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Super League Triathlon Reveals Latest Star-Studded WildCard Line-up; Including recent World Champ Iden

By September 12, 2019
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by Super League Triathlon Media

Super League Triathlon (SLT) has announced the first ten triathletes to have secured its acclaimed Wildcard spots for the coming season. The illustrious group includes Olympians and a Commonwealth Games gold medallist, as well as some of the most talented young stars currently on the global triathlon scene.

With RBC Super League Triathlon Jersey on 28-29 September 2019 – the first event in the series – the Wildcards will take their place on the start line, alongside the top-ten ranked male and female athletes from last season and the nine Golden Ticket winners from the three Qualifier events.
A TRULY GLOBAL WILDCARD FIELD

Kristian Blummenfelt – Norway
Kick-starting the international Wildcard lineup is Norway’s Kristian Blummenfelt. The current 70.3 record holder and winner of this year’s ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in Lausanne returns to compete against the world’s best, hoping to better his thrilling third-place finish at SuperLeague Jersey in 2018. A Scandinavian powerhouse, Blummenfelt’s ‘never say die’ attitude and attacking mindset is optimised for the short format racing.

Vicky Holland – Great Britain
With a wealth of experience and a bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, Team GB’s Vicky Holland is a master at fast swim starts and blistering transitions. Edging out current SLT Champion Katie Zaferes to secure her maiden senior ITU World Title last year, the exhilarating battle is set to continue on the SLT circuit this season.

Matthew Hauser – Australia
Travelling halfway around the world to make his Super League debut in 2019, Matthew Hauser is one of triathlon’s up and coming talents. At just 21, Hauser won his title as 2017 Mixed Relay World Champion in Hamburg and has already secured a Commonwealth gold medal, where his performance in fast-moving formats, such as those in SLT, is sure to cause concern to the established stars in the field.

Sophie Coldwell – Great Britain
One of the most competent swimmers in the field, Sophie Coldwell will be a real threat once again in Super League, where power in the water is of such importance. At 24 years old, Coldwell’s gutsy style and aggressive racing technique will quickly oust anyone thinking they can cruise to a podium at Jersey in September.

Marten van Riel – Belgium
An impressive fourth place in Super LeagueMallorca in 2018 showcased Marten van Riel’s true potential. An outstanding swim and bike rating according to the SLT performance indicator, Van Riel is extremely focused and always looking for that chance of a breakaway on the bike course; his presence in 2019 could be a real game-changer.

Georgia Taylor-Brown – Great Britain
Lighting up the international triathlon scene with some incredible results, Georgia Taylor-Brown is in the form of her life. Returning to the SLT Championship Series following her fourth-place finish in Jersey last season, Taylor-Brown put in an exceptional performance at the World Triathlon Olympic qualification event in Tokyo this summer, crossing the finish line first with fellow Briton Jessica Learmonth. Taylor-Brown has a genuine goal of standing on the top step of the podium at the culmination of the weekend’s racing.

Gustav Iden – Norway
Having been crowned the new Ironman 70.3 World Champion just last weekend, Iden is a surefire trailblazer in the global triathlon arena. The 23-year-old secured his first national title aged just 18, before going on to achieving international success in 2017, taking World Cup gold in Karlovy Vary after posting impressive bike and run splits. Further World Cup wins in Lausanne and Weihai in 2018 followed by a strong effort at the 2019 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final coming in at fourth place, has all but cemented the young Norwegian’s reputation on the triathlon scene and makes him one to watch at RBC Super League Jersey.

Emilie Morier – France
Completing the latest international Wildcard lineup, Emilie Morier continues to show impressive form and great potential ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games. After a blinding summer, winning the 2019 ITU Triathlon Mixed Relay World Championships in June followed by a landslide victory crowning her U23 World Champion in August, Morier will enter her debut SLT season this September.
Island Rivalry
Hand-selected as Wildcard entries for RBC Super League Jersey, Channel Island duo Ollie Turner – a Jersey native – and Guernsey’s Josh Lewis, will be ultimate rivals as they go head to head at the end of the month, all in the name of local pride and superior bragging rights. At just 21, Turner is one of the Channel Islands’ biggest sporting prospects and after a strong 17th place finish in SLT 2018, he’s fully focused on making the most of the home advantage. Looking to spoil the party, former professional swimmer, Lewis, is a relative latecomer to triathlon but with a recent string of impressive results under his belt, he has great potential in his first Super League Triathlon.
Image L-R: Ollie Turner, Josh Lewis
Michael D’hulst, CEO and co-founder of SLT, said: “Super League is delighted to confirm a truly spectacular Wildcard lineup for this series. Each athlete has been chosen on merit, either because we have seen some fantastic progress in their career, or they are great crowd pleasers and as such, add to the entertainment value for our spectators.

“Made up of Olympic and Commonwealth Games medallists, World Champions, and record holders, our Wildcard entrants will really add to the SLT spectacle at Jersey and throughout the Championship Series. For RBC Super League Jersey, we’re also delighted to welcome two of the Channel Islands’ most talented individuals in Ollie Turner and Josh Lewis. Facing-off in front of a home crowd is sure to capture the hearts and minds of local spectators, whilst giving both men the chance to not only shine on the international stage, but also face off against one another in their very own race within a race.”

Further Wildcard entries are yet to be confirmed, so watch this space for more information and a full athlete lineup.

Visit superleaguetriathlon.com for information on RBC Super League Jersey and all upcoming SLT events.
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