ORGANISERS of this weekend’s Cohuna Bridge to Bridge are relishing the chance for festivities to be held in “perfect” conditions.
Around 700 people will converge on Garden Park and Gunbower Creek tomorrow and Sunday for one of the district’s major sporting events which raises funds for the Cohuna District and Royal Children’s hospitals.
Competitors will also return to the water for the first time since 2015 after a blue-green algae bloom in the creek forced the cancellation of all aquatic events.
“It looks like we will have perfect conditions for the event,” event co-ordinator, Geoff Dale said.
“Looking at the forecast, it will be about 33 degrees, which is perfect for those taking part in the walk/run and cycling events.
“The water temperature will be roughly 27 or 28 degrees, which is great for the swimmers.”
A number of past top-three placegetters in some of the event’s categories will venture to Cohuna for the competition.
“Past eight-kilometre swim winner, Khalia Marsh will be back, and Leah Lacey, who was second in the women’s 6.5-kilometre run last year, is ready to go,” Dale said.
Festivities will begin tomorrow at 5pm with the long course and short course triathlon competitions.
“We have received a lot of enquiries regarding the triathlon, with teams entering for the relay sections of both the long-course and short-course sections,” Dale said.
The majority of events will occur on Sunday, centering around Daltons Bridge.
Competitors in the eight-kilometre swim to the Cohuna town bridge will take to Gunbower Creek at 9.30am, with the 1.2-kilometre swim also starting at the same time.
The 6.5-kilometre junior bike ride will leave from the same location at 9.45am, before the event’s largest competition – the 6.5-kilometre run/walk to the town bridge via Island Road – begins at 10am.
Further upstream, the 18-kilometre kayak begins at 9.30am, with the 8.5-kilometre paddle commencing at 10am.
Open age cyclists are also catered for, with the 25-kilometre and 50-kilometre events beginning near the turn-off to the Cohuna Recreation Reserve at 10.30am.
Competitive festivities wrap up with the Around the Fountain Swim at 11.30am, with those waiting at the finish line able to also purchase local wares at a community market held in conjunction with the event.
“You get your elite competitors, but the event is one that caters for the whole family,” Dale said.
