RECORD BREAKING ZWIFT GAMES DELIVERS BIGGEST CYCLING ESPORTS EVENT IN HISTORY, AND CROWNS 8 NEW CHAMPIONS
Freddy Ovett and Kathrin Fuhrer are named the Wahoo Overall Classification Winners
The Zwift Games was record breaking in its delivery of community racing. Over 80,000 people participated in the Games, with Zwifters completing over 215,000 races.These races also broke records in terms of field sizes with almost 50 races attracting >1000 starters and an average race attendance of over 250. With races starting every hour over the month, the Zwift Games was truly the meeting place for Zwift's massive global racing community. Following the unprecedented success of the inaugural event, the Zwift Games is set to become an annual fixture and highlight of the Zwift racing calendar for years to come.
In the elite racing, Freddy Ovett of Australia and Kathrin Fuhrer of Switzerland have been crowned the Wahoo Overall Zwift Games Champions. Each champion won an exclusive and unique gold-painted Wahoo KICKR Bike, $10,000 and a Golden Concept Z1 bike in game, which they can now be seen proudly riding in game. Gabriela Guerra of Brazil came in second and Lou Bates of Great Britain came in third in the Overall standings for the women. For the men, Lennart Jasch of Germany took home second place with Thom Thrall of Canada rounding out the podium in the Overall standings for the men.
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The inaugural Zwift Games Elite Competition saw riders from 35 nations represented, with 8 champions crowned across the three disciplines and Wahoo Overall Classification. This festival of world class racing was covered in 6 entertaining broadcasts which can all be watched back here.
How did they win?
Freddy Ovett started out the Sprint Championship by just missing out on the final race with the 10 riders. Overall, he stood 13th. In the Epic Championship, he kept his strong results with a top 10 finish which meant he went into the final race sitting in sixth place. With Josh Harris of Australia in pole position. For the final Championship, Ovett crossed the line, arms raised, claiming the Climb race win and the Wahoo Overall classification by a handful of points. It was a momentous achievement given the calibre of riders in the race and Ovett recorded the fastest ever time up the Alpe du Zwift in a verified race.
Kathrin Fuhrer dominated the first two Championships winning both Sprint Championship and the Epic Championship which meant the other riders would have to put a lot of distance up the Alpe to claim the Overall from Fuhrer. In the end, a perfectly calibrated effort for a sixth place finish for Kathrin Fuhrer was enough to confirm the Wahoo Overall Classification with Illi Gardner taking the Zwift Games Climb Championship.
The Sprint Championship was three races with the third and final race, only including the top ten riders from the previous race competing for the chance to claim the top prize. It was Michal Kamiński of Poland who surprised the group with an exhibition of Zwift craft, dropping his Draft Powerup and claiming first position ahead of Vidar Mehl of Norway and Teppo Laurio of Finland who rounded out the podium in the first of the Championship competitions.
In the final race for the women’s Sprint Championship the 10 riders were all together on the final ascent. In the final moments Mika Söderström of Sweden looked certain for the win until Kathrin Fuhrer’s final surge, pipping her on the line along with Liz Van Houweling (USA) who claimed second place.
The Men’s Epic Championship consisted of a fierce battle over an arduous 81.5km course. Neal Fryett of USA took the win, with Lennert Teugels of Belgium coming in second and Ollie Jones taking third place. Overall, there was some readjustment to the standings with Josh Harris of Australia now in first place, Thom Thrall of Canada in second and Bart Van Den Eeckhaut of Belgium in third.
The Women’s Epic Championship featured Kathrin Fuhrer making it two wins in a row. Kathrin Fuhrer took the win with Gabriela Guerra of Brazil taking second and Lou Bates of Great Britain taking third. Overall, Kathrin Fuhrer retained first place with Gabriela Guerra jumping up to second and Mika Söderstrom retaining third place.
The final stage of the Zwift Games was the Climb Championship going up the famous Alpe du Zwift. Freddy Ovett won the stage for the men with Lennart Teugels in second and Thomas Perren in third. For the women, Illi Gardner of Great Britain won the Climb Championship with Emma Belforth in second and Gabriella Guerra of Brazil rounding out the podium.
The winners of each stage took home $7,000 and won the gold Concept Z1 bike in game, so be sure to give them a ride on when you pass them in Watopia. The Zwift Games was supported by three world class partners, adidas and Oakley who provided some unique and memorable unlocks for community participants, and Wahoo, who were the title sponsor of the Overall Classification in the elite races.
