A dirty weekend away...

By Ellie O'Gorman

On Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 October 2011, Weekend Warrior Events will host what is, in my opinion, one of the BEST events on the Queensland sporting calendar. Now in its fourth year, the Straddie Salute Multisport Festival is in its best form yet. There are 3 events over 2 days, all happening on the pristine beaches of North Stradbroke Island. And believe me, this is not your average triathlon: no following white lines on main roads or swimming in uninspiring canals! It's a weekend of dirty, spectacular, adventure goodness!

So take notes - here's the drill...

Saturday 8 October - the Sibelco Straddie 1000 Ocean Swim. Own a pair of boardies or a bikini? Then throw them on, get rid of that pasty winter moon tan you've got going, and enter this swim. It's a fabulous 1km swim course in the crystal clear waters of Cylinder Beach and is a great way to start off your weekend on Straddie.

Sunday 9 October - There are two events that are happening: the Columbia Adventure Run/Walk and the Straddie Salute Offroad Triathlon. Personally, I wish I could do them both simultaneously. If you've been to Straddie (and if you haven't, shame on you!), you'll know that it has some of the most spectacular natural coast line to run or walk along. It's magic.

The Columbia Adventure Run/Walk is an 8km scenic course around Point Lookout. This event is perfect for all ages and abilities, and includes roads, paved paths, plenty of bush trails and some beach terrain. You might want to take your camera in case you see a whale, a pod of dolphins, or a good-looking competitor!

Then, there's the Straddie Salute Offroad Triathlon. One of my favourite races - it's been designed by John Guise and his team at Weekend Warrior Events with the social competitor in mind. Love it!

You can enter the tri as an individual or as a 2 or 3 person team and if you're anything like me and like a race with a difference, then get an entry in quick smart (entries are limited to 500 spots). I can guarantee you won't find a race that has a more laid back atmosphere, stunning scenery, and sense of adventure. The distance is 600/18/8 and is achievable with limited training (trust me on that one...). There's no technical mountain bike sections (yes, you road cycling fanatics: if you don't own one, there will be mountain bikes for hire!), and the run is mostly on trails and coastal tracks.

I've been lucky enough to get my hands on a pair of Columbia's new Master of Faster trail running shoes, which are the perfect motivation to get out of bed and bash out some trail runs before October rolls around. Watch this space for my post-race report in the October edition of 220 Triathlon Magazine.

Here are some more details:

North Stradbroke Island as a destination is hard to beat - it has some of the best swimming, fishing, surfing, diving and 4WD tracks in Queensland. And the Stradbroke Beach Hotel is the perfect place for a post race beer and, due to its recent renovations, spa treatments! Yippee! Check it out at: www.stradbrokehotel.com.au If you need to take your car over to the island, click on the timetable at www.stradbrokeferries.com.au.

So, Weekend Warriors, I'll see you at the start line or at the pub afterwards to swap race stories.