There’s more than just medals up for grabs at Sunday’s Australian Aquabike Championships at the Mooloolaba Triathlon.
With automatic qualification for the 2025 World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Wollongong on the line, the stakes are raised to another level.
This event is the first of three key qualification races for October’s home World Championships, with next month’s Australian Sprint Championships on the Gold Coast and the Australian Standard Championships in Wollongong still to come.
Those who place in the top five of their respective age group categories at the events, and meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the selection policy will be given automatic qualification.
One athlete eager to earn his spot in Mooloolaba is Sunshine Coast Triathlon Academy member Jordan Gover.
A veteran of seven Australian Age Group teams, he claimed an Aquabike world title in 2022 and previously competed on home soil when Australia last hosted the World Triathlon Age Group Championships on the Gold Coast in 2018.
The 54-year-old has extra motivation to qualify for Wollongong, with city holding special significance to him.
“The ‘gong was my hometown, I spent many years working at the fire station in the city and training with some of the best people you’ll meet,” Gover said.
“It would be awesome to be able to race Worlds there, so a top five at Mooloolaba would be a dream result to secure a spot on the team.
“Being healthy and able to race in the team is always a privilege, but to do it at home, with friends and family around, would make it even better. Plus, knowing the course and the streets were where I trained and raced for many years – that would be pretty special.”
The Mooloolaba Triathlon’s scenic Aquabike course provides the perfect setting for competitors who thrive in the water and on two wheels, with a 1.5km swim in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean followed by a 40km bike leg along the rolling roads of the Sunshine Coast.
Now residing in the Sunshine Coast, and having raced at Mooloolaba many times, Gover knows firsthand what sets the event apart from others on the calendar.
“Mooloolaba is an iconic race and has that balance of being tough but still fun and it is usually really hot,” Gover said.
“There’s nothing better running down Alex Hill to the finish not knowing whether you’re going to cramp or run to the end.
“I love an ocean swim, its an iconic part of this event along with the out and back bike course on the sunshine coast motorway, the course has a bit of everything.
“It’s just a great weekend on my home course, good energy, and a lot of people there for the same reason – to enjoy themselves.”
To view the 2025 Australian Age Group Triathlon Team selection policy, click here.
