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THE challenge is set.
Challenge Batemans Bay triathlon returns to the Eurobodalla this weekend with a range of testing events on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.
The jewel of the triathlon is the half-marathon – a 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride and 21.1km run – which starts at the event’s headquarters at Corrigans Beach reserve at 7am on Sunday.
More than 900 people have registered for the event and 32 world-class professionals such as 2012 winner Sam Appleton, Great Britain’s Liz Blatchford and Sarah Cowley of Brisbane will be in the main race.
The main race also features Eurocoast Triathlon Club members Simon Fitzgerald and Tim Devane, who will make his first attempt at distance.
The sprint – a 750m swim, 20km ride and 5km run – begins at 7.30am and among the entries are Eurocoast Club’s Rebecca Shepheard, Duncan Norris and Sally Jeffery, who, club president Rod Bradley said, was “one of the best in Australia in her age group”.
The club will be among a number of Eurobodalla sports and social clubs whose members will volunteer for the triathlon.
“It’s fantastic that we have members in the race and I know a lot of locals are in the sprint and enticer,” Bradley said.
“It’s also great to have world-class athletes in our area.
“We’ll have eight members volunteering, too.”
The enticer – a 300m swim, 10km bike ride and 2km run – starts at 8am and should be attractive to first-time triathletes and teenagers.
On Saturday, a lifestyle expo kicks off proceedings at 11am, before the ocean swimmers take the plunge for the 1km race at 1pm.
Two children’s aquathons – for seven to nine-year-olds and 10 to 12-year-olds – start after the ocean swim and will give junior competitors a chance to shine in a swim and a run.
A 2km and a 5km fun run close the day’s competition before presentations start at 5pm for the ocean swim and aquathon winners.
On Sunday, the triathlon will cause partial and full road closures.
There will be a partial closure of Beach Road for south-bound residents from Batemans Bay Beach Resort, and traffic signals will be in Tallgums Way for the cycle leg from George Bass Drive.
Tallgums Way and Dunns Creek Road will be closed from 7am to about 1.30pm, when the cycle leg is scheduled to finish.
Tomakin Road, from a turnaround point adjacent to Mogo Zoo, to the Tomakin Road/George Bass Drive intersection, will be closed during the same period.
There will be controlled access to George Bass Drive from Tomakin Road through to Annetts Parade from 7am to 1.30pm.
North Head Drive and George Bass Drive, from Annetts Parade, will be closed through to the Princes Highway from 7am to 1.30pm.
Cyclists are not expected to reach this section of road until after 7.30am so controlled access will be offered to residents and those going to the airport.
From 7am to 1.30pm, Calga Crescent at Melaleuca Crescent to George Bass Drive, Sunshine Bay Road from Edward Road to George Bass Drive, and The Ridge Road from Dunns Creek Road to Burri Road will be closed.
“We do appreciate there will be slight delays,” media co-ordinator Bruce Nugara said.
“There will be local police, RTA and accredited traffic controllers in place.”
