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Sophie Linn and Henri Schoeman take Arena Games World Championships

Beth Potter takes the women's title, while Gustav Iden overcomes two penalties to get fifth in the men's race

Photo by: Arena Games

Neither world champion won the final race of the Arena Games series, but Henri Schoeman’s runner-up and Sophie Linn’s third-place effort (she’s pictured above) were enough to net them the titles after today’s final race in London. Beth Potter proved that she is an Arena Games phenom, taking her fourth win in six indoor races, while Italy’s Nicolo Strada took the men’s win.

One of the biggest names in the London field, Kona champion Gustav Iden, had a dramatic weekend to get his fifth-place finish – he was given a five-second penalty in the heats for missing the race briefing, then found himself having to go through the afternoon repechage to earn a spot in the final. He picked up another penalty in the final for a transition violation.

Photo: Arena Games

Potter over Beaugrand

Great Britain’s Beth Potter and France’s Cassandre Beaugrand, the two women’s favourites heading into the London event, weren’t eligible for the overall world title as this was the only one of the three Arena Games races they were attending. They lived up to their billing, though, with Potter winning the first leg by 10 seconds, despite trailing Beaugrand out of the water after her record-setting 2:11 200 m swim split.

Beaugrand made up three seconds in the second leg, with Linn taking third and suddenly putting herself in a position to take the world title. In the final leg Potter got to head off ahead thanks to the time-trial format, and never looked back as she won by 22 seconds over the Beaugrand. Linn took third once again to nail the world title.

“I like this kind of racing as I do it a lot in my training, but I’ve also never actually beaten Cassandre at this and she was really tough competition today, so that’s the biggest win for me,” Potter said. “I held tight, stuck in and gave it everything.”

Linn’s runner-up finish in Montreal combined with her third-place finish in London was enough to get her the title. Montreal winner Gina Sereno took sixth in London, enough to get her the silver medal in the world standings.

World Championship final standings

  1. Sophie Linn – 659
  2. Gina Sereno – 589
  3. Rani Skrabanja – 579
  4. Emma Jackson – 564
  5. Olivia Mathias – 544
Arena Games Triathlon Grand Final 2023, London, UK Mens Podium on the 8th April 2023, at the London Aquatic Centre. Photo Jesper Gronnemark

Strada takes the day, Schoeman nails the world title

Strada won the first of the three final legs, with New Zealand’s Kyle Smith in second and Schoeman in third. Iden took advantage of the second leg starting with a run and bike, but couldn’t hold off Schoeman and Strada in the water and had to settle for third. In the final leg it was Strada who prevailed over Schoeman, with Smith taking third this time. Strada finished fourth in Switzerland, where Schoeman won, so he needed Schoeman to finish third if he was to win the world title.

Photo: Arena Games

“There are no words to describe it,” Schoeman said. “I just wanted to come back into racing and sharpen up my body, but I fell in love with this style of racing and I’m so fortunate to compete in front of such an amazing crowd here in London.”

World Championship final standings

  1. Henri Schoeman – 713
  2. Nicolo Strada – 698
  3. Simon Westermann – 610
  4. Maxime Hueber-Moosbrugger – 544
  5. Chase McQueen – 498