Race Day at 70.3 Sunshine Coast: Timeline, Common Mistakes and Plan B

The days before: the water decides the wetsuit

The most interesting variable in this race plays out before the start. The official average water temperature is 22 °C, right at the typical wetsuit cutoff. But 5 weeks out the ocean can be around 17-18 °C, and it warms up quickly in the final 2 weeks. Translation: you can't make the wetsuit call from home. If you arrive early, swim in the days before the race off Mooloolaba Beach to get a feel for real conditions. The official decision still comes from the website and the race briefing: don't assume anything and pack both options.

In those same days: walk through the transitions (T1 on the beach, T2 on the same road, both described as spacious and easy to navigate), do a recce on foot of the Alexandra Headland climb, and take a pass along the esplanade to visualize the two run laps.

Race morning: arrive earlier than you think

Reports from 2024 flag long toilet queues in the morning. That's the number one reason to get to transition early: add 30-45 minutes to your usual plan. In T1 you'll find toilets, a mechanic, pumps, bottle refills and a medical tent: use the services, but don't count on the mechanic for problems you could have fixed the day before.

The start: rolling by zones

The swim is 1,900 m in the ocean, one counterclockwise lap off the beach. It's a rolling start by zones, from Zone 1 to Zone 4, from the more sheltered eastern side of the beach; the exit is about 120 m west of the start. Pick your zone honestly based on your actual swim time: starting too far forward means getting swum over for 1,900 metres. It's a surf beach: practise beforehand getting through the break and sighting on distant buoys. Swim cutoff: 1 hour.

The cutoff sequence

Three reference points from the start: 1 hour for the swim, 5 hours for the bike, 8 hours overall. If you're a back-of-the-pack athlete, write them on your bottle cage: knowing how much margin you have prevents panic decisions.

The typical mistakes on this course

1) Trusting the "flat and fast" label on the bike: the actual elevation gain is between 420 and 620 m with constant false flats; push like it's a pancake-flat TT and you'll pay for it on the run. 2) Forgetting that the final Alexandra Headland climb is about 1 km from the finish: arriving there empty ruins the race. 3) Improvising your nutrition: the aid stations carry Maurten (gels and Solid 160) and Precision Fuel PH 1000; if you haven't tested them, bring your own. 4) Underestimating the heat: official data says a high of 23 °C, but 2024 was described as a full-summer day, with little shade on the run. 5) Making the wetsuit call at the last minute without having swum in the days before.

Plan B, written in advance

• Hot day: slow the first run lap, increase fluids and salts according to the plan you set beforehand, pour water over yourself at aid stations.
• Strong wind on the bike: hold your watts, ignore speed; it's an out-and-back, so what you lose one way you partly get back the other.
• Rough sea: start from the sheltered side as planned, stretch out your breathing, accept a slower swim split; the 1-hour cutoff leaves margin for anyone who stays calm.
• Stomach issues: switch to water and back off the pace for 10-15 minutes before resuming fuelling.

Afterwards

Reports note little shade and a limited aid setup in the finish area: arrange a supporter or your own supplies for recovery. The race ends when you're sitting in the shade with something to drink in hand, not at the finish line.