The Mooloolaba Triathlon Festival will continue its association in hosting a leg of the ITU World Cup Series at Mooloolaba in 2010. The Mooloolaba Triathlon has a long history in staging this event as part of the three day festival and is a vital component in the development of our elite athletes.
USM Events Managing Director Garth Prowd said it is recognition by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) of the outstanding success the World Cup has been at Mooloolaba for the past five years.
“USM Events has invested significantly in retaining the World Cup as part of the Mooloolaba Triathlon. This key international triathlon event assists our elite athletes develop against the world’s best on home soil.”
Since 2005 the biggest names in world triathlon have competed at Mooloolaba and embraced the event as a key race in their early season preparation. The Mooloolaba ITU World Cup is perfectly positioned for international squads that call South East Queensland home for up to two months each year where the climate and facilities are ideal to train.
The World Cup series plays a crucial role in the development process of athletes and particularly as the primary way for young athletes to earn a starting place in the World Championship Series.
The 2010 Mooloolaba ITU World Cup is on Sunday 28 March and is certain to see a world class field take part. The event will lead into the first Dextro Energy Triathlon - ITU World Championship Series event on April 11, when Sydney will revisit its Olympic Games glory days as Sydney Harbour and the Opera House are showcased to the world a decade on.
The elite course features many of the same elements that made the Olympic Games triathlon such a memorable spectacle. Ten years after his Olympic success Simon Whitfield is expected to take to the streets of the city which changed his life. It will be a role reversal for the veteran athlete who will looking over his shoulder at the young talent which is emerging so rapidly on the ITU circuit. Emma Moffatt will start the 201o series on home soil looking to defend her world title, in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
From 2011 the event will expand to accommodate thousands of age group athletes, who will have the chance to ride over the Sydney Harbour Bridge on a multi-loop circuit.