The Noosa Triathlon wasn’t exactly a triathlon this year. Instead of swimming, biking, then running, organizers chose to structure the event a little differently. Instead of a swim, they began with a run. The reason? Sharks.
According to reports, Sunday’s race began with a five-kilometer run (3.1 miles) instead of the usual 1.5-km swim. It’s the first time since the event started in 1983 that the swim portion has been dropped.
“The Noosa Triathlon team is not able to put water safety on the water due to marine life present,” organizers wrote on Facebook. “The swim will not be taking place. Athletes will start with a beach run beginning from the western end of the beach and head towards the existing swim exit.”
The changes were announced just 45 minutes before the race began, throwing competitors for a loop. Drones in the air patrolling off the coast of Noosa spotted multiple sharks, prompting race officials to err on the side of caution.
“You have to keep adapting to situations and changes, and we had to make of it what we could and the crowd got a kick out of it,” said Australia’s Matt Hauser, the defending champion, to the Associated Press. “It’s Noosa, you have to do the race justice and give it a crack.”
Hauser won the race, crossing the finish line in one hour, 39 minutes and 34 seconds.
The Noosa Tri is the biggest Olympic distance triathlon in the world. Competitors race around Noosa’s main beach, through the center of town, and into the hinterland.
