The Gold Coast will be the new home of AusTriathlon, with the organisation today announcing a new long term partnership with the City of Gold Coast.
The 7-year partnership will extend across the whole business of AusTriathlon, from pathway programs to high performance and events.
With the Gold Coast flagged as the host of triathlon for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, it was the perfect match and opportunity for the new home of triathlon.
Mayor Tom Tate and AusTriathlon CEO Tim Harradine joined 2-time Olympian Matt Hauser, Paris Paralympian Jack Howell and rising star Tara Sosinski on the Gold Coast today for the announcement of the partnership.
Harradine said it's an exciting announcement for triathlon.
"We are excited to announce that the Gold Coast will be our new home of triathlon in Australia," Harradine said.
"The Gold Coast and south east Queensland region, presents a number of unique and exciting opportunities for our sport to grow and prosper, especially on the green and gold runway to Brisbane 2032.
"In the coming weeks, we'll unveil our new High Performance Strategy. Relocating to the Gold Coast is an integral part to helping us deliver on this.
"But this partnership branches across all aspects of our organisation – headquarters, staff, high performance, pathways and events.
"We're very grateful for the support from the City of Gold Coast and look forward to making it our home over the next 5 years," he said.
Mayor Tom Tate said the City was proud to welcome AusTriathlon to the Gold Coast.
"We are pleased to welcome AusTriathlon and their athletes to the City where they will benefit from world-class facilities and a great climate for training and competition," Mayor Tate said.
"The partnership, which runs until 2032, provides 14 new jobs, more than $30 million in benefit to the local economy and will support more than 90 national pathway athletes to regularly train on the Gold Coast.
"With the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Triathlon event proposed to be held here on the Gold Coast, it is the perfect springboard in assisting our Aussies going for Gold.
"The move was made possible through the City's Sports Attraction program which over the past decade has provided more than $200 million in local expenditure.
"Welcome to the Gold Coast AusTriathlon. We look forward to supporting you and your athletes."
Two-time Olympian Matt Hauser said he's looking forward to seeing the triathlon community embrace his home of the Gold Coast.
"It's super exciting to put pen to paper and the Gold Coast is going to be the home of our sport," Hauser said.
"It's been my home for the last 8 years and I've certainly benefitted from the training facilities here and having the ocean so close.
"It gives me variety, and there are so many options for all different types of training that we're doing," he said.
Paralympian Jack Howell relocated to the Gold Coast this year to train in the lead up to the Paris Games and said he hopes more athletes can benefit from the same conditions as a result of today's announcement.
"I'm a Melbourne boy. I made the move to the Gold Coast earlier this year so I can really attest to the lifestyle that it creates," Howell said.
"Moving from Victoria…training half the year down there is quite a challenge, but moving to the Gold Coast the athlete lifestyle but also the culture here has been extremely valuable.
"Bringing everyone here is a great move, and a path that I can't wait to see people come along," he said.
Rising star, and Gold Coast local, Tara Sosinski said it will be a huge boost to her training to have more athletes in her home state.
"Having the older athletes here on the Gold Coast to learn from is going to be great. Matt and Jack have both just come off the back of Paris, so if you're in the same environment as them every day it rubs off on you," Sosinski said.
"The climate here on the Gold Coast is fantastic – we're very fortunate to be training all year round in sunshine.
"You only have to walk down the Esplanade in the morning, and it's flooded with people, promoting an active lifestyle," she said.
