TRIATHLON

Australian cross triathlon champion wants Queensland title in TreX season finale

By In2Adventure




It will be a homecoming of sorts when reigning Australian cross triathlon champion Max Neumann lines up on the banks of Ewen Maddock Dam in Landsborough on the Sunshine Coast for the 2015 TreX Queensland Championships (May 2-3).

The last time the Mount Samson native raced the state championships was two years when he won the title, but was unable to defend it in 2014 due to illness.

This year the 19-year-old finds himself in a similar situation after a nagging shoulder injury kept Neumann from racing the Xterra Asia-Pacific Championships last weekend. But Neumann makes no secret he’s not about to miss the TreX series finale in his home state.

“I feel about 90 percent with another week to go,” Neumann told In2Adventure on Wednesday. “I’ve taken a few weeks out of the water, but hope to return to the pool on Monday to hopefully get in a few swims in before the race. I’m afraid it’s going to have to come down to my mountain bike and run to give me a chance to win.”

Neumann currently leads the series with fellow state rivals Brodie Gardner and George Tamblyn close behind. Fellow Queenslander Louise Betts leads the women’s series with Renata Bucher (SUI) in second and Jacqui Slack (GBR) in third.

“I only have about a five-point lead in the series,” said Neumann, who finished third behind 14-time Xterra champion Ben Allen (NSW) and two-time Olympian and race winner Courtney Atkinson (QLD) in February at the Oceania Cross Triathlon Championships at Lake Crackenback, New South Wales.

“I haven’t raced off road since Oceania,” he added. “I’m looking or a big race to finish off the series and pick up the overall prize.

“I’m hoping for a dry course, but wet or dry it’s going to be close.”

The race will be held on the first day of the Queensland Cross-Triathlon Championships MultiSport Weekend at Wildeco Camp, which is based in the spectacular Sunshine Coast Hinterland. The opening long course championship features a 1500m swim, a 28km mountain bike and a 10.5km trail run.

“It’s been a massive year for TreX and the season finale is going to be a huge climax as we line up for the Queensland champs with so many of our amazing TreX athletes in the running for the crown of Ultimate Series Champion and the $10,000 series prize purse,” said In2Adventure event director Robyn Lazenby.

“It’s been such a privilege to see Max Neumann step up this season and really make his mark on the series, and with an Australian Championships already in his pocket he will be hard to beat, but there’ll be a number of our top athletes including Gardner and Tamblyn ready to give him a nudge on the day.”

For long course participants, including Neumann, an 8km trail run on Saturday and a 50km XC MTB on Sunday will be cumulatively added with the long course to decide overall ‘Dirt Master’ and ‘Dirt Mistress’ titles. Aside from the long course, other events include sprint, junior, teaser and Dirt Kids races.

Rainforest trails and fern-filled bushland provides the perfect setting for the TreX season finale and a multisport weekend. With on site accommodation and camping it makes this a premier event for the entire family.