After Success in Toulouse Supertri Still at Crossroads

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Good morning everyone,

I always thought I had a full-distance race like an IRONMAN in my future, and then I lived with someone who is actually training for one! 😲

Here at Tempo HQ we’re having Brazilian triathlon legend Reinaldo Colucci staying with us as he prepares for the upcoming IRONMAN World Championships in Kona. I’ve been in awe of seeing him head out the door for his third run of the day and 200km+ bike rides. His work ethic is nothing short of exceptional.

• OK, maybe I’ll get in a full-distance race someday, but for now, I’m happy to just witness the work needed to get there!

In today’s edition:

• 🔀 Supertri sees success in Toulouse, but series still at a major crossroads.

• 😴 Your sleep is critical for recovery, so here’s how to wake up better tomorrow.

• 🧂 And with electrolytes booming, do you really need them as much as people say?

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Have a triathlete in your life who can't stop swimming, biking, or running? Fire this off to them. Forwarded from a friend? Sign-up for free.

ONE BIG THING

Nothing To Lose as Supertri Toulouse Signals Series at Crossroads

What is it: This past weekend the fourth round of the action-packed Supertri series hit the French city of Toulouse.

• Amongst the homecoming for Olympic heroes and the thrilling on-course action, the race also signaled Supertri’s push for growth amidst a cutthroat endurance landscape.

Women’s race: The Supertri Enduro format always brings plenty of drama, and Toulouse’s turn was no different. Before the gun went off there was intrigue as some athletes opted to wear wetsuits on the first swim, while others hoped a faster transition would set them up for a stellar day.

• After the first round of swim/bike/run, Kate Waugh (Crown Racing) and Jessica Fullagar (Brownlee Racing) had taken a distinct lead over the chasing pack that included Georgia Taylor-Brown (Crown Racing) and Taylor Spivey (Stars and Stripes Racing).

• Olympic champion Cassandre Beaugrand (Crown Racing) found herself on the back foot early and would need a monumental effort to get back into podium contention.

As the second round wore on a fantastic four of Waugh, Fullagar, Taylor-Brown, and Spivey worked together to build an insurmountable gap over the rest of the field.

The four would stick together through the final swim and bike. But on the run, Taylor-Brown showed why she had won the previous two Supertri events as the Brit bounced away from the pack and took a commanding win in Toulouse.

• Spivey would finish in second, while Waugh would take the final podium spot.

• Meanwhile, after a devastating first leg, Beaugrand would battle back to take fourth, but upon finishing was disqualified for having her helmet unbuckled in transition.

Full results

Men’s race: After the show put on by the women it was time for the men to deliver the drama. And with the technically demanding Toulouse course, along with an electric crowd, the stage was set.

• After the first round of the Enduro, the entire field was still together. Hayden Wilde (Crown Racing) was hoping to make it three Supertri wins in a row as he dove into the water for the second round in the lead.

A serious shakeup occurred in the second swim, and after heading onto the bike a breakaway duo of Vincent Luis (Crown Racing) and Kenji Nener (Podium Racing) laid down the gauntlet and started the run with a gap.

• Behind, Vasco Vilaca (Stars and Stripes Racing), Tim Hellwig (Stars and Stripes Racing), Leo Bergere (Podium Racing), and Wilde were pushing hard and closed the gap to the leading duo on the run.

• On the final swim, Wilde would once again take the lead.

With the six athletes sticking close on the bike, it would all come down to the run. After the first lap, Luis would drop off, then Nener. With only 200m to go Hellwig put in a massive attack that only Vilaca could follow. Vilaca then finished with a spectacular final burst, and celebration, to take the win.

• Hellwig followed in a close second, while a one-shoed Wilde finished in third.

Full results

Team standings: It was a rock-solid weekend for Stars and Stripes Racing as they took the most team points in Toulouse. Crown Racing still has a comfortable overall lead but with 1.5x the points on offer at the Grand Final in Neom - and $375,000 for the first-place team - we could still see a seismic shift in the rankings.

• Crown Racing - 323

• Podium Racing - 309

• Stars and Stripes Racing - 271

• Brownlee Racing - 226

Toulouse trajectory: With pre-race activations including a school visit and a well-attended fan zone/team presentation, it was clear Toulouse was a community Supertri had been hoping to invest in. And with the announcement that starting in 2025 they would be organizing the mass participation Toulouse Triathlon alongside the flagship Supertri League race, the relationship looks to deepen further.

• The 2025 edition of the Toulouse Triathlon will feature Sprint and Olympic distance races.

Tempo’s take: After a challenging year for Supertri that saw them lose the ability to host a triathlon in Malibu (that they purchased for over seven figures), and the inability to host the New York City Triathlon (another seven-figure purchase) due to scheduling issues, the Toulouse announcement seems like a much-needed boost.

But will it be enough for the short-course triathlon startup to gain traction in an extremely competitive endurance market?

T100 Triathlon is starting to hit its stride, and like Supertri is making its inroads in the lucrative North American market. Plus, the ever-present IRONMAN, with a renewed energy from recently hired CEO Scott Derue, is making its races provide more value than ever to participants.

• If 2025 sees Supertri bring back Malibu and New York, and stage a successful debut in Toulouse, then it’s game on. If more setbacks lay ahead, it could be game over…

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FAVORITES

🧂 Electrolyte extravaganza: Electrolytes are everywhere these days - even in coffee! But do you really need them as much as people say? If you’re sweating, absolutely! In your coffee? Hard no. [The Guardian]

🩱 New suit goofin: Having trouble getting back in the pool? A fun new swimsuit from Blueseventy could be all the motivation you need to jump back in! And don’t forget to use code “TEMPO20” for 20% off at checkout! (Also available in the U.K.)*

😴 Level up your sleep: Good sleep is the best form of recovery from hard training. But many of us aren’t getting enough and we’re paying the price. The usual suspects, like a cooler room can improve sleep, but apparently having a clean room can also help?!? Read this and sleep better tonight! [Outside]

🔄 Learn to flip turn: Flip turning can make your swimming a lot more seamless. But it can be difficult to pick up if you didn’t grow up in the pool. This video is a great resource for finally learning how to turn! [My Swim Pro]

🚲 Indoor training dialed: For many of us, indoor training season is just around the corner. So if you’re looking to level up your pain cave check out this video and see how a couple of top triathletes dial in their indoor setup for a long and successful winter of training. [TTL]

*Paid partnership

REEL TIME

Sorry kids…it’s race week! 🤣🤣🤣

Link to reel

YOU SAID

Here’s what Tempo readers said about how they got into the sport. We love these, thank you for sharing!

QUICK NEWS

Yee jury duty: Olympic Triathlon Champion Alex Yee had to miss out on his latest battle with rival Hayden Wilde because he had to head to the court for jury duty! [TRI 247]

Expanded partnership: Precision Fuel and Hydration will be expanding its partnership with IRONMAN in 2025 to include Europe, South Africa and Oceania events. [Bournemouth Echo]

RIP Elena: Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Russian triathlete Elena Smirnova who tragically passed away at last weekend’s IRONMAN Barcelona. [EA Daily]

RACE WEEKEND

IRONMAN Barcelona

Jan Stratmann (GER) and Marta Sanchez (GBR) took strong wins in Barcelona.

Full results

Challenge Vieux-Bocau

Daisy Davies and Jack Hutchens made it a British sweep of the top step.

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TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• How did Blueseventy improve its iconic Helix wetsuit? Backwards shorts! 

• Why you should train faster, but not harder! (Vol. 1)

• An athlete’s harrowing account of the IRONMAN Ireland tragedy.

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