Fresh from a history-making World Championship victory, Matt Hauser is looking for more hometown glory as he bids to win the iconic Noosa Triathlon for the first time.
The newly crowned World Champion headlines the men’s elite field for Sunday’s 42nd running of the Garmin Noosa Triathlon, alongside defending men’s winner Brayden Mercer.
The famous Queensland race – one of the biggest Olympic-distance triathlons in the world – will see athletes take on a 1.5km swim, 40km ride and 10km run on Sunday 2 November on the sun-soaked streets of Noosa.
Riding the wave
Hauser arrives in Noosa riding the high of his stunning World Triathlon Championship Series victory in Wollongong a fortnight ago – the first Australian man in 20 years to claim the world crown.
“It was really special to claim the title at home,” he said. “Just having those home crowds really did exceed my expectations – the course and the environment were electric. Even when the PA system broke and the crowd sang the Australian National Anthem without any backing track, it was something I’ll never forget.”
Hauser credits his season of consistency and composure to the team around him: “It was a big 12-month build-up, and to be able to execute almost to perfection on the day was great. It’s a credit to my perseverance but also to my coach Dan Atkins, the QIS and AusTriathlon for putting me in the best shape possible.”
Intra-squad banter
Now turning his focus to Noosa, the 27-year-old knows he’ll have plenty of competition – not least from fellow Aussies.
“I’m looking forward to trying to get back and knock my teammates off the podium,” he laughed. “Brayden Mercer winning it last year was great – I was actually on the sidelines cheering him home. There’s been a bit of intra-squad banter about the race, so it’ll be good to go up against the defending champ and give him a run for his money.”
Hauser raced Noosa once before, finishing second to New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde in 2023, and admits a local win is firmly on his bucket list.
“I love the Noosa weekend – it’s such a special event,” he said. “Seeing guys like Courtney Atkinson, Aaron Royle and Craig Walton win multiple titles there really motivates me to write a bit of my own history.”
Mercer ready to defend
Defending champion Brayden Mercer is equally excited to be back at one of his favourite races after a breakout 2024 season.
“I’m extremely excited to be back racing at Noosa this year – it’s one of my favourite races and places in the world,” said the 21-year-old. “The win last year was so special because I had a lot of my family there supporting me, and winning in front of them is a memory I’ll cherish forever.”
He added: “Noosa is one of the biggest triathlons worldwide and one of the country’s premier sporting events. I’ve had a great time racing all over the globe, but racing at home is always that little bit more special. Finishing a great year in Noosa is going to be very exciting.”
Alongside Hauser and Mercer, the men’s start list features an array of quality names including former champions and Olympians Luke Willian and Aaron Royle, plus internationals Valentino Agnelli (ITA), Ben Dijkstra (GBR) and Chase McQueen (USA).