The World Triathlon Executive Board has approved the awarding of the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Finals to Wollongong, Australia. AusTriathlon have joined forces with the New South Wales Government and Wollongong City Council in a landmark three-year partnership that will bring World Triathlon racing down under.

The Championship Finals are the crown jewel of World Triathlon’s annual calendar, with over 4,000 athletes, family and friends expected to travel to Australia for the 2025 Finals. Athletes from 32 countries were present in the last edition of the Championship Finals, hosted in Spain, and the number is expected to grow in the next two editions.

At the Wollongong Finals, World Champions will be crowned for the Elite, U23, Junior and Para triathlon, the Mixed Relay World Championships for U23/Juniors and Para triathlon, as well as Age-Group Standard distance, Age-Group Sprint distance, Age-Group Aquabike Standard distance and Age-Group Mixed Relay World Championships.

As part of the deal, the City of Wollongong will host not only the 2025 Finals but two other major World Triathlon events: the 2024 World Triathlon Cup - scheduled for 20-21 April 2024, an additional World Triathlon event in 2026 as well as AusTriathlon’s marquee Australian Standard Distance Championships for Age Group, Junior Sprint and Para and Intellectual Impairment Championships.

With the 2024 Wollongong World Triathlon Cup planning to serve as a test event for the Championship Finals in 2025, this will mark the return of elite international racing to Australian shores, after Australia last hosted the World Triathlon Championships Final in 2018, and a World Cup in 2020.

“I am thrilled that we are back in Australia with this long-term plan that will lead to another magnificent Championship Finals down under. Australia has proved multiple times that they are truly committed with our sport and deliver excellent events, and indeed Wollongong will follow the steps of other events that have marked the history of World Triathlon.

With the breathtaking landscapes of Wollongong, triathletes from all over the world, and of course their friends and relatives, will be able to experience another truly remarkable and unforgettable celebration of our sport,” said World Triathlon President and IOC Member, Marisol Casado.

NSW Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said visitors and locals alike would benefit from the hosting of World Triathlon Championship Finals.

“Events like the triathlon are a great way to showcase the unique surrounds of the region. NSW has an outstanding track record for hosting major international sporting events and World Triathlon competitors, officials and supporters will benefit from those credentials when they travel to Wollongong over the next three years.”

“The NSW Government is proud to partner with AusTriathlon and Wollongong City Council to secure these major events for the region, ensuring that visitors experience an inimitable coastal lifestyle while providing a boost to the state’s visitor economy.”

Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said it was a coup for the city to be hosting not only the 2024 World Triathlon Cup but also the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Finals and a third World Triathlon event in 2026.

“Over the next three years we’re going to be seeing the world’s best triathletes compete in our city, and this is a great event and news for our community,’’ he said. “Not only will we once again welcome international athletes into Wollongong, but we’ll have the opportunity to witness the best of triathletes against the backdrop of the natural beauty of our city and region.’’

Wollongong City Council General Manager Greg Doyle said the city has a reputation for delivering high quality international sporting events and that he welcomed the opportunity to do so again. “This is a fantastic opportunity for our residents to see some of the world’s leading athletes competing in our local area,’’ he said. “Wollongong is in great company – other areas the World Triathlon Championship Series has been held in 2023 included Montreal, Hamburg and Yokohama.’’

AusTriathlon CEO Tim Harradine said the organisation is thrilled to have the backing of the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW. “AusTriathlon is pleased to announce Wollongong as the host of three major international events over the next three years,” Harradine said. “The World Triathlon Championship Finals have been hosted in some picturesque locations around the world, and we are excited to work with World Triathlon, the NSW Government and the City of Wollongong to bring this event down under.

“Bringing these three marquee international events to our shores is a great opportunity for AusTriathlon and our community, as we continue to build on the green and gold runway to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” he said.

Previous hosts of the Championship Finals have included such cities as London, Budapest, Beijing, Auckland, Chicago, Gold Coast, Lausanne, Edmonton, Abu Dhabi, and Pontevedra, with the next edition traveling to Malaga, Spain, in October 2024.