I’m writing this from Busselton ready to watch our amazing CTC athletes race Ironman WA and the 70.3. It’s also Kerry’s 30th birthday which he will be celebrating whilst doing his first Ironman. It’s been so great to see the Tuesday track session thriving week on week, if you are a new member this is the place to go! For those that missed the FB post, the all round good guy Russ will be helping facilitate a swim squad at PAP on Monday and Wednesday nights at 5.45pm. Coming into the end of the year we have a few more weeks before we go on a break from all club training, exact dates will be posted on Facebook. I’m looking forward to the end of another successful beginners program with all the ladies doing the CTC race on Sunday. Hopefully they have fallen in love with triathlon and will sign up as full members next season. Have a great festive season, stay safe and enjoy the festive 500 - Loren Lane (President)

Bondi2Berry

Congratulations to Alix Bruant, Johanna Riffaud and Heather Tumblety on completing their first ever Bondi2Berry ride on November 18th. Special shout out to Nicole Cox on her seventh year and a huge thank you to the CTC volunteers; Hannah Morgan, David Eck, Julia Warning, Jen Pat and Rachelle Gibson who manned fueling stations and safety vehicles to provide the riders with much needed nutritional and emotional support. We couldn't have asked for better weather or a safer event to take part in - MC Cyclery provided on course mechanical support and each group had a lead and rear support car. It really was a great day out and as you can see from the pictures below, smiles all round!

This year's Bondi2Berry riders managed to raise $155,000 for dementia - this will fund not just one but two research projects into the disease. Amazing work, team!  

Melbourne 70.3

A small but mighty contingency of Coogee members travelled to race Melbourne 70.3: Ryan Williams, Joe Baxter, Eric Poulin, Andrew Rice, Duane Russell, with special mention to Lisa Moorhouse, it was her 1st 70.3 and she nailed it! In typical Melbourne fashion we had all four seasons in one day. Windy & cold conditions in the morning meant the swim distance was reduced however, despite the tough conditions, our athletes kept the pace up. Kudos to Eric for completing his first ocean swim in a race, in those conditions! The flat bike course along the bay featured some strong winds but minimal turns. This meant competitors could stay in the aero position most of the way and Bryn was chasing Andy down most of the 90kms. The sun then came out for the run. It’s a nice, flat course with lost of spectators and volunteers cheering you on. The run course also turns back on itself a few times which means our athletes were able to high five friends and get that extra boost! Although smaller than our usual support crew, huge thanks go to Eoghan, Loren, Lydia, Joe, Amanda, and Hannah for pushing the team and keeping spirits high. The after race beers were a treat but apologies to Eoghan for the poor turn out - us athletes need to rest! Melbourne 70.3 should definitely be on everyone’s to do list. - Byrn Williams

Beginners Program Update

Our beginners' program is nearing it's end and the ladies have been doing such a fantastic job. They have now been coached by Loren from HLT through all three disciplines and completed their final brick session. This year's cohort are strong! And we cannot wait to see them battle it out against each other at the club race this Sunday 3rd December. Come along and cheer them on if you can! 7am, Heffron Park.

Hawks Nest / Little Husky / Noosa

We have had an influx of new members recently (both male and female) and we could not be happier to have them join our team. Some are already out there, racing away and dawning our Coogee kit so we thought it would be fun to conduct some post race interviews and hear how they went.

Gabriella Akerberg - Hawks Nest

Q1. How long have you been a member of the club? Since April this year

Q2. Have you done any triathlons before? First one at Hawks Nest, but my second triathlon total (I did Little Husky a few weeks ago!).

Q3. What was the course like? Course was nice, it's such a lovely environment up there! They cut the swim short due to rough conditions, which I didn't mind too much.

Q4. What was the best and the worst part of the race for you? It was a bit challenging as I recently got knocked down with the flu but I decided to go out there with no expectations and to just enjoy the race. Best part was my girlfriends who came along cheering me on, and also seeing fellow Coogee members throughout the course - both giving me that extra burst of energy!

Q5. If you could sum up the race in three words, what would they be? Choppy, motivational, fun!

Q6. Would you recommend this race to others? Yes!

Q7. What's next for you?? The classic distance at Big Husky.

Lewis Burks - Noosa Olympic Triathlon

Q1. How long have you been a member of the club? This is my first season with the club. I signed up for the first time in September 2023.

Q2. Have you done any triathlons before? I’d previously done two Olympic distance triathlons - London and Noosa last year.

Q3. What was the course like? I love the Noosa course. The swim is slightly sheltered but still a challenge, the ride is a good combination of quick flat bits with one challenging hill that you have to get right, and the run is completely flat. It’s all very scenic though.

Q4. What was the best and the worst part of the race for you? Swim is always my weakest leg, but I really threw it away in transition this year by losing the spot I racked in. Best leg this year was the bike. Knowing multiple other people from the club up there this year made the whole experience better because I was watching for others times too, celebrated with them and trained with them through the week building up.

Q5. If you could sum up the race in three words, what would they be? Fun. Great atmosphere.

Q6. Would you recommend this race to others? Highly. The whole town has a great buzz for most of the week and embraces the whole event.

Q7. What's next for you?? I’ll be back to Noosa again next year but will make my club champs and 70.3 debuts too with a view to doing Cairns and Western Sydney.

Natalia Saule - Little Husky

Q1. How long have you been a member of the club? I’ve been with Coogee since June this year.

Q2. Have you done any triathlons before? I used to do triathlons as I kid but this year I started to pick it up again. I did the super sprint at Port Stephens in May and Husky in November.

Q3. What was the course like? I found the swim at Husky a challenge. I definitely need to get out and do more ocean swims! The bike and run were great. Not too many hills which was nice.

Q4. What was the best and the worst part of the race for you? The worst was definitely the swim. I really enjoyed the running - such beautiful views!

Q5. If you could sum up the race in three words, what would they be? Good vibes & cold.

Q6. Would you recommend this race to others? Absolutely! Such a great atmosphere.

Q7. What's next for you?? I’m hoping to do my first standard distance at Husky in Feb and also my first 70.3 next year!

Canberra Challenge

As the Spilt Milk Festival revellers stumbled and tumbled to bed, our Dany bound from hers ready to take on the inaugural Challenge Canberra in her debut as a professional triathlete. It was a tough course. It suited good map readers - we witnessed several poor athletes getting lost on the bike course and it took several attempts ourselves to figure out the 3 different laps - those who like to swim in ponds, and those who love pinch after punch after buffering wind. It was cool though. We got up close and personal with some big names in the tri world, and that was just Dany. Witnessed an incredible run battle in the female pros, as well as stealth Coogee member Jack Pringle race out of his skin to take out 4th, narrowly missing the podium in the overall AG race, but taking the chocolate easily in his AG. And I rode my first electric scooter (very, very slowly! - thanks for the edit, Lydia). It takes courage to put yourself in the mix and step out of the comfort zone and challenge yourself against the best in the world. Few would do it. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I’m excited to see her take on this stage in her journey with the same tenacity she has given everything else. LESSSGOOOO DANY! - Hannah Morgan (Treasurer)

Club Race - Sunday 3rd December

This Sunday we have just over thirty competitors coming down to Heffron park for our second club race of the season. The majority of competitors are taking part in the beginners' race. This means two things: 1) we need as many people to come along and show support as possible. The women in the beginners program have worked hard to prepare for this over the last six weeks, lets make sure they enjoy it and hopefully they'll sign up with us as fully fledged members afterward. 2) If you're already a member and competing in the sprint race, the field is small so this is your chance to win bragging rights. "Winner of CTC Christmas race 2023"... who's it going to be??

Link to sign up is below. If you can't race, bring the dog and cheer others on! We'd love to see you.

Christmas Party

On Sunday 17th December we will get together to throw some Christmas cheer! 🎄🍻 Come along to Baker Park from 2pm to celebrate and spend some time with your tri mates (obviously much better than normal mates). Please bring your own drinks and a plate of food to share if you can. Partners, pets and family all welcome. A Facebook event has been set up for this, if you're going please RSVP on there.

Interclub Challenge

Short course season is upon us and the competition is hot! Each member who competes in one of these shorter races, blags CTC points in the league. We are currently sitting 4th. If you feel like getting your name amongst the previous MVP’s or just want to do some shorter races, sign up below! Every point helps.

MC Cyclery Essential Bike Maintenance Night

In November, MC opened their clubhouse after hours for a special bike maintenance night led by their two mechanics Tim and Max. Over snacks and drinks, they took Coogee members through all the different brake, wheel, tyre and tube options, as well as teaching us how to change a flat. We also learnt about di2 electronic shifting and how to solve some of the more common issues with di2. Thanks to MC and their patient mechanics, we are now more confident and prepared on our rides. - Julia Warning (Vice President)