Brownlee Racing lit up Toronto’s waterfront this weekend, claiming a dominant double win as the Supertri League made its Canadian debut. Belgian breakout Jolien Vermeylen and Olympic champion Alex Yee powered to undisputed wins for Tim Don’s new squad, staking an early claim on the team leaderboard. Saturday’s eliminator‑style pro showdown lit the fire and Sunday kept the heat alive with age‑group racing, the Triathlon Ontario Cup Series, and the lively 10KTO road race, pulling the wider community into the spectacle.
Vermeylen’s breakout win
The women’s eliminator race unfolded in three furious stages of swim, bike, run, each whittling down the field as the last two finishers were cut before the next stage. On the final leg, Vermeylen surged past France’s Léonie Périault and Cassandre Beaugrand, seizing a narrow lead with less than a kilometre to go and holding on for a two‑second victory. Emma Lombardi and Jeanne Lehair rounded out the top five, while reigning star Georgia Taylor‑Brown, still finding form this season, settled for sixth.
“I didn’t expect that,” Vermeylen admitted at the finish, grinning through disbelief. “There were so many incredible women on the start line. After the first stage I wondered if this was a very bad tactic for me, but I’m so happy that the team did well.”
Yee’s lightning return
In the men’s race, Olympic champion Alex Yee reminded the triathlon world why his run speed is so feared. Fresh off a 2:11 marathon in London, this was Yee’s first triathlon of the season, but he raced like he had never left. Crisp transitions and a final run surge left Hungary’s Csongor Lehmann and Portugal’s Vasco Vilaça to round out the podium.
“It’s nice to be back in the fold,” Yee said. “You always wonder if you’ve lost it after a break, but I loved every second out there. The crowd and the venue were amazing.”
The double podium marked a dream start for Don’s Brownlee Racing outfit—though not without setbacks: Jonny Brownlee was eliminated after Stage 1. “I think I made every mistake in the book today,” he said with trademark honesty.
A bold Canadian debut for Supertri
Toronto’s course, based around Ontario Place and Exhibition Place, offered a fast, open profile with a 200‑metre bridge run to transition adding drama to each stage. The event opened the four‑stop 2025 Supertri League, which continues in Chicago (Aug. 23), Jersey (Sept. 21) and Toulouse (Oct. 5).
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“It’s great to be in Canada. This is Supertri in action with our professional League event yesterday and the Toronto Triathlon By Supertri today,” said CEO and co‑founder Michael D’hulst. “It’s been a really good turnout—people were inspired and motivated, and today everybody was pumped to do the mass‑participation event. We had a great running event, the triathlon sprint and Olympic‑distance races. It’s only our first year running the Toronto Triathlon and I see massive potential to grow it. This is a shout‑out to everybody to sign up and join us next year. We have a free first‑timers program, so no excuses—join us!”
With a weekend that blended world‑class racing and increasing participation from the local community, Supertri’s Canadian debut delivered a sporting spectacle and continued the tradition of racing in Toronto’s iconic downtown and waterfront areas.
The post Brownlee Racing strikes gold twice at Toronto’s Supertri debut appeared first on Triathlon Magazine Canada.