The 2025 champions have been crowned at the Mooloolaba Triathlon, with Kieran Storch and Charlotte McShane taking out the men’s and women’s titles on Sunday.
Poor water quality following recent rain meant that the swim portion of the event could not take place, with athletes starting their day with a beach run before continuing with the 40km ride and 10km run, with the finish on Mooloolaba Esplanade.
Kieran Storch won the men’s title in 1:28:12, edging out Kurt McDonald by just five seconds, with Jye Spriggs rounding out the podium.
McDonald was first back into transition following the ride and got an early lead on the 10km run before Storch closed the gap and made his move in the final stages to take the win.
“It was a pretty good day obviously when you win, bit of an interesting one with no swim but it doesn’t make it any easier at the end of the run, it’s always pretty hot and humid out here,” said Storch. “Like everyone you just have to adapt, I knew it would be a bit hectic on the bike and it was, I tried to get away a couple times, but there were too many strong guys so it was just about positioning then for the for the run, I knew it would be a tough run.
Charlotte McShane was the class athlete of the women’s race, hitting the front early and never looking back, winning the title in 1:45:41, more than three minutes ahead of Kathryn Krosch, with Kerry Morris third.
“I’m pretty tired at the moment, it’s a really tough day out there, even though we weren’t able to swim it was still a super hot, tough, race and it was starting to really heat up in that run which was hard but I’m really happy I was able to take the win in the end,” said McShane. “The swim for me would have been probably my best leg today, so that was a little bit disappointing but you’ve just got to roll with it and fortunately the organisers definitely made the right call in not having us swim in the water.”
The win was an important one for McShane as she focuses on the next step her in her triathlon career.
“It means a lot, it’s hard to win races, they don’t come often and they haven’t come often for me in the past couple of years. So, any time I can get a win, I’ll take it,” she said. “I’m focusing on the longer distance triathlons now, which is a new challenge for me and I’m actually planning to do my first IRONMAN in Cairns in a few months, so it’s a very different world for me at the moment, I’m just trying to learn.”
Sunday’s action kicked off the with Oceania Triathlon Sprint Championships, one of three key Continental Championship races for Australian and New Zealand athletes, offering crucial ranking points to secure international race starts later in the season, as well as being a final domestic showdown before athletes head into their international campaigns. Athletes raced across a 2.5km run, 20km ride and 5km run.
Thousands of athletes took part in Sunday’s Standard Distance Mooloolaba Triathlon, with a sold-out Aquabike category also in action.
For more on the Mooloolaba Triathlon visit mooloolabatri.com.au/
