Kiama has gone from having no triathlons in a decade to hosting two in a single year, with the second Elite Energy Kiama Triathlon on this Saturday.

Around 600 competitors are expected to take part in the event, which is being touted as the perfect lead-up to the World Triathlon Championships in Wollongong, running from 15-19 October.

“Elite Energy saw this as an ideal lead-in to Worlds. It’s become a firm favourite and will be a regular fixture on the calendar,” said Kiama Triathlon Club vice-president Geoff Besnard.

“It won’t necessarily be twice a year every year - it depends on how it fits in. But Council is on board, and we’ve had very little negative feedback from locals. 

“In fact, a lot of people said it was great to have something like this happening. We saw heaps of locals out in their frontyards, cheering and supporting the event.”

This year's event will follow a similar format to previous ones, with both sprint and standard distance triathlons. New this time is the addition of an aquabike category, which includes the swim and bike legs of the standard distance - but without the run.

“They’ve kept both standard and sprint distances, because the World Champs feature both.

"The aquabike has been added too, since it will also be part of the Worlds,” Besnard explained.

The Kiama Triathlon is shaping up to be a teaser for the world titles in Wollongong, which Besnard says will attract around 5000 competitors from around the globe.

“It’s run by the International Triathlon Union and is their flagship world event. It’s also the grand final for elite athletes,” he said.

“On Sunday, there’ll be World Championship mixed relay races - with Australia up against Britain and other nations. Then we’ve got the elite women’s championship, and later in the day, the men’s pro event. It’s the absolute pinnacle of triathlon internationally. They’re expecting around 20,000 spectators to fly in.”

As for local participation, Besnard said around 25 competitors from the Kiama Triathlon Club are expected to take part in the World Championships.

“To compete in age-group events, athletes need to qualify for the national team. That means racing in points-based events throughout the country. The top scorers in each age group are selected,” he said.

“When the event is hosted in Australia, it becomes especially competitive because travel isn’t such a barrier. We’re expecting about 25 locals to qualify and race.”

A couple of happy competitors crossing the finish line at the last Kiama Triathlon

Participation in this weekend’s Kiama Triathlon may be slightly lower than usual, with some athletes opting to rest ahead of the Worlds - while others will use it as a final warm-up.

“Local numbers will be down a little since it’s only two weeks out from the Worlds. Some are choosing to rest, but others see it as a great tune-up event,” Besnard added.

The Kiama Triathlon kicks off at 8:30am on Saturday, 27 September, at James Oates Reserve. With its picturesque setting and passionate community support, it promises to be another memorable day of racing - so head down to the river and soak up the action in stunning Kiama.

Check here for road closures on the day.