Hundreds of competitors are en route to what has been touted as the homeland of Australian triathlon when the Challenge Forster Triathlon Festival returns to the Great Lakes on Sunday.
A strong field of Elite competitors will be on the start line, including Lisa Marangon, Jessica Mitchell, Marie Sorrell, Courtney Gilfillan and Gina Crawford for the women and Matthew Pellow, Lindsey Wall, Nicholas Hull, Todd Skipworth and David Mainwaring for the men.
Aside from the elites, there is also another star in the ranks, with Turia Pitt and her fiancé Michael Hoskins, who she credits for being her motivational influence on her long road of recovery, competing in the signature Challenge half distance event - a 1.9km swim, 90km bike and 21.1km run.
In 2011 the life of 24-year-old Turia Pitt changed forever when she was involved in a near fatal fire while taking part in a 100 kilometre ultra-marathon in Western Australia. Suffering burns to over 65% of her body, she remained in a critical condition for weeks and even the most experienced doctors didn’t believe she would survive. Fast forward to 2015, and after countless surgeries and almost two years wearing a head-to-toe compression suit, Pitt is now taking on the world.
Triathlon has become a sport synonymous with achieving personal feats and stories of motivation and Challenge Forster is hoping to welcome a string of similar and inspirational individuals. With distances starting at Enticer level – a 200m swim, 8km ride and 2km run/walk – and through to the Challenge Half, Challenge Forster reiterates Challenge Family's commitment to inclusiveness for anyone of any age and ability.
