Thousands of triathletes and their supporters are bound for the Mooloolaba Triathlon, which is set bring a multimillion-dollar windfall to the region.
The event, which started in 1993 with just a few hundred competitors, is set to include a sprint distance race (750m swim, 20km ride, 5km run) on Saturday and a standard-distance race (1.5km swim, 40km ride, 10km run) on Sunday.
Minister for Tourism and Sport Michael Healy said the festival highlighted the natural landscape and great lifestyle of the region.
“The Mooloolaba Triathlon’s growing popularity and reputation as a world-class sporting event has made it a must-do for competitors and their support crews across the globe,” he said via a media release from organisers IRONMAN.
“This year’s event is expected to attract almost 14,000 visitors who’ll cheer, compete, eat and stay locally, support local businesses and make the most of the magnificent Sunshine Coast, while injecting more than $6 million into the local visitor economy.”
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IRONMAN Group Oceania managing director Geoff Meyer thanked the triathlon community for its ongoing support of the event.
“We’re thrilled to have the Mooloolaba Triathlon returning this week, with more than 5000 athletes set to join us for two days of racing,” he said.
“This is an event that appeals to so many different people, from those just getting involved in their triathlon journey to veterans of the sport, and we look forward to having them all swimming, riding and running their way through Mooloolaba and its surrounds across the weekend.
“The Mooloolaba Triathlon has grown over the years to become one of the highlights of the Sunshine Coast events calendar.
“From its first running back in 1993 with 255 individual competitors and 74 teams, to this year where we will welcome more than 5000 athletes and over 600 volunteers, the Mooloolaba Triathlon is an event not to miss.”
Sunshine Coast Events Board chair John Williams said the mass participation event was a significant major event for the Sunshine Coast calendar and the wider triathlon community that choose to travel for it.
“It is great to see the event grow from strength to strength with new and returning participants helping to boost economic benefits for Mooloolaba and the broader Sunshine Coast,” he said.
“We really value the Mooloolaba Triathlon being held here, because it continues to offer such a good return on investment through the Sunshine Coast Council’s Major Events Sponsorship Program.”
The sprint triathlon offers a great opportunity for a mix of people to take part, including beginners and experienced athletes. The Sprint Triathlon consists of a 750m swim, 20km ride and 5km run, finishing on the Mooloolaba Esplanade. The standard triathlon is the feature race, which will also include a relay option.
The Mooloolaba Triathlon is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
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