Triathlon Star Hayden Wilde: Winning the T100 World Tour in Qatar with SOLESTAR Insoles
It took more than just a bit of chaos at the Dubai T100 in November to throw Hayden Wilde off his game, even after an accidental extra lap on the bike cost him the victory. In Qatar, the 28-year-old New Zealander demonstrated with astonishing might that he is currently the best triathlete in the world, winning the T100 Series with a masterclass performance. The T100 Triathlon World Tour is one of the most prestigious triathlon events in the world.
Of no less importance, however, were his wins at the French Riviera T 100 in August and the London T100 prior to that. Both victories are regarded as his comeback following the shock of Tokyo: In May, the triathlete collided with a truck during a showcase race in the Japanese capital. The accident left him with four broken ribs and a broken scapula—injuries that, for many athletes, could have signaled the end of their career.
However, that was not the case for Hayden. The Olympic silver medalist from Paris fought back both mentally and physically. For the T100 at the Côte d’Azur, he made a decision that especially excites us: the current world number one triathlete chose a running insole that will soon be available in the SOLESTAR portfolio*. This model was developed by sports scientist and SOLESTAR’s Head Engineer, Oliver Elsenbach, who has been advising pro athletes since 2003.
Hayden with BLK insole
Hayden had been weighing his options until shortly before the race, consulting with Oliver as late as the day before. In the end, Oliver’s prototype proved to be a total game-changer. Hayden Wilde went on to win the French Riviera T100 with an overall score of 100.7 points, finishing ahead of Belgium's Jelle Geens and Samuel Dickinson from Great Britain.
The fact that the elite athlete chose the new insole is likely due, in no small part, to the fact that he has been using SOLESTAR cycling insoles for three years. Moreover, it is a testament to the deep trust he places in Oliver’s expertise and advice.
Such a success, especially after the setback in Tokyo, excites even a sports scientist and insole specialist like Oliver. "I was incredibly happy about Hayden’s win," he says. "As a consultant, you build a relationship with the athlete; you’re very close to the action and you feel the excitement right along with them. A tremendous amount of work goes into the development of an insole, yet in the end, there’s always a bit of luck—or bad luck—involved." At the T100 at the Côte d’Azur, however, the mix of Hayden’s athletic class, Oliver’s expertise, and that necessary bit of luck was just right.
The U.S.-based „Endurance Sportswire“ writes of an "unbelievable comeback." The „Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung“ praises the New Zealand triathlete as the "man who pushes the boundaries of triathlon", while „Triathlon“ magazine simply calls Hayden the "Tour Dominator."
Now, Hayden—who has since relocated to Europe—has crowned his spectacular series of successes this year with a triumph at the T100 Series final in Qatar.
