Defending Champions return to defend at Noosa Triathlon
Aaron Royle and Emma Moffatt, last year's winners, are set to defend their titles at the iconic Subaru Noosa Triathlon, facing a strong field of competitors.
Reigning Subaru Noosa Triathlon champions, Australia’s Aaron Royle and Emma Moffatt, are back to defend the titles they captured at last year’s iconic event.
Last year was Royle’s first visit to the Noosa Triathlon, he returns this year in great form and as a Commonwealth Games Bronze medallist in the team’s relay event.
“Just going back to race at Noosa is exciting; going back to such an iconic event as defending champion is fantastic. I’m really excited to get back up there,” he said.
“When you look at the winners of this event in the past they are some of the legends of Australian triathlon, and to be up there with them, it was a pretty special day.”
The men’s race will be a hotly contested one with an impressive field of professional athletes all vying for the top spot on the Noosa podium.
Royle will be tested by his Commonwealth Games teammates Dan Wilson, fresh off a second place at IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast in September, and Ryan Bailie.
Two-time Olympian Brad Kahlefeldt, who finished 2nd at the recent IRONMAN 70.3 Port Macquarie, will also be gunning for his first Noosa title.
The women’s field is stacked with world class athletes and 2013 champion, Emma Moffatt, is back to test herself on the famous Olympic distance course.
The defence of her Noosa title will be Moffatt’s first race since her Commonwealth Games campaign.
“My year of racing hasn’t been great so I’d love to turn that around at Noosa,” she said. “I’m excited to be back racing in Noosa, to defend my title would be amazing, but I won’t be holding my breath.”
Moffatt will be confronted by last year’s podium runner up, Ashleigh Gentle and third placed Melissa Hauschildt, both eager to snatch top spot from the defending champion.
The trio will also be joined by Radka Vodickova (CZE) who produced a wire to wire victory at the recent IRONMAN 70.3 Port Macquarie.
IRONMAN specialists Caroline Steffen (SUI) and Liz Blatchford (AUST) will also be on hand testing out their fast twitch muscle fibres at Noosa, after they both competed on the world stage at the IRONMAN World Championship in Hawaii on 13 October.
Subaru Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival is a 5-day hallmark event (29 October “2 November) which includes a stacked line-up of events for all ages and abilities. The schedule also includes the Noosa Legends Triathlon, Subaru Noosa Australian Open Criterium and Asics Bolt which attract premium fields and sporting legends.
The 2014 Subaru Noosa Triathlon Multi Sport Festival is supported by the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland as part of a growing calendar of sporting, cultural and regional events across the State.
