The final day of Super League Triathlon racing was spectacular with the Equalizer Stage 2 settling the final standings for the weekend.

This final race is a swim-bike-run-swim-bike-run with no gaps off a staggered start using the time gaps established in last Friday’s Swim Individual Time Trial. The field was spread across the course scrabbling for time and having to work hard to get back on terms with the leaders.

Having won the Eliminator on Saturday, Katie Zaferes went into yesterday’s racing looking to back up that performance and take the overall spoils for the weekend.

She was going to have to hold off a hard charging Rachel Klamer, who having performed out of her skin on the Saturday and was riding a wave of confidence into the Equalizer. Joanna Brown in third would also prove tough opposition once the racing began.

Taylor Spivey would lead the field out with a six-second lead on Yuko Takahashi but more importantly seven seconds clear of Zaferes.

Klamer 16 seconds behind Spivey but critically only nine off Zaferes.

Spivey exited the water first with the field close behind, Zaferes had closed the gap right up and a pack soon formed on the bike, Klamer was first off the bike and onto the run looking strong as the race unfolded.

As the athletes entered the second phase of the race it was Zaferes, Summer Cook, and Kirsten Kasper that broke away from the rest of the field, with Klamer chasing the group.

The lead was exchanged among the three until the final corner of the last run but in the end it was Zaferes who summoned the strength on the uphill finish to break clear of the other two and take the victory.

Kasper held off Cook to take second making an all USA podium for the final race of the weekend.

Zaferes said: That was hard, Kirsten and Summer they just pushed up until the end, and there were parts where I let a gap happen, and I needed to work hard to close.

“Up that last hill I just gave it everything I had and hoped it was more than what they had. It was as close as it can get I think – it’s what Super League is all about.”

Off the back of this weekend’s combined results, Zaferes was crowned champion of Malta. Klamer’s consistency over the two days meant she earned herself a second place with Kasper rounding off the podium.

In the men’s race, Richard Murray won the Eliminator on Saturday but would have his work cut out as he started 50 seconds down on the first off man off the pontoon, Henri Schoeman.

Vincent Luis started 11 seconds off Schoeman so was within striking distance with whoever taking the honours and being crowned Malta champion.

As expected Schoeman led out of the swim with Luis close behind.

Over the course of the race Luis slowly got on terms with Schoeman and they were side by side into the second phase of the race.  Murray was managing to avoid the cut off but was having a very lonely time around 50 seconds down, fighting to stay in the race but not making up time on the leaders.

Neither Schoeman or Luis were giving an inch until the final uphill drag when the latter broke free to take the tape and with it the championship weekend.

Just behind them Tayler Mislawchuk out sprinted Jonny Brownlee for the final spot on the podium, letting out a roar as he flew across the line.

Luis had not shown the type of dominance he had in Jersey but he’d worked hard for the victory never letting up.

“That was really tough, I want my bed right now,” he said.

“Henri was really strong today, he didn’t play tactics he just pushed hard. On the first run I was really suffering and I thought maybe I could just let him go and there’d be no more pain. I kept thinking about the overall ranking and I knew my sprint was a little bit better than his but after racing full gas you never know.

“I still believed in myself and gave it a final kick and it worked.”

A week’s rest follows Malta as Super League moves into Mallorca.