2024 School Sport Australia National Triathlon Championships to begin in Rockingham this month

In a boon for the region, about 500 of Australia’s best young triathletes and their supporters are set to descend on Rockingham. The city will host the 2024 School Sport Australia National Triathlon Championships from March 12 to 15, which are expected to inject more than $2 million into Rockingham and WA. State-qualified school-aged triathletes will fiercely compete for a podium position in a swim, cycle, and run course at the annual event. WA is fielding its strongest and largest team, and being on home soil it will have two teams with a combined 76 competitors. The School Sport Australia National Triathlon Championships was last held in WA more than a decade ago in Bunbury 2012. It has been brought to the area by the City of Rockingham and Tourism Rockingham in collaboration with School Sport WA. “We are thrilled to welcome the first School Sport Australia National Triathlon in over a decade to Rockingham. Competitors, families and supporters are travelling far and wide for this event and will be staying in local accommodation and eating in our cafes and restaurants,” Rockingham mayor Deb Hamblin said. “We are proud to support Tourism Rockingham through our community grants program to deliver this initiative, which will bring positive economic outcomes for our local community. “The main competition will be held on March 14 and 15 and we can expect teams and athletes to arrive earlier in the week to get ready, go for a swim and ride the course. We thank local residents for their patience for the required road closures.” Tourism Rockingham president Jodie Payne said attracting events such as this to the area was fundamental in creating a vibrant city. “We are working hard to attract national events like the national triathlon championships to our city. It’s not just exciting racing that we can watch, it books out our accommodation and local businesses feel the lift,” Ms Payne said. “It’s an event that brings economic prosperity at a time that tourism providers would not be booked out. It delivers so much to our community and that is why we exist. We thank the City of Rockingham; they have been great to work alongside in attracting this event to our beachfront.” School Sport WA president Peter Rickers said it was great to bring the national event back to WA. “It’s not just great for our State but also for our athletes who for the first time in a long time can have a home ground advantage and not have to travel huge distances to compete. I would like to add my welcome to the visiting athletes and the officials who accompany them,” Mr Rickers said. “I also know very well the work that has been done behind the scenes in the preparation for this event and congratulate our School Sport WA staff for the professionalism that has been shown.” The opening ceremony will be held at Rockingham Village Green on Wednesday, March 13, at 2.30pm. Individual races will be held on Thursday, March 14, from 7am to 2pm and the mixed team relays on Friday, March 15, from 7am to noon. The race program includes: The race day course has been released and will challenge the triathletes to focus on their technical skills of turning and gear changing. Triathlon and Aquathlon athletes are travelling from NSW (38 competitors), Queensland (97 competitors), South Australia (18 competitors), Tasmania (one competitor) and Victoria 61 competitors) to compete. School Sport WA, the City of Rockingham and Tourism Rockingham are hoping to secure the National Triathlon Championship for 2025.