More than 40 of the Oceania region’s top elite, U23 and Junior athletes will travel to Busselton, Western Australia this month to compete in the Oceania Triathlon Cup Busselton; a Super Sprint Eliminator race for ranking points ahead of the 2023 international season.
The 2023 Oceania Triathlon Cup will take place between 10am and 1pm AWST on Friday 28 April 2023 as part of the SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon. Presentations will be held at 1.30pm AWST.
In the elite male field, local athletes Luke Bate, Zeke Tinley, Kurt Wesley, Nick Thompson and Reece Harris will have the home ground advantage against their interstate and international competition.
The WA representation in the elite female field will be just as fierce, with Aleisha Wesley, Sian Munks, and Herlene Yu (racing for SGP) set to light up the course.
They’ll have their work cut out for them though, with Olympian Emma Jeffcoat and Commonwealth Games representatives Charlotte McShane and Luke Willian also taking on the Cup.
It’s a massive opportunity for our local U23 and Junior athletes to experience this level of racing, with Rhianna Hepburn, Madison Toovey, Joshua Neervoort, James Kjellgren-Lewis, Joshua Fletcher, Tommaso Puccini, Ivan Nagel and Indie Arbuckle set to take on the challenge.
Dylan Holland (SA), Henry McMecking (NZL), Oliver Larcombe (NZL), Jack Crome (QLD), Liam Dixon (NSW), Luke Schofield (NSW), Monty Dixon (NSW), Yoann Colin (ACT), Jayden Schofield (NSW), Tzu I Pan (TPE), Kye Wylde (QLD), Lleyton Wall (NSW), Rory Thornhill (ACT), and Lachlan Jones (QLD) round out the Men’s field.
Erika Tanno (JPN), Natasha Bowyer (NZL), Briana Mow (QLD), Chloe Bateup (ACT), Ellie Hoitink (QLD), Maddison Yarrow (QLD), Jessica Ewart-McTigue (QLD), Victoria Gillies (QLD), Angharad Llewellyn (NZL) and Emma Olsen Keating (NSW) round out the Women’s field.
OCEANIA PARA CUP BUSSELTON
For the first time in history, the SunSmart Busselton Festival of Triathlon will also play host to the 2023 Oceania Para Cup Busselton.
This event will take place between 7.30am and 9.30am AWST on Sunday 30 April 2023. Presentations will be held at 10.30am AWST. As a World Triathlon Continental Cup, this race will provide a crucial ranking points opportunity for Australia’s top para triathletes ahead of the Paralympic qualification period starting 1 July.
WA athletes Nige Young (PTWC), Brant Garvey (PTS2), Paralympian David Bryant (PTS5) and two time World Triathlon Cup winnerSally Pilbeam (PTS4) will get a chance to race in their home state.
Other para triathletes racing include Kurt Peterson (PTS4), Liam Twomey (PTS4), Commonwealth Games medallist Sam Harding (PTVI), Sara Tait (PTWC), Hannah MacDougall (PTS4), Maggie Sandles (PTVI) and Caroline Baird (PTVI).
Athletes Sam Harding (PTVI), David Bryant (PTS5) and Liam Twomey (PTS4) all won last year’s Oceania Cups and will be looking to retain their titles in Busselton. It’s set to be an exciting morning out on course!
For more information about the event, please see the links below or visit www.busseltonfestivaloftriathlon.com.au.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Full Oceania Cup Start List: https://triathlon.org/events/event/2023_oceania_triathlon_cup_busselton
Full Para Cup Start List: https://triathlon.org/events/event/2023_oceania_triathlon_para_cup_busselton
Event Schedule: https://www.busseltonfestivaloftriathlon.com.au/oceania-triathlon-cup-event-schedule/
Course Maps: https://www.busseltonfestivaloftriathlon.com.au/oceania-triathlon-cup-busselton-course-