Triathlon time in Noosa

As the 2008 Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival approaches, thousands of Australians and International visitors are about to gear up for the race known as the triathlon mecca. For some it will be their first race for others their annual journey they simply must take. Each year the Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival sets new benchmarks and 2008 will be no different with triathlon entries already at capacity. With 6000 plus athletes having booked their places the event holds title as the second largest in the world.

Managing Director of USM Events Garth Prowd said that this trend has continued each year as places in the triathlon are now at a premium.

Deep in its 26 year history the festivals success and demand is positioned only by the events ability to continually evolve.

“Noosa is the biggest triathlon event in Australia and the extensive festival and entertainment program offers so much more than just the one off event experience,” said Prowd.

It’s a unique event held in a fabulous destination that people schedule their annual holidays around.

In a unique mix where Olympians meet weekend worriers across a number of sporting challenges the festival has certainly got the mix right.

Aside from the triathlon, other festival favourites include the 20th anniversary of the Eyeline Noosa 1000 Ocean Swim, Superkidz Tri, Breakfast 5km Fun Run that raises money for breast cancer as well as one of the biggest lifestyle expo’s in the country.

Add another two golf tournaments (celebrity and corporate), corporate/VIP facilities, a Miss and Mr Noosa Model Search and serious after Party and your starting to get the gist why people pay homage to this event from as far as the UK, US, New Zealand and of course, from around Australia.

The Saturday afternoon program is a sports fans delight with the Asics 5km Bolt featuring Australia’s best elite runners, men’s and women’s Cycling Grand Prix that includes Olympians and Tour de France greats, and the Aussie Football Legends featuring AFL, NRL and our Former Origin Greats battling it out for supremacy in a modified triathlon to the delight of a 40,000 strong crowd.

On Sunday November 2 the Noosa Triathlon remains the highlight as Olympian, World Champions and Australia’s best join with every day fitness enthusiasts on the same course (1.5km swim, 40km cycle, 10km run) in achieving their own challenges.

Strutting her stuff will be four time Noosa Triathlon champion and newly crowned Olympic gold medalist Emma Snowsill as she returns to her self-confessed favourite event to be part of the action. Olympic bronze medalist Emma Moffat will join her, both refreshed after a well deserved break following their Beijing success.

With the retirement of six-time Noosa Triathlon champion Craig Walton in April the opportunity now exists for another to step up and make their mark. Walton still holds the race record he set back in 1997.

During the four day festival expect to see a host of Olympians and possibly some high profile television or movie stars strolling around Noosa just itching to be part of the action and you’ll start to get a small taste of why everyone heads to Noosa each November.

The Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival is held each year with the 2008 event scheduled from the 29th October until 2nd November.