Race #3 - St Kilda Edition

The third race of the 2XU Triathlon Series brought us to the vibrant foreshore of St Kilda. Known for its bustling atmosphere and scenic views, the course offered athletes the perfect mix of familiarity and excitement. The weather was absolutely brilliant for the race, wrapping up just in time before a typically ferocious Melbourne storm hit to rain on our parade!

As always, the Tri-Alliance squad showed up in force, delivering standout performances and proving that all the hard training is paying off. Here's the breakdown of highlights from Race 3:

Sprint Distance Highlights

The Sprint Race (750m swim, 26.7km bike, 5km run) was action-packed, showcasing both speed and endurance.

Top Finishers:

• Leading the squad was John Noel, crossing the finish line in 01:17:28, securing 1st place among Tri-Alliance athletes. His consistent effort across all three legs was nothing short of remarkable.
• Close behind were Luca Phillips (Youth) and Anthony Cuzzupe (45-49), clocking in at 01:19:49 and 01:20:27, respectively.

Discipline Leaders:

• Swim: The fastest swim split belonged to Anthony Cuzzupe, completing the 750m swim in 00:10:07.
• Bike: John Noel dominated the bike leg, clocking 00:41:41, setting up his strong finish.
• Run: The fastest run split was recorded by Luca Phillips, finishing the 5km run in 00:19:29.
  

Team Triumph:

• A special shout-out goes to Team 2 (Sarah & Erin), who took on the Sprint Distance as a team and clinched 1st place in the Team Female category with a total time of 01:31:53. Sarah handled both the swim (00:13:57) and the run (00:25:40), while Erin dominated the bike leg (00:47:47). Their teamwork and strategy paid off, and they thoroughly deserved their win!

Podium Placers:

• 1st Place: Juliet Forsyth (45-49), Michael Grey (70-74)
• 3rd Place: John Noel (45-49), Luca Phillips (Youth), Andrea Crompton (MCO20), Narelle Hayes (Athena)

Top 10 Finishers:

• 4th Place: Brona Reel (40-44), Sonia Greguol (Athena)
• 8th Place: Anthony Cuzzupe (45-49)

Olympic Distance Highlights

The Olympic Race (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) saw incredible performances, with many athletes stepping up to the challenge.

Top Finishers:

• Noah O’Donnell stole the spotlight with a stunning debut performance, finishing in 02:16:50. His race was defined by an incredible 00:19:52 swim, completed without a wetsuit. Swimming 1.5km without the buoyancy benefits of a wetsuit takes exceptional strength and technique, and Noah made it look effortless. To top it off, the next closest swimmer in his age group clocked in at 22 minutes, and he was the 3rd fastest out of all males in the Olympic race, underscoring just how remarkable Noah’s swim performance truly was. He followed this with a strong bike and run to seal his debut success.

• Matthew O’Keeffe and Andrew Atkinson also had great races, finishing in 02:23:50 and 02:28:31, respectively.

Discipline Leaders:

• Swim: Noah O’Donnell led the swim with his bold performance. 
• Bike: The fastest bike split was achieved by Matthew O’Keeffe with a time of 01:06:27.
• Run: While Ognjen Jovanovic clocked 00:25:23 (and earned himself a new world record for the distance) the true fastest runner among our athletes was Noah O’Donnell with a stellar 00:41:47.

Podium Placers:

• 3rd Place: Noah O’Donnell (15-19)

Top 10 Finishers:

• 7th Place: Olivia Otto (20-24)

Fun Tri Highlights

The Fun Tri (200m swim, 8km bike, 2km run) provided an opportunity for newcomers and seasoned triathletes to race hard and have fun.

Top Finishers:

• Michael Khan claimed the fastest time for Tri-Alliance, finishing in 00:34:03 with a strong performance across all three legs.
• Erin Appleton followed closely, clocking in at 00:34:30 and demonstrating exceptional strength and skill.

Discipline Leaders:

• Swim: Erin Appleton led the swim with a time of 00:03:25.
• Bike: Sarah Maniapoto delivered the fastest bike split, completing it in 00:15:55.
• Run: Michael Khan demonstrated consistency, finishing strong in the run.

Podium Placers:

• 1st Place: Erin Appleton (40-49)
• 2nd Place: Michael Khan (30-39), Sarah Maniapoto (40-49)
  

Top 10 Finishers:

• 6th Place: Maria Graetsch (50+)

Aquabike Highlights

The Aquabike (1.5km swim, 40km bike) challenged athletes to excel in swimming and cycling while forgoing the run.

Top Finishers:

• Rob Weston had a strong morning finishing in 01:35:53, showcasing his expertise in both disciplines.
  

Top 10 Finishers:

• 4th Place: Chloe Turner
• 8th Place: Rob Weston

Race 3 at St Kilda was a true celebration of our squad’s talent and dedication. From Fun to Olympic, every athlete gave their all and made us proud. Congratulations to all participants, and let’s keep this energy rolling into Race 4!

A Massive Thank You to Our Community

What a race weekend! A huge thank you to everyone who pitched in to make Race #3 such a success. With Head Coach Ollie out of town this weekend (one of the only events he has missed in 20 years!), it was incredible to see the squad step in and step up to ensure everything ran smoothly. Your efforts didn’t go unnoticed, and we’re so grateful for the teamwork that defines our TA community.

Here’s a special shout-out to all the legends who went above and beyond:

• Tent Set-Up Crew: Ogi, Shelley, Les, Maria, Annie, Jen, Doug, Alissa and Andrea – thank you for getting everything up and ready! The saying “many hands make light work” couldn’t be truer.
• TriKids Helpers: Martha, Sarah, Jo, and Shelley – you made sure the kids’ event ran like clockwork and kept the energy high throughout.
• TriShop Assistants: Andy, Jo, Tanya, and Cuzzy – your smiles and efficiency were a big hit with everyone who visited the shop.
• Tent Pack-Down Crew: James, Michael, Sarah, Sarah (yes, double Sarah power!), Erin, Rob, Andrea, Jules, Cuzzy, Sonia, Narelle, Mike, and Shelley – what an incredible team effort!  

And to those who braved the storm to finish the final touches, heading home looking like wet rags - thank you for going the extra mile.  We literally missed it by only 5 mins.  Talk about efficiency under pressure! 

If we’ve missed anyone, please know that your efforts are deeply appreciated. This squad thrives because of the collective contributions from everyone involved.

Welcome Back, Coach Gaz!

We’re thrilled to announce that Coach Gaz is back on the coaching roster after a short break! 🎉

Gaz’s energy, expertise and passion for coaching have been missed, and we’re excited to have him back in action. Athletes can look forward to seeing him at Tuesday and Thursday night sessions to begin with, so make sure to say hello and give him a warm welcome back to the squad.

Here’s to having Gaz back on deck as we charge into 2025 stronger than ever! 💪

Program Updates

New year, new goals, new programs! All of our training programs have been updated and are now live, so it’s time to make sure you’re on the right path toward your next race.

A special shout-out to our Long Course athletes who smashed it at Busselton (congratulations on an incredible achievement!), now that Busso is behind you, it’s time to switch over to your next program. You’ve got plenty of options to choose from, including:

• Geelong 70.3
• Port Macquarie 70.3
• Cairns 70.3
• Ironman Australia (Port Macquarie)
• Ironman Asia Pacific (Cairns)

If you’re thinking about shifting gears, you can also opt for a Short Course membership to mix things up and keep things fresh.

Switching is easy, so take a moment to log in, review your options, and select the program that aligns with your race calendar and goals. As always, we’re here to help if you have any questions or need guidance on your next steps.

Note: If you’re unable to see the appropriate program, please check your athlete level. If your level isn’t set correctly, the corresponding program won’t appear (e.g., if your level is set to Ironman, 70.3 programs won’t be visible). Unfortunately, this isn’t something you can update yourself. Simply send us an email, and we’ll happily adjust it for you on our end.