Tweed in line for iron mantle
COULD the Tweed Enduro triathlon become the region’s only ironman race?
Race officials are considering introducing the gruelling 3.9km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run full ironman format at next year’s Tweed Enduro. The ironman is considered one of the toughest endurance feats in the world, but despite the region being home to leading triathletes, including Tim Reed, Tim van Berkel and Sam Appleton, it has not had an event in recent years for either amateurs or professionals.
The Tweed Enduro was held on Saturday with a record 650 people taking part in the half-ironman (1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run) and sprint distance (750m, 22.5km, 5km) races.
Race director Mike Crawley, from NXsports, said the full ironman was a concept they were looking into, but the course, featuring the heritagelisted wooden railway bridge at Wooyung, had challenges.
“A couple of years ago, we parked it conceptually, because if you have too many people on the course, they will have to do too many laps, which increases the risk of overloading,” Crawley said.
“The course couldn’t cope with 500 to 1000 people.
“It’s something we will look into and we may be able to offer a restricted race for 100 people.
“I certainly think there is enough home-grown local talent who would find the ironman distance appealing, but equally, we are up against it with the big boys who offer a premium service we might not be able to match.”
The “big boys” Crawley referred to is the global brand Ironman, which held the Gold Coast Half Ironman for seven years.
The race began at Coomera Waters in 2003 and shifted to Calypso Bay in Jacobs Well in 2008, before disappearing after the 2010 edition.
Crawley said his team would look at alternative sites that could cater for a full-distance ironman.
“The back end of the Gold Coast and Tweed is possible, but you need a long course for the swim and somewhere the roads can be closed for six hours for the cycle.”