Manuela Schär and Susannah Scaroni will clash in Boston on Monday in a contest that could shape the destination of the AbbottWMM women’s wheelchair series XV title this year.
Schär won the first race of the campaign in Tokyo, while Scaroni watched on from home suffering from a throat infection.
The American struck back a few weeks later in the United Airlines NYC Half which she won by 11 seconds over Schär. Despite making no impact on the series leaderboard, it was a victory that signalled Scaroni is in shape to threaten Schär’s status as the queen of Boylston Street. She has won four of the last five editions of the race.
Schär’s Tokyo performance was a welcome return to the top of the podium for the Swiss 38-year-old. Despite earning another olive wreath on Boylston Street 12 months ago, she largely had a 2022 to forget.
She did not travel to Tokyo last year and, after her Boston win, her summer was then interrupted by a broken leg that impacted on her training regime for the fall.
She still pitched up in Berlin as the red-hot favorite, but was upset by her fellow Swiss Catherine Debrunner. London followed a week later and a sickness bug struck her down on race morning, leaving Debrunner to win again.
Even in training I felt like I was having to make up for lost time, but I feel like I’m back now
The roadshow rolled on to Chicago without Schär or Debrunner, where Scaroni stormed to victory to take command of the series. The American won again in New York where Schär could only manage second. Scaroni scooped up the course record, the win and the AbbottWMM series in one day, ending Schär’s run of three straight series titles.
“Last year, every time I was able to race I felt like I was a few steps behind. Even in training I felt like I was having to make up for lost time, but I feel like I’m back now,” said Schär.
“I had to find new ways to train when I was injured and that helped me become more adaptable.”
Schär has proved almost unbeatable in Boston in large part thanks to her speed in the early downhill section of the course, establishing an advantage her rivals have been unable to reel in.
“The field can get separated really early here,” said Scaroni.
“The hardest part is how fast you can coast [on the downhills]. I’ve been working on my coasting. It’s all about your aerodynamics and how tucked in you can get. It can also be scary going down a hill at 40 miles an hour!”
Having trained together in previous off-seasons, Schär and Scaroni know each other’s strengths and weaknesses well, and they also know it will mean more to emerge victorious over a fit and healthy opponent.
“I am so pleased for Susannah that she’s doing amazing,” said Schär. “I knew for many years that one day her time would come. She suffered a little bit like me but now she is back and fit. I don’t know how it’s going to go but she climbs so well.”
Scaroni’s strength on the up-slopes will make it all the more important for Schär to get away before the Newton Hills arrive on Monday, and there are an extra eight series bonus points available for whoever can reach the halfway point in the lead.
The form book in Boston only points one way, but with the recent win in New York and her new status as the reigning series champion, Scaroni is capable of upsetting the odds.
“I wouldn’t say my attitude has changed since last year,” she said. “I will always try to do my best, and that starts with trying to beat the course.”
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