Race Away The Weekend With The Airlie Beach Triathlon

The wait is over!

The Coral Sea Resort Airlie Beach Triathlon race weekend has arrived, and race director Michael Kimpton said he is thrilled to welcome athletes, spectators, and the entire community to this exciting event.

Michael said with the majestic Coral Sea as a backdrop, the event is the highlight of the north Queensland racing calendar as more than 250 senior and junior athletes are set to line up for an action-packed weekend.

“The build-up to our event has already attracted a class field of professional triathletes and the Age Group field is just as impressive with a number of notable World Championship representatives and ITU World Triathlon series competitors,” he said.

“The female field is world class and includes Radka Kahlefeldt, the second placed podium finisher at Cairns Ironman recently, Lotte Wilms, recent winner of Ironman Austria, and experienced professionals Kate Bevilaqua, Jasmine Brown, Cassie Healslip, Penny Slater (third in Cairns Ironman), Chloe Hartnett and Kaitlyn Illingworth.

“The 2022 Airlie Beach Triathlon female winner, Demi Caldwell will also be attempting to defend her crown after coming off a win in the Hamilton Hilly Half Marathon on the weekend.

“The men’s field is equally strong and will include our Airlie Beach Triathlon Ambassador and reigning champion Caleb Noble who also won at the recent Challenge Family Taiwan event, Jarrod Osborne 2XU champion, Tim Berkel, Mitch Cunningham, Calvin Amos and Sam Betten, the nine time winner of the Airlie Beach Triathlon.”

Michael said the weekend kicks off with the Airlie Beach Juniors series of races at 2pm on Saturday followed by a Q and A with the professional athletes and presentation of the perpetual Stirling Edwards-Bland Encouragement award for the best effort by a junior.

The sports action kicks into overdrive on Sunday with the Professional athletes hitting the water at 6.45am followed by the men’s and women’s Olympic distance competitors for their 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run event.

The Corporate and team’s events kick off after 7am followed by the Sprint and Enticer races with presentations to all Coral Sea Marina Resort Airlie Beach triathlon winners scheduled in the Broadwater carpark area at noon.

“The Airlie Beach Triathlon Club organising committee are excited that the 2023 event will herald a new era for the race with ambitious future plans to expand it to be one of the feature races on the Australian triathlon calendar,” Michael said.

“There are not many places in the world where endurance meets the Great Barrier Reef and our small committee is working hard to grow the race into a hallmark event for Whitsundays which would deliver a major boost for the regional economy benefitting local businesses.”

“It is early days in negotiations, but the Challenge Family core values of vitality, passion and inclusiveness perfectly align with our club, so it is a match made in heaven.

“It is imperative we expand our local event, and our committee are determined to leave no stone unturned to make the race a premier event on the Australian circuit,” Michael said.

“I want to extend our sincerest thanks to all sponsors, especially our major sponsor Coral Sea Marina Resort, for their support and the club looks forward to continuing this partnership in the future and exploring new opportunities to collaborate and grow together.”

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