Now in its third year, the City of Newcastle Island Triathlon Festival, presented by Red Energy will be held from Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th Feb at Stockton, near Newcastle in NSW, Australia. The event will continue to build on its hugely successful 2023 event, where entries doubled from a COVID and flood hampered 2022 event. With Stockton now the home of the Oceania Paratriathlon Championships, this annual triathlon festival will be the culmination of many years of training for Australia and New Zealand based Para triathletes.
With the Paralympics just 7 months away in Paris, the event is one of the last chances to gain points for selection in the Australian Paralympic Team. Current World Champion Para triathlete (wheelchair category) and Red Energy Ambassador, Lauren Parker will be looking to claim her 7th Oceania Title in succession. Based in the Hunter, Parker has spent much of 2023 racing internationally and is keen to improve on her silver medal from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
There will also be no shortage of NSW based Triathletes heading to Stockton with the State Standard Distance Triathlon & Aquabike Championships on offer. The Aquabike and Standard Triathlon will also be point scoring events for Round 3 of the Sydney Premier League, Sydney League One and Hunter Tri League. It’s a crucial round with the pointscores very close at the moment, but consistency is the name of the game. CLICK HERE to see all the updates from each of the NSW Tri Interclub Leagues.
With a seemingly insatiable appetite for multisport events, the sports community in the Hunter is in for a treat on event weekend, with Friday Twilight Running Events, Saturday Aquathlon (Swim/Run) Events and Sunday’s Standard, Sprint Triathlon and Aquabike and Oceania Paratriathlon. The event will take place from the eastern side of Griffith Park on the Stockton Foreshore next to Stockton Ferry Wharf. Just a 5-minute trip from Newcastle. All events are open to anyone who is up to the challenge. There has been particular interest being shown in the twilight half marathon on Friday 2nd Feb from 6pm.
Just a 5-minute Ferry ride across the harbour, the City of Newcastle Island Triathlon, presented by Red Energy offers a great harbour swim, flat cycle and run course and a sports mad residential community at Stockton ready to support an event in their backyard. Working with the Stockton Surf Life Saving Club and local community groups, event organiser H Events feel the classic beachside township’s character and personality has been one of the main reasons the event has grown in popularity.
Thanks to the generosity of the City of Newcastle and also presenting sponsors Red Energy, the 3-day festival features events for all ages and abilities and the event will also see many athletes chasing the $1000 first prize in the Standard Triathlon.
The 6 Hunter based Triathlon Clubs of Tomaree, Maitland, Singleton, Scone and Lake Macquarie are keen to be racing near home in Stockton, which is already the home of Newcastle Triathlon Club. Stakeholders in the event will be stepping up to make sure that both elite and novice able bodied triathletes and visiting para triathletes are catered for. Staged on the Stockton Harbour Foreshore and with a cycle loop of the town peninsular, the course has an outstanding vista on every inch of this course. Organisers look forward to welcoming athletes to Stockton on the 2-4 Feb.
Schedule:
- Friday 2 Feb – at 6pm – Stockton Sunset 21km, 10,5km and 5km runs
- Sat 3 Feb – Aquathlon at 9.00am – 750m swim and 5km run (also a qualifier for 2025 World Champs)
- Sun 4 Feb – 4 events starts
- Standard/Olympic Triathlon & Aquabike at 6.30am (inc. NSW State Champs)
- Sprint Triathlon at 7.45am
- Short Course Triathlon at 8.15am
- Paratriathlon – 9.00am
Some traffic changes and closures will be in place in Stockton on the loop of Hunter St, Fullerton St, Stone St, Mitchell St, Clyde St, Pitt St and Wharf Cres from 6.30am- 10.30am on Sunday for the cycle leg of the Triathlon and Paratriathlon event.
For more race information go to www.hevents.com.au/islandtriathlon or contact Paul Humphreys on paul@hevents.com.au or call 0409684246
