It’s the event that almost wasn’t, but the iconic Mooloolaba Triathlon has stepped up to host the Oceania Triathlon Sprint Championships this weekend, despite a whirlwind of delays.
The Championships were originally slated for Tauranga, New Zealand, and later relocated to Kingscliff, New South Wales, but delays caused by Cyclone Alfred left it without a venue.
Almost serendipitously, Mooloolaba has stepped forward to host, welcoming top-triathletes from across Australia and New Zealand to compete on the iconic stage once again.
The event has a storied past as a host venue, having welcomed some of the world’s best triathletes during its time as a fixture in the World Triathlon Cup circuit from 2005 to 2020.
It’s honour roll reads like a who’s who of Australian triathlon with Olympic medallists Emma Snowsill, Erin Densham and Loretta Harrop all among those who have taken the top step at the event.
This year, Mooloolaba will welcome the nation’s current crop of talent, with athletes like Matt Hauser, Brayden Mercer, Richelle Hill, and Ellie Hoitink leading the charge.
Alongside them, a new generation are eager to make their mark, with several of Australia’s promising juniors stepping up to compete in their first elite events – including emerging talent Jack Caldwell.
The 18-year-old has quickly made a name for himself, securing three major junior titles this year, including a standout win at the Oceania Triathlon Junior Championships in Devonport – a victory which saw him satisfy the automatic selection criteria to be nominated for the World Triathlon Junior Championships in Wollongong this October.
“I’m super excited to line up against a quality field and see how much different it is racing against the elites compared to the juniors and hopefully be able to mix it with the elite boys,” Caldwell said.
“I’m super proud of the season I have had so far and can’t wait to get amongst the action on the weekend.
“This will be my last race for the season, after this I’ll take a little break and get back into training at the end of April starting to build towards Worlds.”
Eager to face the challenge, Caldwell expressed his excitement about racing against Australia’s top talent.
While he’s looking forward to sharing the course with two-time Olympian Matt Hauser, he’s equally excited to race alongside those who’ve played a pivotal role in shaping his journey.
“It’s obviously going to be very cool lining up against the likes of Matt Hauser, that is definitely going to be a surreal moment,” Caldwell said.
“But the person I am most excited to race alongside is Rory Thornhill.
“Rory was one of the first people I was introduced to when I started out in triathlon at my first clinic in Canberra and since then he has had me down to do some training with him and has always offered me great advice. He always has time to help me out which has really helped get me where I am today.
“It feels like a big brother, little brother relationship between us two so it’s going to be a lot of fun racing alongside him.”
Sunday’s race will also include the Oceania Triathlon Para Championship, with Paris 2024 Paralympic Games representatives including Nic Beveridge (PTWC), Anu Francis (PTS2), Jack Howell (PTS4), Sam Harding (PTVI) and Grace Brimelow (PTS4) all lining up in Mooloolaba.
To view the full Oceania Triathlon Sprint Championships start lists, click here.
To view the full Oceania Triathlon Para Championships start list, click here.
