Following 2020’s inaugural SLT Arena Games in Rotterdam, the innovative format which mixes live and virtual racing returns on Saturday 27 March in London.
The SLT Arena Games London Powered by Zwift will see the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Aquatics Centre transformed into an indoor arena where athletes will race head-to-head in the pool that hosted the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic action.
The bike and run legs will take place in the virtual world of Zwift using static equipment, allowing for quick transitions between each discipline to bring sharp bursts of swim, bike, run activity. Competing over different rounds, the order of the disciplines will differ each time in a twist on a traditional triathlon.
Paratriathletes in the PTWC, PTS2, PTS5 and PTVI classifications will take to the arena first and complete two rounds of a 300m swim, 10km bike and 2km run.
This is the first time that paratriathletes have taken part in the Arena Games, with British athletes Michael Taylor, Finley Jakes, George Peasgood, Dave Ellis, Oscar Kelly and Joshua Landmann competing in the men’s race and Claire Cashmore, Lauren Steadman, Melissa Reid and Alison Peasgood competing in the women’s race.
On taking part in the Arena Games in London, Ellis said: “This is my first competitive race since before the pandemic hit and it’s a really exciting way to get back to action and won’t be like any race I’ve competed in before.
“The Arena Games is a brand new format for paratriathletes to race in, and it’ll be an interesting challenge to compete in the real and virtual worlds of the pool and Zwift within the same race.”
The triathlon action will be competed over three rounds of 200m swim, 4km bike and 1km run, and see 10 men and 10 women racing.
Speaking to Super League Triathlon, Charles-Barclay said: “It’s a bit of a test for me. There’s not a great deal of racing going on at the moment so any opportunity I get to race I want to jump into this year.
“I also think that whilst we can’t have crowds watching the event this time around, this kind of event could be massive for having huge crowds watching us. Despite not having crowds I think there will be an amazing atmosphere between the athletes and all of us suffering and battling it out head to head so I am looking forward to that.”
With the event taking place behind closed doors, viewers will be able to watch the triathlon action from the pool and Zwift live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website from 3pm, TriathlonLIVE.tv and on the Super League Triathlon website which will include highlights from the paratriathlon action.
Find out more about the event and watch the action live on the Super League Triathlon website below.
Photo credit: Super League Triathlon
