Australia's best virtual cyclists will converge on QUT on Friday for the AusCycling Esports National Championships, which will be held at The Cube on Gardens Point campus for the second year in a row.
The championships will see finalists race bikes positioned on stationary trainers that are connected to a virtual cycling app as they cover a 20km MyWhoosh course through the streets of Wollongong.
The courses and competitors' progress will also be shown on the big screens of The Cube.
The event will be livestreamed thanks to the QUT Sport Broadcast Team, which streams multiple esports events each year. The team is led by QUT communication graduate Keira Rawlins, who is assisted by current QUT students.
On Friday, prior to the national championships, QUT will also host a high-energy esports activities afternoon for students from 2pm to 5pm at The Cube (P Block). The afternoon will include an esports cycling challenge, free bicycle-powered smoothies, the QUT Sport Prize Wheel, and $5 student meals.
The Esports National Championships' women's final will be held at 6pm, with the men's final at 7pm. Defending women's champ Kate Trdin (pictured above) will be among the competitors.
AusCycling's first Esports National Championships was held at The Cube last year, when Trdin and Joshua Wilson made history as Australia's first cycling esports national champions.
The event is part of a billion-dollar tech industry and will this year be delivered by AusCycling's app partner MyWhoosh.
"The sports tech sector is revolutionising how and who can interact with cycling content," AusCycling Chief Executive Marne Fechner said.
"It's events like this that improve participation rates of cycling in general, as those who are injured, less experienced or prefer stationary bike riding can join in on the fun.
"I look forward to watching the riders compete for the iconic green-and-gold jersey."
The Esports National Championships is part of the three-day 2025 Brisbane Cycling Festival (April 11-13), which also features the Tour de Brisbane on Sunday and the Active Lifestyle Expo presented by Optus on April 12-13.
The 2025 Brisbane Cycling Festival is supported by Brisbane City Council through Brisbane Economic Development Agency and the Queensland Government through Tourism and Events Queensland.
Main image at top: Kate Trdin, the 2024 women's champion, at last year's AusCycling Esports National Championships at The Cube, QUT.
