The spotlight returns to North Queensland this weekend as the Townsville Triathlon and Multisport Festival hosts the Australian Championships for Aquathlon and Sprint Duathlon, bringing together athletes from across the country to compete for national titles.
AusTriathlon members who are competing in Townsville will also be eligible to claim Australian Championship honours, adding prestige to an event that continues to play a key role in shaping the sport’s legacy in Australia.
Townsville has become a special location for triathlon, having hosted the World Triathlon Multisport World Championships in 2024, an event that showcased the city’s passion for multisport and left a lasting impact on the Australian triathlon community. This weekend continues that legacy, with age group athletes, seasoned competitors and rising juniors all set to line up.
Among them is Erin Hargrave, a Cronulla Triathlon Club member who knows Townsville well. Hargrave famously won the 2024 World Triathlon Duathlon Championships (40–44 age group) in Townsville despite breaking her collarbone just 16 weeks before the race. She now returns for the Australian Sprint Duathlon Championships, using the event as preparation for the World Triathlon Championship Finals in Wollongong this October, where she will represent Australia in both the Sprint and Mixed Relay events.
“I’ve found that the Sprint Duathlon and Super Sprint events are something I really enjoy,” Hargrave said. “It’s nice to go back to Townsville – it’s a special place for me after winning Worlds there last year. This weekend is about getting in some racing and preparation for Wollongong but also enjoying time with my daughter who’s travelling up with me.”
For Hargrave, racing is as much about resilience as it is performance. Last year, after breaking her collarbone in the lead-up to Worlds, she almost didn’t make it to the start line. “I ran with my arm strapped to my body and spent weeks on the indoor trainer because I wasn’t confident on the road,” she recalled. “To cross the line with my daughters there and hear my eldest say, ‘Mum, you’ve won’ — it meant the world to me.”
Alongside the national titles, the Festival will also host the North Queensland Club Championships, bringing another layer of rivalry and community spirit as clubs from across the region battle for supremacy.
With Australian Championship glory on the line, the chance for athletes to sharpen their form ahead of October’s World Triathlon Championship Finals in Wollongong, and the added energy of club competition, Townsville is once again set to showcase why it is one of the most important stops on the Australian multisport calendar.
