Can Ashleigh Gentle take an historic 10th win at the Noosa Triathlon’s 40th anniversary?
Australian star returns home for final race of the year
Photo by:
Kevin Mackinnon
If she can do it this weekend she’ll have won 25 per cent of the Noosa Triathlon women’s titles. As the iconic Noosa event celebrates its 40 anniversary, two-time Olympian Ashleigh Gentle is looking to make history herself as she looks to add another victory to a year that includes wins at the PTO Asian Open in Singapore along with 70.3 wins in Andorra and Malaysia. She’s finished on the podium at every race she’s been in, including runner-up finishes at the PTO European and US Opens, too. Gentle’s impressive season has put her at #2 on the PTO World Ranking.
“It’s been two years now doing middle-distance racing so it’s kind of flown by really, it’s been amazing, I had a lot of success last year and it was nice to be able to go back this year and still have some success and build upon it,” said Gentle. “I feel like I definitely got stronger this year, I feel like I learnt a lot last year and was able to put more into practice this year, it’s been great to be able to keep building and I feel like I’ve got some really good momentum behind me and I’m pretty excited to celebrate the 40th year in Noosa with everyone.”
We also caught up with Gentle after yesterday’s press conference:
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“Of all the years, the 40th year is the one I’m trying to go for my 10th title, it’s so surreal, I kind of think to myself how am I even old enough to have nine titles already, I feel like I’m still young at heart but I have been doing it a long time,” she continued. “I’m super excited, it’s a great field and that’s always expected for each year but especially the 40th year, but it’s the same as every year for me, just do what I can do on the day. I think no matter how tired I am or how worried I am about my fitness, at the end of the year I generally always have something special for Noosa Tri and I really hope to be able to bring some of that magic back this year.
That “great” field includes distance specialists Amelia Watkinson, Fenella Langridge, Lotte Wilms and Sarah Crowley, along with a number of short-course specialists. Gentle’s fellow Australian Olympians Jay Hedgeland and Charlotte McShane are competing, as is 2019 runner-up Natalie Van Coevorden and Belgian Hanne de Vet.
You can follow the triathlon action live on Ironman’s YouTube channel. The race begins at 6:15 am local time, which will be 4:15 pm EST (1:15 pm PST) on Saturday, Nov. 4.
Here’s the full women’s start list for the Noosa Triathlon:
1 Ashleigh Gentle AUS
2 Natalie Van Coevorden AUS
3 Amelia Watkinson NZL
4 Charlotte McShane AUS
5 Jaz Hedgeland AUS
6 Fenella Langridge GBR
7 Sarah Crowley AUS
8 Kira Hedgeland AUS
9 Milan Agnew AUS
10 Paige Cranage AUS
11 Hanne De Vet BEL
12 Emily Donker AUS
14 Jessica Ewart-McTigue AUS
15 Richelle Hill AUS
16 Hannah Knighton NZL
17 Sophie Malowiecki AUS
18 Mikayla Messer AUS
19 Lotte Wilms AUS
20 Charlotte Derbyshire AUS
With files from Craig Heydon/ Ironman