Bentall guy at the front again because he knows wilds a lot quicker runner than

He is and you’ve got Andres Schilling is a duathlon world champion a run bike runner so a solid runner himself and if I was Ben I wouldn’t be taking any chances now Johnny moves himself up to the front he he will have had a count and know exactly how many people are in

This group and know that potentially depending on what happens behind him there could be a little bit of danger he got caught up in the first stage and by Matt jang-mi stay away from matchup that’s the first thing he wants to do on the bike at least and it’s just easier

If you’re in the top three or four as well spreading out a fact around the corner only you can ya have to do a massive sprint every time you get around that bottom hairpin and they have lost time to the guys yeah and they’ve slowed

Up and we will put on the on the front again I think it’s gonna be close and that’s matchup Matt sharp is almost certainly at the picture now I think they’re not fact there’s a couple of guys yeah who a lot of these guys in the front are top runners I’d say probably

The bottom were few probably looking at Ben canoe it was official short yeah I’m Bergere to be fair but I mean but we’re all pretty good with us well it looks like wilds gonna just about get himself right ball handling skills it looks like he’s on shillings not far off either so he’s

Putting in a really good ride just the anxiety just goes straight up if you’re in that front group now because two were gone the question is how much does Hayden Wilde have left for the run he’s pushed himself very hard we know he’s an unindicted Xterra world champion he

Knows how to handle a bike and he knows how to climb a hill and he certainly showed that in this one but how much does he have left in the tank now that he’s managed to bridge the gap on to the back of Richard Murray and Leo boos

Right now we have a group of eight Andre shilling if he can find somewhere in the bike he might be able to tack himself on the back and make it nine and then two men two men from who are on your screen right now will not be going on to play

For everything Ptolemies lechuck’s had a great race yeah he’s just been in the right position the whole time and it’s made it really easy for himself you know he if he had such a good swim star and he hadn’t held that position it’d be struggling you know it’d be probably be

In no spot for you and fighting and you know the Hayden wild kind of not sure what he was doing those gesturing to the crowd the illuminated athletes there the scope feels and staff he needs to suck you know brother right exactly it’s not done yet

Yeah focus on the task in hand okay whatever gets you through the day I suppose might help him out and here we go down the hill for the final time and then inter transition and it’s one and a half laps on the round and it’s all to

Play for shillings doing his best to tack onto the back of wild as well shilling looked a lot different to these guys right and they look like aggressive they’re attacking it he’s just he’s ridden his own race here he hasn’t smashed it out the corners he’s just

Ridden his tempo he’s gone how well can I ride over the next whatever it is six minutes of riding he’s gone out and done it and he’s arrived at the end of the biker you know just a couple of seconds behind them whereas if he went really

Hard into the red and never recovered it actually been a lot worse position when you can see the what transy she’s doing the people is odds on that someone’s gonna have a small mistake it’s gonna be Johnny that’s a second time that’s happened – it must be slippery down

There on the carpet I’m not sure and that could change things for Andre shilling and for Hayden wild as well let’s see who Rory out absolutely clinically well hello subin birds right he made a couple of mistakes in Jersey but he’s just good enough to make up for

It I think that’s that that’s the difference here I think yeah that’s not what Hayden wild and chilly that they needed the best transitions are there if they if they want to have a chance of staying in touch all right probably dying over for Matt sharp and Gia

Pereira Jonas Schaumburg there as well he’s too far behind to make a difference but at the moment we have a group of eight if you want to include Andre shilling who is ten seconds back you can see that there hayden wild six seconds back off the leader so hasn’t quite got

It right but here is Johnny Johnny on the inside a meaner lien yeah you just didn’t know where the mount line yeah nice to see you passed judgment on your brother must be good I would enjoy that start well maybe feel a little bit guilty but only for a second

Not enough to stop you from doing you to give to me will bring in and commentate when you’re racing all right here we go there’s the toilet music ties that means the Chuck behind Johnny’s there as well Vince Louie Henry squirming and there’s your top five with Ben Knut just behind

Hayden wilds doing his best to bridge that gap first time up the hill they take the left turn at the top of molten Mountain and they’ll make the turn at the top of the course and we wanted out yeah he did the same on the one before

It he doesn’t like running in the middle of the group and I don’t know if that’s something normal Opie’s going uphill but yeah he doesn’t like being in the middle of the group I do wonder as well whether he he’s a bit bigger and frame and obviously run great in Jersey over that

Distance there you know he almost looks like he could be a really good mile runner well then this hill will be it make it a bit different for him I don’t know but we’re probably going to find out in the next race I don’t think I’d

World’s gonna be a job Ben can it needs to stay right in this group dragged along and because wild looks under a lot of pressure II doesn’t look as comfortably did you one stage one and Ben can get sucked along on this run and in qualify for the final stage yep seven

In that pack right now and it features pretty much all the big names Brownlee Murray mezcla Chuck Louie Berger eight Knut and scheming and flying down the hill Nina counts out to the MS Aiden while this is the only two I’m down the hill they’ll stop with a

Uphill run finish and I’m impressed with Tyler means the Chuck and what he’s managed to do so far in this Eliminator he’s played a smart game Johnny found himself he’s gotten over that little mistake he’s made two errors coming off the bike on the mount line today so far

But he’s managed to recover from both such as his quality the Olympic silver medalist I’ve been oppressed with been Knut to be quite honest with you I didn’t expect him I know at the fighters yeah it really is fighting and I was I was expecting a lot more from Haines while

When he got on I thought he’d be he drew a lot of confidence from that we saw him in Jersey run so well we saw him win stage one today and Ben’s been treating this like the final and that’s what you need to do when you’re in an

Eliminated position so they’re having to push a little bit harder this time you know they none of them want to be in the danger of being in the sprint so they’re definitely pushing a bit harder than didn’t round one but we saw where Mr Cook and Johnny actually went quite hard

Down the hill Schumann decided just to ease back and you know save his legs a bit which I think he’s probably a smart move that kind of really eccentric force going through your legs is the way to give yourself a massive muscle Don’s running downhill again if you want to go

For the race after but especially tomorrow they can’t ease up I don’t think wilds over I think he just looked at his face I think he’s gonna have one last run I think we saw him in Jersey four seconds four seconds to five you’ve got a 300 to

Far you got a 400 meters from here to the top of the course gonna drop out Knut well no one else is around he in so why round yeah well I can’t account grew there’s no way he’s gonna well it’s anyone you’re you are me let’s have

A look though there’s at times seven last time up the hill yesterday the crack now is that seven then they’re gonna go on at this point anyway Tyler Musil Chuck looks like the man he’s Johnny Bentley gonna finish second again and forgo another thousand dollars surely not these guys are running hard

Yeah and thank you is giving Ames everything but he’s eating now yeah catch it now yeah wild hasn’t made that big move out that corner that you would have needed to had would have needed a really spin all these Biggie’s on the bar just getting onto the back of that

Back in ptolemaida Chuck he needs a thousand bucks and he is off Carla Musleh talking he’s gonna get it and good on him he has played a great game here in States to appeal overnight a John take second once again screaming and marry the two South Africans Vince

Louie does an extremely French thing and just walks over the line with his French buddy why well I just he was that I don’t need to run it was easy I don’t need to run it was easy exactly was easy Titan Wald knows that his day is done and he’s

Giving it everything as well and he has been such a great addition to the super league lineup Andre a shilling as well comes up the high-fives as well the crowds really built here across the course of the day as the word has spread of super league triathlon Byrne Andre

Shillings day is done as well and he had a valiant race after a little mistake in transition in stage one and could only manage and therefore just on the cusp of the top ten Jenna Schomburg Jonas Schomburg finishes his world too far out and Matt sharp ooh he’s going to have

Words with joining tonight he finishes but he’s done extremely well as well to get either stage to 19 feet best athletes in the world and the pace is on and you can see that all over Matthew shops face absolutely hating wild there as well and Jeff Marrero who

He’s happy he’s having to do the job the so well to maggoty and drop the other two polyansky and Matt sharp but already that the race is on and this is where the race really starts for some of these guys well they’ve it now it’s the business

And this is the race that matters nothing else that’s happened before this counts it’s whoever wins this race wins wins the day so yeah you know the course you know all the turns you know where you where you’re struggling and you try and fix those and now the anxiety

Especially for people like me where you can’t swim so if you’re a weaker swimmer you start to get a little bit anxious about the less people in the water getting exposed and getting caught out there are you’re eliminated athletes and they have given it absolutely everything through to stage two and they’ll be

Looking forward to watching this one and all of our fastest split time members the fastest run from Jersey Germany Brownlee the fastest swim from Jersey Henry schemin the fastest bike excuse me who was fastest bike who’s in the green I forgotten already Richard Mayer at Murray I should Murray and the pink of

Vincent lui as our championship leader this is how it played out Henry screaming didn’t have the feet of Igor polyansky to swim off so he ended up leading it out after a little bit of a fight early on but it happened as he wanted it to and he led out of

Transition we’ve been something doing right behind and those two will be battling it out across the course of super league triathlon all the way to the grand final in Singapore in February Ben Knut really put in the hard yards on the bike and it worked out for him they

Created a group of seven hate and wild couldn’t bridge the gap and then he managed to run it in so let’s just see how spent Ben Knut is when it comes to stage three hate and wild managed to cross the bridge on the bike for a while

It was a mistake from Johnny Brownlee once again in transition but he recovered to a second place Richard Murray always looked so so comfortable on the run we saw that in the Eliminator which he won in Hamilton Island eighteen months ago it was won on the run but this time it

Was won on the run for title of Miss lechuck who’s got that winning feeling after taking a win in a World Cup race Grand Prix race re in Italy last week Gio Pereira he doesn’t care he was eliminated doesn’t matter he’s enjoying it as are the fans here in Malta