Racing the Gulf Western Oil Nepean Triathlon at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Australia netted dual Olympian triathlete Emma Moffatt an AU$2000 bonus – but the money was quick to slip through her hands for a good cause.
The 29-year-old from Australia’s Gold Coast immediately donated her bonus payment to the New South Wales (NSW) Bushfire Appeal.
A week ago Sydney’s bushfires threatened to cancel Australia’s oldest surviving triathlon staged at the foot of the Blue Mountains; but the relentless work by the NSW emergency services not only saved hundreds of houses and properties but also allowed the race to go on for the 32nd consecutive year.
Moffatt kept the cream of Australia’s male triathlete boys at bay in the unique ‘handicap’ non-drafting format, which saw the elite men leave 10 minutes 59 seconds behind the women over the 1K swim, 30K bike, 10K run course.
In the end it was Moffatt who hung on to take Australia’s number 1 male ITU triathlete Aaron Royle by 2 minutes 55 seconds on the handicap system. This netted Moffatt an AU$2000 bonus from sponsor Gulf Western Oil.
“I’m from Queensland and watching the bush fires on the television was just devastating; and to see the work the fire fighters did was just amazing,” said the Dual Olympian and former two-time ITU World Champion.
“The least I can do is donate my $2000 bonus to the NSW Bushfire Appeal to help out those people who lost everything in the fires.”
Moffatt charged to the line to take the overall AU$14,000 winners cheque in the Elite Women’s race, managing to hold off the swift advances of Australia’s number one male Aaron Royle, who also collected the men’s AU$14,000 cheque.
Adding bonuses for the swim, bike and run it was an AU$19,000 pay day for Moffatt, with Royle pocketing AU$15,000 with his AU$1000 run bonus.
“It was a bit of a different race for us, obviously not used to this style with the boys chasing you the whole time even if the girls aren’t right there you’ve got to keep going… racing scared the whole day,” said Moffatt.
“I’ve never done this race and when I found out it was the week before the Noosa Triathlon, which I’d planned to do all year, it was perfect to come to the Nepean race… You don’t often get the chance to race in Australia; so when you can you like to make the most of it.”
She continued, “The handicap system has an appeal to it – a race between the girls and the boys – it’s nice finishing relatively close – to enjoy the same race at the same time.”
Moffatt and Royle will now headline a who’s who for next weekend’s annual Noosa Triathlon MultiSport Festival.
The Nepean Triathlon came about in February 1982 when a group of mates (after seeing the Hawaii Ironman TV coverage) decided to put on the first triathlon in Sydney. There had been events held before in Australia (1981 Elouera endurathon), but the Nepean event was to continue on. The original event was held in the Nepean River with no bike racks and a ‘handler’ essential to hold an athlete’s gear and bike.
