NORTH Stradbroke Island is gearing up for this year's two-day Straddie Salute, which starts on September 15.
The event, one of the highlights on Queensland's multi-sport calendar, will offer a road and off-road cycle course this year.
The new Straddie Salute Roadie triathlon course will include the same swimming and running leg as the traditional course but the mountain bike section will be replaced with a slightly shorter 15km road cycle.
Since the event's start in 2008, competitors were forced to swap their traditional triathlon road bikes for mountain bikes to take on the island's tracks and trails.
But this year, triathlon competitors will have the choice of road or dirt.
Weekend Warrior events director John Guise said having the off-road option would add to the event's broad appeal.
"Cycling is exploding in popularity in Queensland so the new road cycle course opens the door to those with a preference for tarseal over dirt," he said.
The festival weekend format, introduced last year, includes three events over two days.
The Straddie 1000 Ocean Swim, a 1km swim course in the protected waters of Cylinder Beach is on Saturday, September 15, with the main prize $500.
The 8km Adventure Run and the Straddie Salute Triathlon are both on Sunday, September 16.
The Adventure Run is around Point Lookout and competitors in the Straddie Salute Triathlon will undertake either the Straddie Salute Original 18km mountain bike course or the Straddie Salute Roadie, a 15km road bike course.
Enter as an individual or as a team at: www.weekend warriorevents.com.au
