It's now less than three weeks until more than 4,000 athletes and their supporters arrive in Wollongong for the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Finals.
It's an exciting time for the city with this event considered the crown jewel of the World Triathlon's annual calendar.
Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said now was the time for people to start planning ahead and working out which events they would be coming along to watch.
"This event is a huge coup for the city and I'm really excited to see Wollongong's foreshore areas come alive with all the sights and sounds an event of this scale delivers,'' she said.
"After all, it's not everyday you have some of the world's top athletes swimming, running and riding around Belmore Basin, Squires Way and along Cliff Road.
"There are races and activities across the days from Wednesday 15 to Sunday 19 October with one of the particular highlights I'm looking forward to being the Parade of Nations and the Opening Ceremony.''
The opening ceremony will be held at on Wednesday 15 October from 5-7pm at Lang Park in Wollongong. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Some of the weekend highlights include the Para Triathlon, the T100, the Para Mixed Relay and the Elite Men and Women Championship Finals.
"I'd encourage everyone to set aside some time in their diary on the weekend of the 18 and 19 October and come into Wollongong to soak up the action,'' Cr Brown said.
"The races are concentrated around the foreshore area and there are plenty of great vantage points where you'll be able to cheer on the participants.''
There will be road closures in place to support the event between 15 and 19 October, and the Wollongong Triathlon website has an interactive map allowing people to work out how they'll move around the city.
"We know road closures can be tricky but they're a necessary part of the safe delivery of an event of this nature,'' Cr Brown said.
"They ensure a safe environment for competitors but also allow community members to be a part of the action and move about the event zone easily.
"We're grateful to all those residents who are within the event zone and adjusting their week to accommodate this global event.
The 2025 World Triathlon Championship Finals is supported by Council, the NSW Government, Destination NSW and relevant state government agencies and continues the city's growth as an event destination.
"We've been working for many years to clearly demonstrate that Wollongong is a fantastic city for holding world-class events,'' Cr Brown said.
"And this is paying off. In October, we aren't just welcoming elite triathletes to Wollongong but also Australia's best netballers when the national team, The Diamonds, take on South Africa's SPAR Proteas on 8 October.
"Then, in late November and early December, we'll see the next generation of surfing champions return to the city for the 2025 Australian Junior Surfing Titles. It's returning to Wollongong for the second year running due to the algal bloom off the South Australian coast.''
