All ages set for Australia Day Aquathon in Wollongong

Australia’s largest swim and run, the Australia Day Aquathon celebrates its 15^th edition on Sunday 26 January with the expected mix of stars to the all ages taking part.

But as far as event director Rob Battocchio is concerned, the 15^th edition of the increasingly popular event is for the “everyday competitor”.

About 2000 people are expected to take part in the run-swim event at Belmore Basin on January 26 which involves three swim and runs, plus a 3.5km fund raising ‘Charity Walk’

“Australia Day is an iconic day to celebrate, and what better way to set yourself a fitness challenge?” Battocchio said.

“We’re trying to show the community fitness that can be fun, and anybody can do something like this.”

Events include the top-tier long course (900m swim, 7km run), the short course (400m swim, 3km run) and an “Aquafun” event for children - 6-9 year olds (140m swim, 2km run) and 10-12 year olds (200m swim, 2km run).

International triathlon stars Aaron Royle (Australia) and Gwen Jorgensen (USA) will headline the red-hot field at the Wollongong Australia Day Aquathon.

Wollongong based Royle booked his place at this year’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games, at the ITU World Championships in London in October, and has since gone on to win both the Noosa and Nepean (Penrith) triathlons. He’ll face some friendly competition from training teammates Ryan Bailie and Olympian Brendan Sexton.

Defending Women’s champ Jorgensen will set the pace in her division but will be pushed by recently crowned ITU under 23’s World Champion Charlotte McShane and teammates Grace Musgrove, Natalie Van Coevorden and Tamsyn Moana-Veale. All are members of the Wollongong Wizards, a NSWIS high-performance unit training in Wollongong under Jamie Turner.