Sereno and McQueen Triumph at 2023 Arena Games Triathlon

American duo Gina Sereno and Chase McQueen have emerged victorious at the 2023 Arena Games Triathlon in Montreal. The Parc Olympique in central Montreal hosted the event, which marked the opening leg of the three-date 2023 Arena Games Triathlon World Championship Series.

The event featured a mass start 200m pool swim, a 4km Zwift bike leg, and a 1km run on an elliptical running machine in the first stage. The order was reversed for the second stage, which began with a 1km mass start run before a 4km bike and a 200m swim. The concluding Stage 3 opened with a Pursuit Start 200m swim, followed by the 4km bike leg and final 1km run to determine the overall winner.

Sereno dominated the indoor event, winning all three stages to beat Australia's Sophie Linn and Canada's Dominika Jamnicky to claim her first Super League title. "It was a really gruelling race, but having so many people in the crowd behind us cheering was awesome," said Sereno, who combines triathlon with working at NASA. "Having Sophie Linn in the race really pushed me as I'm used to competing with her. I'm so stoked to have won here. It's really special."

McQueen's win in the men's event was a closer-run contest, with the revitalised South African Henri Schoeman pushing the American all the way before finishing second. British newcomer Jack Stanton-Stock, 20, won the first stage of the day before claiming third overall.

The 34-year-old Lionel Sanders, one of triathlon's most beloved personalities, also made his debut in short-course and Super League racing. Sanders produced a course record 4km bike leg of 5:06mins, in what Super League described as one of the competition's most memorable cycling moments. Sanders would finish sixth overall, just 38 seconds behind McQueen in first.

"The Arena Games is so hard and brings the best out of everybody. It challenges you in ways that other triathlons don't. But the camaraderie and atmosphere in here are just amazing," said McQueen at the finish. "Even if I hadn't taken the win, I would've been so grateful that Gina came first. She's so talented and works so hard. To do this together is a dream."

The Canadian city of Montreal made its Super League Triathlon debut, with the Parc Olympique being one of the venues used when the city hosted the summer Olympic Games in 1976. The Arena Games 2023 series continues in Sursee, Switzerland on March 12 and London, England, on April 8.