Final weekend to take advantage of ‘early bird’ entries for the Queensland TreX Championships and a chance to wear the ‘Green and Gold’ on home soil at the X-Tri Worlds in November…

BRISBANE—With the Victorian and Australian titles already decided, only the Queensland championships remain as the third and final TreX qualifier for the upcoming 2016 ITU Cross Triathlon (X-Tri) World Championships in November.

Event coordinator In2Adventure made history when it won a bid to host the X-Tri Worlds at Lake Crackenback in the heart of the iconic Snowy Mountains of New South Wales. This marks the first time the Worlds will be held in the Southern Hemisphere.
Athletes still eager to qualify for Worlds can still take advantage of an ‘early bird’ entry special by registering for the Queensland Dirt Fest & Multisport Festival no later than Sunday, 20 March, for next month’s event (18-20 April) to be held at Ewen Maddock Dam in Landsborough on the Sunshine Coast (16-17 April).
Professional triathlete and off-road specialist Ben Allen (NSW), who claimed both the Victorian and Australian crowns, is a heavy pre-race favourite to take the TreX trifecta. However, Brodie Gardner (QLD), who is fresh off an Xterra Saipan win and a second place finish at Aussie nationals, and 2015 National Champion, Max Neumann (QLD) on home turf in Qld will be looking to upset Allen – himself a 17-time Xterra champion.

“Very proud and honoured to win the national cross triathlon championship today,” said Allen following his national championship win last month on what will be the same location as the Worlds in eight months. “The course is amazing and so many people were cheering me on today, it gave me goose bumps.
“A national title is no joke and I’ll be wearing the green and gold proudly racing around Europe, USA and especially in November at the world champs on home soil.”

Victorian champion and 9-time Xterra winner Jacqui Slack (GBR) leads the elite women’s field, along with Australian championships winner Renata Bucher (SUI) and Australian champion Penny Hosken (VIC) and 2016 NSW Dirt Mistress Champion Kim Beckinsale (QLD).

Aside from the long course state champs, Dirt Fest also offers a sprint course tri (400m swim, 7.5km mountain bike, 3.3km trail run), as well as a 50km XC MTB, 8km Trail Run, along with the ever-popular Queensland Dirt Master and Dirt Mistress titles, currently held by Damien Collins & Renata Bucher, which awards the athlete with the best cumulative times from the long course tri, 8k trail run and 50km XC MTB race.

“It’s such a beautiful venue up there on the Sunshine Coast with lush green rain forests, fern lined tracks and of course the recently developed MTB trails that had riders cheering with delight last year when they had an opportunity to ride some portions of the newly opened course,” said In2Adventure race director Simon Lazenby. “This year riders will get to experience the ‘full monty’ with an entire 10km course of flowing, undulating and awe-inspiring single track awaiting them.

“All in all, we can’t wait!”

Upcoming Events (2016):

• Mountain Designs Adventure Race Australia – NSW, 20 March 2016
• Queensland Cross Triathlon Championships (2016 Worlds Qualifier) – Sunshine Coast, QLD, 16-17 April 2016
• Mountain Designs Adventure Race Australia 18hr Dark Side & 12hr Dawn Attack – Sunshine Coast, QLD, 29-30 April, 2016
• ITU Cross Triathlon World Championships – Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa, Snowy Mountains, NSW, 18-20 November

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