Swimming stage of triathlon in Queensland cancelled over sharks — ABC News Australia

Organizers of the Noosa Triathlon in Queensland, Australia, cancelled the swimming stage of the competition after sharks were spotted in the water an hour before the start. Lifeguards who were supposed to ensure participants’ safety in the water refused to enter the sea after another sighting at dawn, ABC News reports.

The shortened distance was also cancelled

The day before, Noosa Main Beach was temporarily closed because sharks had been spotted near the shore. In the evening, organizers changed the course, reducing the swimming distance to about one kilometre to keep athletes in shallow water.

However, on the morning before the competition began, the swimming stage was cancelled entirely. Organizers said they could not deploy water safety personnel due to the presence of marine animals, so the swim would not take place.

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The triathlon was turned into a duathlon

A five-kilometre run was added to the programme instead of swimming. Participants also covered 40 kilometres by bicycle and another 10 kilometres running. Matt Hauser won the elite category, defending last year’s title and finishing in 1 hour 39 minutes 34 seconds.

The Noosa Triathlon is described as the world’s largest Olympic-distance triathlon: every year, the event brings together about 8,500 athletes and 20,000 spectators.