Newcastle is set to lift their triathlon profile with confirmation the inaugural NSW Relay Challenge will be a feature event of the city’s three-day festival next year.
Organisers of Newcastle’s Triathlon Festival were already expecting to attract plenty of interest in 2015 after merging the Sparke Helmore NBN Triathlon and the Newcastle Foreshore Triathlon, events that had previously co-existed for 22 years.
But the inclusion of the three-person relay challenge, in which team members complete a super short sprint course in succession, adds further prestige to the event.
‘We have just found out that the relay challenge has been given state championship status from TriNSW, which makes it a really exciting addition to our ever-growing schedule over three days,’ event director Paul Humphreys said.

In what is hoped to be a positive step forward for both events, this year’s Big Beach Challenge Sand Run will move from its traditional spring date to the morning of the iconic Surfest finals at Merewether Beach on Sunday 22 Feb.  Sand run organiser Paul Humphreys said it all came about by chance, with Surfest organiser Warren Smith being on life guard duty on the morning of the 2013 event. “I’ve known Warren for a long time and on that morning we had a chat about moving the date of the Beach Challenge to coincide with Surfest. At the time I thought it might be too hot, but we have since agreed it that with an early start, it would be an ideal opportunity to cross promote both events to our substantial network and also bolster crowds for finals day and the run”; said Humphreys.

It’s back to the future on Saturday 21 March, with a couple of differences. We have decided to move the race compound and transition back to the main shopping precinct in Shoal Bay for the benefit of spectators and competitors.  Click here for more.

It’s back again, bigger and better and with a new date of 27-28 Feb and 1 March 2015. The improved event will see 2 new events added to the festival and 1 change to previous years. We will still be providing the 5km fun run on the Friday night, and the women’s only triathlon and kid’s triathlon on the Saturday, but with the addition of the Newcastle Foreshore Triathlon.