He came in as Series leader, he left as World Champion. Portugal’s Vasco Vilaça delivered one of the most memorable finishes to a Championship Finals we have ever seen on Sunday evening, taking the silver by 0.08 seconds at the end of a sprint finish won by defending champion Matt Hauser, enough to secure the world title he has worked so hard for so long to achieve.
It was Vilaça, teammate Ricardo Batista and Matt Hauser joined by the soaring Olympic Champion Alex Yee for the final lap of the 10km run, by which time Vilaça knew the world title was surely his, but with one more hurdle to leap. A first gold came in Samarkand, a first world title in Pontevedra, but it was Hauser who maintains his record and continues to be the man that Portugal’s star wants to beat after the Australian edged a monumental sprint finish for the ages.
Alex Yee had appeared like a bolt from the blue 40 seconds adrift off the bike and finished with the race bronze, Ricardo Batista’s fourth place securing him the Series bronze in what has been a huge year for Vilaça’s compadre.
"Just another great show together with Matt (Hauser)!' said Vilaça. "I couldnt be happier to have Ricardo running with us the whole race. What a dream, to have my friend, someone I grew up with, first and third in the world. I want to thank everyone by my side all the year, it was not an easy year for me. This is what the Olympics will be all about.
"I haven't raced in almost two months, it was my plan and my decision and it worked out really well. On the swim, the first lap was difficult, Matt played his cards and he chose the opposite side of the pontoon to not take me with him. I knew I was by myself but this is what I have been working on. I didnt want anyone's help, I believed in myself. I knew I had some work to do and it is what I did."
Full report to follow...
