NEOM: The NEOM Beach Games launched its third edition on Sunday with the much-anticipated Supertri NEOM event, which drew 1,000 international triathletes, coaches, and team officials.
The opening competition featured Olympic gold medalists Cassandre Beaugrand and Alex Yee, who claimed victory in the women’s and men’s Supertri NEOM categories.
The event served as the season’s finale of the Supertri League, with Georgia Taylor-Brown and Hayden Wilde emerging as champions for 2024, while Crown Racing triumphed in the teams category.
Jan Paterson, managing director of NEOM Sport, highlighted the significance of this year’s event, saying: “The launch of NEOM Beach Games for the third consecutive year reflects NEOM’s commitment to providing a unique environment that enables emerging and competitive sports talent.
“It fulfills NEOM’s aspirations to build a global, multicultural society, with sport acting as a bridge between peoples and cultures. The success of Supertri NEOM highlights its aspiration to become a premier destination for high-performance sports.”
As part of NEOM’s broader mission to support the development of triathlon, Supertri partnered with local initiatives like the Stars of Tomorrow program, allowing young Saudi athletes to train alongside elite Olympic and world champions.
Race weekend activities included school visits, clinics with professional triathletes, and training sessions for officials, underscoring NEOM’s commitment to empowering the Saudi Triathlon Federation and fostering homegrown talent in the sport.
Supertri CEO and co-founder Michael D’hulst praised the event’s success, saying: “(It) was a fitting conclusion to a spectacular season, delivering thrilling racing in an incredible setting. It has been a brilliant Supertri League season, and I am very happy that we were able to finish it again in NEOM, bringing a unique blend of entertainment and inspiration.
“I am proud of the work we’ve done together with NEOM to grow and develop the sport in the Kingdom and look forward to continuing to build on this legacy.”
The action continues this week with the FIBA 3x3 World Tour NEOM 2024, which is set to begin on Thursday.
