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As Boston Beckons, supertri Hopes for Prosperous U.S. Pivot

Dynamic supertri League begins, introducing Tempo Technique, and how caffeine improves your carb uptake!

Author

Matthew Sharpe
August 13, 2024

Good morning everyone,

I’m really excited to let you all know that we are finally launching our swim technique analysis service - Tempo Technique!

  • Our goal? Give athletes access to affordable and world-class swim technique analysis. 

It’s another chapter in our Tempo journey, and if you’re looking to swim like you were meant to, we’d love to have you join us!

In today’s edition:

  • 🏆 supertri League kicks off amidst massive U.S. triathlon pivot,

  • 🏊 Introducing Tempo Technique, our swim stroke analysis service!

  • ☕ And can caffeine improve your absorption of carbohydrates?

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Headshot of Matt Sharpe

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.

TEMPO TECHNIQUE

Swim Like You Were Meant to With Tempo Technique!

For many triathletes, swimming can be an exercise in frustration. And if you’re new to swimming, it’s often the least enjoyable part of the sport! 

  • Have you plateaued in the pool and just can’t find that next level of swimming performance? Tempo Technique is here to help you break through!

Matthew Sharpe and Kirsten Kasper - our Olympian analysts - with decades of triathlon-specific swimming insights, will help you swim faster and more efficiently with:

✅ Personalized stroke insights tailored to you.

✅ Education of key triathlon swimming principles - like how to breathe better!

✅ Consistent and purposeful feedback.

ONE BIG THING

As supertri League Begins in Boston, Short Course Organization Hopes for Prosperous U.S. Pivot

What is it: This coming weekend marks the opening round of the 2024 supertri League - a global triathlon series stacked with recent Olympic medalists and other short-course triathlon superstars.

  • The athletes will be battling on the streets of Boston, hoping to set up themselves, and their teams, for Championship glory.

A critical step: For the series formerly known as Super League Triathlon, this weekend is a crucial first step in the organization’s massive pivot to North America.

After announcing their intent to, “make short course racing in the U.S. cool again,” Supertri went on a shopping spree. In 2020, they purchased the Malibu Triathlon, and shortly after the iconic Chicago and New York City triathlons. But the expansion hasn’t been an easy endeavor;

  • In January, the former race director of the Malibu Triathlon, who sold the event to Supertri, won the only permit to host a triathlon in Malibu, effectively killing Supertri’s seven-figure investment.

  • And in February, Supertri announced that the 2024 New York City triathlon would be canceled due to scheduling issues.

Franchise first: This season will also be the first in supertri’s history to feature a franchise model. In recent years teams have been a feature of the Championship Series, however, the franchise model allows investors to purchase a team, similar to other professional sports like the NFL and NBA.

  • Under a franchise model, owners are “empowered to evolve their teams into distinct brands,” and promote the growth of triathlon.

This season will feature four distinct franchises:

Shipping up to Boston: Hosted alongside the community-favorite Boston Triathlon, the supertri League race has no shortage of talent as recent Paris Olympic medalists including Cassandre Beaugrand (FRA), Alex Yee (GBR), Hayden Wilde (NZ), Beth Potter (GBR), and Leo Bergere (FRA) will be highlighting the event.

  • The series will then head to Chicago, London, and Toulouse, before finishing the League Finals in Neom, Saudi Arabia.

Tempo’s take: As a supertri alumn, I have a soft spot for the organization. They’ve done incredible work evolving the sport with new and innovative race formats, while also shining a light on the incredible talent of short-course athletes.

I’ll be on the ground in Boston as my wife will be competing for Stars and Stripes racing. So I’m looking forward to seeing how the weekend unfolds on and off the race course.

  • For the athletes, it’s an opportunity to showcase their incredible talent in an exciting race format. For supertri, it’s the beginning of a massive organizational bet.

How to watch: Watch on triathlonlive.tv or on YouTube. The action starts at 12:30 PM EST Sunday August 18th.

What would make short course racing cool to you?

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FAVORITES

☕ Caffeine boost: Caffeine is a proven endurance performance enhancer. But can it also improve how you absorb critical carbohydrates while training and racing? Yes, and this article explains why! [My Sports Science]

🥵 Shoe temperature: Running in extreme hot and cold conditions can affect your muscles and tendons. And apparently, it can also impact the foam in your running shoes! [GTN]

🧁 Muffin madness: It’s the chocolate muffin Olympic athletes were going crazy for, so it’s no wonder it went viral! Now, the recipe is available to the rest of us, no Olympic qualification required! [New York Times]

🥉 Duathlete of destiny: Last year, Georgia Bell (GBR) was the Age Group Duathlon World Champion. Now, she is an Olympic bronze medalist at the 1500m. Read her incredible story here! [TRI247]

REEL TIME

They should really give folks a little more advanced warning! 😱😆

YOU SAID

After Tomas Rodriguez Hernandez received a provisional ban for doping, we asked Tempo readers if they thought doping was widespread in Pro/Age Group racing.

Reader: I am sure that the dopers that are caught are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. I feel that even the AG winners should be drug tested. Anyone caught doping should be banned from our sport for life. No exceptions. The same holds true for those caught cheating by cutting the race course.

Reader: I believe that the use of PED’s, both legal and illegal, runs rampant throughout professional and amateur triathlon. I’ve seen so many extraordinary performances from age group athletes throughout my 25 years of triathlon that I find it hard to believe they didn’t have “help”, either thru a Therapeutic Use Exemption or just outright use of a banned medication. I have only seen one age group athlete tested (and he was banned) during all my years of racing triathlon.

Reader: If an age grouper wants to take PED's for their own performance so what. Especially in the older age groups where the body can't handle training loads as well.

Tempo: This is an interesting take. A huge reason for anti-doping measures is to prevent athletes from taking substances that could hurt or kill them. But what if certain substances, in healthy doses, could help athletes train and compete for longer?

Reader: I think there are pros who cheat (and sadly always will be but hope we will do a continued better job of catching), but the age group doping is WORSE. it’s disappointing, annoying and there’s a huge double standard. The number of people who take WADA banned substances and say “but my doctor said it’s ok,” but don’t get a TUE is massive. it’s cheating, plain and simple.

Reader: It’s a shame that dug testing among age groupers is nonexistent. I realize that we’re not winning prize money, however I would like to know if the guy who obliterated the rest of my age group was real or enhanced through pharmaceuticals.

Reader: It's so hard to know. Back in the 80's there was a professional triathlete who's roommate accidentally found PED's in the home they were sharing. I was told about it by the roommate years later. It was never reported and the guy won a few big races. As one of the early pros I didn't even think it was a thing back then. With increased prize money I'm sure there are at least a few bad apples. The sport definitely needs more widespread testing.

Reader: It's massive in AG, if we consider 15-25% of AG are doping (based on some sports polls throughout he years), but no one cares about it anymore. Covid killed the only widespread petition that was ever done. In the Pros, my belief until 2 years ago was that the sport was basically clean (huge, huge majority of it). Since Hawaii 2022, this opinion has evolved a bit. With the increased money, lots of infos swirling around, and a few amazing performances, I think doping is there but still limited to a few bad apples (at the top or near the top--which is the problem). If not eliminated, Pro LD Triathlon is in big trouble, because others will be encouraged to join.

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE
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  • How non-negotiable training can level up your performance! Plus: Women’s specific performance. 

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