By TANIA PHILLIPS
THE Philips sisters had just been hoping to complete the Tweed Coast Holiday Parks Kingscliff triathlon – so imagine their surprise when they finished first, second and third in their division.
“They were just happy to finish,” an ecstatic mum Jo said as her daughters stood on the podium in the top three spots of the 21-30 age group.
The three sisters, originally from Burringbar and now living along the Tweed Coast, finished close together with Candis Henry first, Bobbie Philip in second and Ebony Young third.
No strangers to the sporting arena all the young women are stars on the local hockey field for Waratahs, with their dad Richard coaching Kingscliff men to a premiership and their mum Jo a top hockey referee.
And despite two of them having children in the past two years they proved they are still ultra fit completing the event in front of a huge crowd.
Other local stars included local Cudgen surf life-saver Sue Eke who finished strongly in the 51-60 age group to win the division well.
“I had a good swim but I thought I’d lost it on the bike,” she said.
Casuarina’s Steve Billet won the 41-50 age group while James Kiley of Hasting Point took the 51-60 age group and Banora’s Ruth McLennan took out the women’s 60-plus.
Sunday’s event was the biggest in the history of the triathlon attracting more than 1340 entries, including 750 over the Olympic distances and more than 160 kids.
“We closed the entries three and a half weeks early this time and had more than 250-300 inquiries,” according to QSM Sports general manager and event organiser Mike Crawley.
“Last time we had about 1050 bikes and 950 participants.
“People love the Kingy event. If all our events had a vibe like the Kingy Tri we’d be smashing it. It’s three years old and has already achieved a level of acceptance that other events try for years to have.”
He said the location had a lot to do with this “specifically the swim – it is magnificent – some of the entrants were saying it’s the best in Australia” and the friendly village feel of the event, which takes place in the main street of the town twice a year.
Crawley said the volunteers, from an assortment of local sporting and service groups also made a big impact on the event and brought people back.
The next Kingscliff event will be held on 30 March – “a bit later than we would like but it is the only suitable tide that presents itself”.
