The iconic Noosa Triathlon is set to return with thousands of participants after it was cancelled due to the pandemic last year.
About 9000 people are expected to compete across a variety of events during the five-day festival, culminating with the triathlon proper on Sunday morning.
“It’s unreal to be back,” race director Rob Stalling said.
“We’re pumped to bring the Noosa Tri back for our athletes and our local community.”
Stalling said triathletes were desperate to race, after the cancellation of several races during the past 18 months.
“We know everyone’s been training really hard during the pandemic and they have had goals, and when goals are taken away from you, it knocks your confidence.”
“But it’s race week now and it’s shaping up to be an awesome weekend.
“We know numbers are going to be down on what they usually are, because of border closures, but there are still big numbers all things considered.”
About 3000 people will take part in a range of events from Wednesday to Saturday and 6000 people are set to compete in the main race on Sunday.
The triathlon includes a 1.5km swim, a 40km ride and a 10km run.
Stalling said the event was so popular for several reasons.
“It’s partly due to its history. This will be the 38th Noosa Tri,” he said.
“But it’s the destination as well. People love coming to Noosa.
“And it’s the course as well. There is an amazing swim off Noosa Main Beach, a fantastic bike ride to Cooroy and a run course around Noosaville.”
Stalling said the course would remain unchanged for this year’s edition and spectators were welcome.
But there would be some changes around the event expo and the finish line area, to keep the crowd moving.
There will be several road closures for the festival, which you can find here.
The event typically injects more than $25 million into the local economy.
“Hotel occupancy is almost at 100 per cent this weekend and the event is really important for local businesses, like hotels, cafes and restaurants,” Stalling said.
Charity organisations, which provide volunteers, also benefit from fundraising.
“At this stage, fundraising is more than $250,000,” Stalling said.
Geoff Meyer, Managing Director of The IRONMAN Group Oceania, was looking forward to the festival.
“This is an event that is incredibly important not only to the triathlon community but to the local community and we’re thrilled that we’re back in action again,” he said.
“While the ongoing challenges that we’ve all faced over the last year and a half has meant that we have less people taking part than at previous Noosa Triathlons, we know how important the week is to so many people so when it became clear that we could hold the event the team put everything into putting on the best possible week of festivities.
Tourism Noosa CEO Melanie Anderson welcomed the event.
“It is great to see the Noosa Tri return this year,” she said.
“The event is one of our favourite events on the Noosa events calendar and we can’t think of a better way to enjoy Noosa that swimming in our beautiful Laguna Bay, running along our tropical pathways and cycling from the beach through to our stunning hinterland.”
A star-studded field is expected to line up for the triathlon.
Ashleigh Gentle headlines a 14-strong women’s elite race, after winning the event a record seven times.
The 30-year-old is preparing for her first hit-out since the Olympic Games in July.
The race is an annual pilgrimage for Gentle, and a highlight on the calendar.
“I love it so much and it always helps me find motivation no matter how my year has gone beforehand,” she said.
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“It’s really easy to be motivated for Noosa to be honest, because you kind of just remember the good times and everything that Noosa stands for,” she said.
“Winning in Noosa is great and I’ve absolutely loved how successful I’ve been but I just love how the community comes together there and there’s a Noosa Tri family there every year and it’s really great to be able to be a part of it.”
Joining Gentle on the start line next Sunday will be Lotte Wilms, an Australian based Dutch athlete who won IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast last month.
The men’s race will have a first-time winner, with none of the 28 male elite athletes having stood on the top step of the podium at the event.
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Brisbane’s Ryan Fisher is looking forward to heading north to Noosa.
“It’s one of those races, and I may be biased being from Queensland, it’s probably the biggest and most enjoyable race that we have in Australia,” he said.
“I think that is pretty widely agreed upon, and I think with it being at the end of the year people are going onto a break after which gives it that extra bit of enjoyment.”
Fisher has finished on the podium at Noosa Triathlon three times.
Noosa Triathlon is supported by the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland, and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.
For more information on the Noosa Triathlon visit www.noosatri.com.au/
Festival schedule
- Wednesday, Oct 27, 6.30am: Noosa Run Swim Run 13-years-and-under (Noosa Main Beach)
- Wednesday, Oct 27, 6.30am: Noosa Run Swim Run (Noosa Main Beach)
- Friday, Oct 29, 6am: Tour de Noosa – Garth Prowd Ride (Noosa Heads Surf Club)
- Friday, Oct 29, 7.35am: Noosa Breakfast Fun Run (Noosa Main Beach)
- Friday, Oct 29, 4.15pm: Noosa 1000 Ocean Swim (Noosa Main Beach)
- Saturday, Oct 30, 7.30am: Noosa Superkids Triathlon (Chaplain Park)
- Saturday, Oct 30, 8.15am: Noosa Special Triathlon (Chaplain Park)
- Saturday, Oct 30, 2.45pm: Australian Open Criterium – Women (Noosa Parade)
- Saturday, Oct 30, 3.40pm: Noosa Bolt (Noosa Parade)
- Saturday, Oct 30, 4.25pm: Australian Open Criterium – Men (Noosa Parade)
- Sunday, Oct 31, From 6.15am: Noosa Triathlon (Noosa Main Beach)
Great vantage points for the triathlon
- Noosa Main Beach for the swim leg
- Noosa Parade and Gympie Terrace for the bike and run legs
- Noosa Parade for the race finish
