Australian Olympian Erin Densham to race for a share of the $40,000 prize purse at the Oceania Cross Triathlon Championships in the Snowy Mountains…

SNOWY MOUNTAINS, NSW — Less than a week after two-time Olympian Courtney Atkinson signed on to race the Oceania Cross Triathlon Championships in the iconic Snowy Mountains of New South Wales over the final weekend in February (28 Feb – 1 March), fellow Olympian and London 2012 bronze medalist has followed suit.

“The Oceania Cross Champs is something I have yet to compete in, though I raced Australian Cross Champs at the same location last year,” said Densham from her home in Scottsdale, Arizona, referring to the Oceania’s 2015 location at Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa. “The fact that the race is being conducted by In2Adventure and at one of my all time favourite locations, Lake Crackenback meant that this has been on my radar for some time.”

The 29-year-old New South Wales native is no stranger to off-road triathlon having fallen in love with the sport after competing in the Xterra World Championships in 2011. Densham also previously raced and won the TreX Cross Triathlon Championships in Victoria in 2013.

“Off-road racing is something that I enjoy,” admitted Densham. “My expectations are the same as any race, to do my best, but in the off-road events it’s certainly a bigger challenge with the specialists who compete.”

Densham who has had a light racing schedule over the past two and a half years following her Olympic podium in London, claims she is in good form and ready to take on off-road specialists Jacqui Slack (GBR), Renata Bucher (SUI),Lizzie Orchard (NZL) and Connie Silvestri (AUS) in the elite women’s field for a share of the AU$40,000 prize purse.

“I wanted to make sure that I could and would compete at a level that would do respect to this event,” said Densham. “Once I decided that I could, I contacted In2Adventure and let them know that I would be coming to Lake Crackenback to start my 2015 season.”

The 2006 ITU Under-23 world champion triathlete did not comment further on her future plans which could include a bid for a third Olympic Games in Rio in 2016, but she is most certainly looking to return to the form that propelled her to two ITU World Triathlon Series wins in Sydney and Hamburg in 2012.

“Let’s face it, the off road racing is fun, I get to ride my Giant MTB and I get to race against people I don’t see at every ITU race,” she concluded. “I know that if I am good to go off-road then I will be good to go at the ITU majors events, the timing of this event is perfect for me in my bigger plan.”

With two weeks still remaining for age-group and elite sign-ups, the elite men’s field is already loaded with Atkinson, adventure race world champion Braden Currie (NZL), 14-time Xterra winner Ben Allen (AUS), Todd Israel (AUS), Kyle Ward (AUS) and newly-crowned Australian Cross Triathlon Champion Max Neumann.

The Oceania Cross Triathlon Championships is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW, and consists of a 1500m swim, 30km mountain bike and 10km trail run in the stunning vicinity of Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa.

The race is one of three events in Australia that are qualifying rounds for the World Cross Triathlon Championships in 2015 to be held in Sardinia, Italy on 26th September, 2015.

About the Oceania Cross Triathlon Championships:

The Oceania Cross Triathlon Championships is a Continental Championships awarded by the Oceania Triathlon Union (OTU), and is one of three events in Australia that are qualifying rounds for the World Cross Triathlon Championships in 2015 to be held in Sardinia, Italy on 26th September, 2015.

The race will be hosted at Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa in the spectacular Snowy Mountains (NSW), featuring the trails, rivers, hills, lakes and bushland of this iconic region. The Championships includes events for the entire family, while the feature race consists of 1500m swim, 30km XC mountain bike and 10km trail run. For more information about the event visit the event website HERE

About TreX:

For seven years TreX has positioned itself as the pinnacle of the cross – or off-road – triathlon racing series in the Asia-Pacific region. Presented by the premier outdoor adventure event specialists In2Adventure, TreX consists of an open water swim, mountain bike leg and trail run. While each TreX event features an elite category with industry-leading prize purses, including $10,000 for the Australian Cross Triathlon Championships and $40,000 for the Oceania Cross Triathlon Championships, the TreX Cross Triathlon national series invites participation from all ages and skill levels. For more information visit TreX here.

About In2Adventure:

In2Adventure are 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 fully embraces all things ‘off road’ and ‘off the beaten track’ and offers a unique, individual experience for all ages and skill levels. For more information and upcoming events visit the TreX website here.

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