Thousands of athletes from Australia and abroad will converge on Mooloolaba for one the nation’s best endurance tests on Sunday.
Seasoned professionals and weekend warriors will compete in IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast, a 70.3 mile (113km) race with a stunning backdrop.
They will tackle a 1.9km swim in the Mooloolaba Bay, attempt a 90km ride, mainly up and back the Sunshine Motorway, and finish with a 21.1km run along the coastline of Mooloolaba, Alexandra Headland and Maroochydore.
There will be a number of roads closed and impacted during the festival, including a significant section of the Sunshine Motorway, Alexandra Parade, Mooloolaba Esplanade, Cotton Tree Parade and Brisbane Road.
For a full list of changed traffic conditions, go to IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast – Course and scroll down to the PDF link.
The IRONMAN Group Oceania’s Geoff Meyer welcomed athletes back to the event which has sold out.
“We look forward to seeing more than 2000 (people) out on course achieving their goals this Sunday.
“The Sunshine Coast is the perfect setting for an event like this and with it welcoming one of its biggest fields in years our athletes certainly agree.
“We’re also set to welcome some of the top professional athletes in the region back to the Sunshine Coast and are excited for what will be close racing in both the men’s and women’s fields,” he said.
The men’s professional field includes the likes of Nicholas Free, Caleb Noble and Max Neumann, while the women’s elite list boasts Dutchwoman Lotte Wilms, Kirra Seidel and Hannah Wells.
There will be plenty of other activities during the festival, which essentially runs from Friday until Sunday including a sport and lifestyle expo at the Athlete’s Village at the Northern Parklands along Mooloolaba Esplanade and an event just for youngsters.
“With an IRONKIDS event also taking place on Saturday there are plenty of opportunities for the whole family to be involved in Qatar Airways IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast,” Mr Meyer said.
What the event means for our region
IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast is Australia’s largest and most successful middle-distance triathlon.
In late August, Sunshine Coast Council said they would enter negotiations to lock in a three-year sponsorship arrangement with the event, which is presented by The IRONMAN Group Oceania
Economy Portfolio Councillor Terry Landsberg said the event had provided significant economic and reputational benefits for the Sunshine Coast since it launched in 2013.
“The forecast that approximately 1850 participants, 1600 from outside the region, will be attracted to each IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast event during the period 2023–2025 is a driving factor to sponsor the event,” he said via a council press release.
“It has the potential to provide consistency for our tourism industry which is so important to our local economy after a tumultuous couple of years.
“The direct economic benefit from an estimated 15,868 visitor nights and spend in the local economy has been conservatively estimated at $3.16 million each year.”
An independent assessment on the 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast carried out by Strategic Facts, commissioned by Tourism and Events Queensland, estimated that last year’s event delivered economic benefits of $3.52 million (direct and indirect benefits) despite the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Sunshine Coast Events Board, which includes community leaders from a wide range of professions, recommended that council provide sponsorship for the 2023-2025 IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast events.
Qatar Airways IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland and features on the It’s Live! in Queensland events calendar.
Tourism and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said this year’s event was a good example of Queensland events bouncing back from COVID-19.
“We know the organisers of this highly regarded Sunshine Coast event have worked hard on recovery,” he said.
“The good news is four times as many competitors and spectators as last year are predicted by organisers to visit the Sunshine Coast for IRONMAN 70.3 and our great Queensland lifestyle.
“More visitors mean more demand for Sunshine Coast accommodation, transport, restaurant and café hospitality and iconic tourism experiences,” he said.
While many roads will be impacted this weekend, spectators can take advantage of a free shuttle bus service, while commuters and spectators can utilise car parking at The Wharf and Mooloolaba Central Car Park.
To see the full festival schedule go to IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast – Event Schedule and to see the festival race maps go to IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast – Course.
For more information on Qatar Airways IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast visit IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast.
Ironman 70.3 Sunshine Coast
When: Sunday, September 11, main races from 6am.
Where: Mooloolaba Beach, Mooloolaba
Tickets: Free to spectators.
