With less than two months until the 2016 ITU World Cross Triathlon Championships, world champion athletes Ruben Ruzafa and Flora Duffy have announced their attendance at the event, which are being held in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales, Australia.
The Snowy Mountains region is set to welcome over 1,000 athletes and visitors to the region from across the world in an 11 day MultiSport Festival that kicks off with the opening ceremony in Jindabyne on Thursday 17 November and closes with the 5 stages of the Snowies Mountain Bike festival on 27 November.
Flora Duffy, from Bermuda, will travel to Australia in November to participate in the ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships just two months after winning the 2016 ITU World Triathlon Series. Duffy is a crowd favourite for both on-road and off-road events, and is a top contender for the November Championships.
The ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships is part of the wider 11-day Multisport Festival in New South Wales. As Australia’s first time hosting the World Championships it is set to be the biggest Cross Triathlon event in the southern hemisphere.
The Snowy Mountains region will host class athletes travelling from: Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Switzerland and USA to name just a few. The competition is also on between Australia and New Zealand with both countries fielding large teams for the event.
Race Director, Simon Lazenby, from In2Adventure said “We already have over 400 age group competitors registered from over 20 countries around the globe so it’s going to be a very exciting time in the Snowy Mountains this November with all these international visitors coming to race.
“On top of this both the reigning ITU Cross Triathlon World Champions Ruben Ruzafa and Flora Duffy hot off her WTS win have signalled their intentions to defend their titles this November, couple this with a strong Australian Elite team and some cross Tasman rivalry from New Zealand and its sure to be a weekend of tremendous racing.”
Hosted at the Snowy Mountain’s own Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa, the ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships is set to be a key tourism event for the state of New South Wales. Back-dropped by Australia’s highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko and held at 1,132m above sea level, the competitors can experience the rugged natural beauty that Australia has to offer.
The event is supported by Destination New South Wales and the NSW State Government. Local Monaro MP, John Barilaro said “The event promises to showcase our beautiful area to a global audience, and I look forward to welcoming some of the world’s best athletes to Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa in November.”
Following the Cross Triathlon World Championships is the three-day Snowies Mountain Bike Festival running from the 25-27 November. This adventure filled festival allows riders to complete a series of diverse stages throughout the three-day event. The timing of the event allows athletes to compete in both the Cross Triathlon World Championships and the Mountain Bike Festival, with many international athletes participating in both events, including Welsh MTB Champion Ruth Owen-Evans and USA’s Tamara Donelson.
The ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships and MultiSport Festival is supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, and sanctioned by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) the sole worldwide governing body of the sport of triathlon.
Event organiser In2Adventure is billed as Asia-Pacific’s premier adventure event specialists. With a full calendar of national events scheduled throughout Australia, including adventure races, cross triathlon, XC Mountain Bike, trail runs and corporate events, In2Adventure adds that it… fully embraces all things ‘off road’ and ‘off the beaten track’ and offers a unique, individual experience for all ages and skill levels.
www.trextriathlon.com.au
www.in2adventure.com.au
www.triathlon.org
