It’s almost time…….

Welcome to the Cronulla Triathlon Club’s inaugural Stu Ford Memorial Challenge (SFMC). Following Stu’s passing in November 2021 we were approached by many of his fellow tri club members, training buddies and community friends alike, all wishing to complete the Everesting Challenge for him. Whilst we have been unable to complete the Everlasting Challenge due to road closures we will be conducting a Time Trial in Stu's honour to bring us together as a community to remember Stu, support each other and in the process raise funds for the three charities that Stu had set out to support.

If you’re not a local, welcome to the Shire, and if you are then nice to see you again.  We would also thank the indigenous people of The Dharawal area for the privilege to use their lands for our event and pay our respects to the Elders both past and present.

The challenge will be held along a stretch of road out to Kurnell and back that Stu knew well, as he trained and organised other events for the Cronulla Triathlon Club members.

Our friends at Parkrun Cronulla shall also cater for those that would prefer to walk / run in lieu of riding, along the Greenhills Sand dune track from Don Lucas Reserve. The run is a 2.5km out and 2.5km back course. Those intending to participate in the Parkrun, must register with Parkrun here prior to attending.

In addition to the main event participants, we also welcome friends and family of Stu to honour him with us on the day and carry on the legacy he set out to achieve raising funds for The Heart Foundation, The Black Dog Institute and Love Mercy. We will all come together in Don Lucas Reserve following the rider and run, for breakfast and to remember Stu.

Our friends at Parkrun Cronulla shall also cater for those that would prefer to walk / Run in lieu of riding, along the Greenhills Sand dune track from Don Lucas Reserve. The run is a 2.5km out and 2.5km back course. Those intending to participate in the Parkrun, must register with Parkrun here prior to attending.

Any Updates for the ride will be placed on our event page.

I wish you all the best in your training and hope you enjoy the day. Please feel free to come have a chat at any time and any feedback is most welcome. See you at HQ!

Regards, Adam Stroud and Adam Hummerston

Co-Event Directors.

The SFMC is dedicated to the memory of Stuart Ford, a much loved member of Cronulla Triathlon Club who suddenly passed away on the 26^th November 2021. Stu was in the process of planning and training to complete the Everesting challenge alone, by repeatedly cycling up Garie Beach Hill in the Royal National Park to the staggering heights of 8,848 metres, the height of Mount Everest.

This challenge is organised and run by volunteers, and the Cronulla Triathlon Club is a not-for-profit organisation who are committed to creating an opportunity for athletes of all abilities to compete against one another in a fun, organised and safe environment. All profits from the challenge will be donated in Stu’s name to one or all of Stu’s nominated charities that the rider chooses.

The Cronulla Triathlon Club has a history of delivering races and events such as this for fundraising and their premier event, the Richie Walker Aquathlon has to date raised over $100,000 for the Heart Foundation.

We shall hold a small ceremony at 11:00 to remember Stu.

Event location

Don Lucas Reserve and Captain Cook Drive Road.

Public Transport

Don Lucas Reserve is approximately a 2km (20min) walk from Cronulla Train Station.

Driving

There is a plenty of parking located at Don Lucas Reserve, where check-in is located and the post event barbecue. We ask all participants to park here and ride the short distance to the start line just before their allotted start time.

Due to limited space at the start line we request riders remain at Don Lucas Reserve until 10 minutes prior to their allocated start time. At which time they can proceed to the start marshalling area 1km downhill through the Greenhills Estate.

The course is a 16km time trial predominantly along the Captain Cook Drive (CC Drv) Bike Lane. The outbound leg is 6.5km through 2 roundabouts then u-turning at the Kurnell roundabout. Returning along CC Drv for 1km and turning left up Sir Joseph Banks Drive for some 1.5kms to the end of the road then returning to CC Drv and back to Start / Finish Line.

We recommend then rolling through the Greenhills Estate to warm down and returning to Don Lucas Reserve.

Hazards

• Whilst the ride is predominantly along a bike lane and up the relatively quiet Sir Joseph Banks Drive and Greenhills estate, the roads are not closed and cars and trucks will be passing you.
• All riders are to take extreme caution at the roundabouts particularly when conducting the u-turn at Kurnell, and should use hand signals to warn drivers of their intent.
• The bike lane is heavily used by other members of the public and participants should be courteous and warn other riders when approaching from behind.

The success of the event will be based upon the safety of our riders, volunteers, spectators and other road users. To ensure this and the future of the event the following rules must be adhered to.

• NO Littering – There must be no discarding of items, e.g. bidons, gel wrappers etc., on any part of the course.
• HELMETS, properly fitted and secured must be worn
• In order to minimise traffic in the bike lane, no riders that will be taking part in the challenge are to use the course for warming up/down.
• All bikes must undergo a safety check prior to each rider commencing; key checks being two working brakes, working lights, wheel bearing (no excess movement), tyre pressure & wear, correctly positioned helmet and handlebar tightness
• All riders must display an operating rear red light on their bike.
• All riders must check-in at Event HQ prior to their ride.
• Marshalls are volunteering their time to help you. Treat them with respect.
• Riders may not use communication devices of any type including headphone(s), headset(s) or technical earplug(s) which are inserted or covering the ears.
• Rider must follow Covid safe practices and directions as appropriate.

Always remember to treat other riders, volunteers and road users with courtesy and consideration as they are important in keeping the event safe and fair and ongoing.

We know Stu himself was free spirited, loved to have fun, and personally, I’ve cycled all my life because of the sense of freedom and achievement it provides. We want all participants to feel the same, so other than the safety aspects please ensure you have fun out there on the course, thus encouraging and supporting each other. Thank you

Water will be available at Event HQ at Don Lucas Reserve. No Aid stations all be available along the ride course

A BBQ breakfast will be served back at Don Lucas Reserve following the ride and run.

Trained First Aid Officers will be in attendance throughout the day.

Bring some camp chairs or a picnic rug and feel free to hang around Event HQ (Don Lucas Reserve) following the ride to Check-in on each other and share some of your memories of Stu.

Cronulla Triathlon Club shall be hosting a BBQ breakfast at Event HQ once all riders are finished.

Once you have recovered from your ride you might like to investigate the area. Wanda Beach is patrolled from 08:00 – 16:00.  Follow the life guards directions and swim between the flags.

For those not inclined to riding we have teamed up with our friends at Parkrun Cronulla.

Parkrun is a free, community event where you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. Parkrun is 5k and takes place every Saturday morning at many locations around the world. We are fortunate to have our very own local parkrun here in Don Lucas Reserve 

parkrun is positive, welcoming and inclusive, there is no time limit and no one finishes last. Everyone is welcome to come along. You only need to register once and can be done quickly online here

Briefing: 0650

Start:       0700 
Course:   Cronulla Parkrunners start at Don Lucas new the amenities and proceed NW along the sand dune access trail for 2.5km then return. to the Start / Finish Line.

Cost: No need to pay upon registration, however feel free to make a donation to Stu’s chosen charities. 

Spectators are encouraged to attend the event, however, to stay safe and avoid interfering with the events, please keep the following in mind:

• Please refrain from standing in the bike lanes along Captain Cook Drive.
• Please avoid the Start area as space is limited and we are aiming to have minimal riders and people congregating here .
• Please minimise your driving if possible along the Course Route

Coffee & Food

There are a number of cafes, at Wanda, and Elouera Beaches for your morning coffee fix.

Toilets

• There are public toilets located at Don Lucas Reserve

The Cronulla Triathlon Club is a not-for-profit organization, and the proceeds of this event are donated to the specified charities. To run events smoothly and safely, we require multiple volunteers. The volunteer roles are not complicated, and in most roles, you get a great vantage point from which to spectate. There will be a volunteer briefing prior to your shift commencement. The key success criteria for the event will be riders’ safety, we want to encourage participation for as many riders as possible by creating a fun and safe event.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please register online here and notify event organisers if you have any special requirements via the online registration form and your time availability.

Volunteer Roles

Setup / Pack down

• There will be Marquees, tables and chairs lighting to be setup at HQ

HQ Marshalls

• Rider Check-in/out
• Monitor Marshall placement

Course Marshals

• Advise and caution riders at roundabouts and u-turns
• Warn riders of potential hazards
• Monitoring wellbeing of riders
• Cheer on the riders

Barbecue

• Cook Breakfast
• Serve Breakfast

Marshal Guidelines

The role of the course marshal is to ensure the riders can complete the course safely and the event can proceed in harmony with other road users.

The road marshals will be situated at each of the roundabouts along the route and the Sir Joseph Banks entry/exit and u-Turn. near the top and bottom turns predominately to warn the riders about other road users, and vice versa.

Please be friendly, positive and supportive of the riders and other members of the community

As well as road safety, please check riders for fatigue and generally encourage each rider.

You will be supplied with a High Vis vest should you need to communicate with the riders and other road users. It would be appreciated for hygiene however if each Marshal could provide their own whistle. For the sake of others please do not use the whistle unless necessary. However if you sense a dangerous situation occurring please make a long (2-3 second) loud blast on the whistle (akin to a bad foul in soccer), repeated if you continue to sense danger, the idea is to warn the road users to avoid any collisions.

1^st Aid

Basic First Aid is available throughout the event. If you require medical attention, we recommend you seek the assistance of event personnel along the route or at event HQ where medical staff will be situated.

• We highly recommend that Australian residents hold valid private health insurance.
• Under Australian legislation, all non-Australian residents are not covered for medical costs or ambulance transport costs.
• If you have an accident, medical staff will attend to you as they see appropriate (which may include calling an ambulance). Cronulla Triathlon Club takes no responsibility for medical expenses and transport fees for athletes.
• First aid, including a defibrillator, is available at Event HQ.
• If you suffer an injury or are involved in an incident during this event, please notify the Event Director immediately and complete an incident report within 24 hours of the event finish.

COVID-19

We will be abiding by the NSW COVID-19 health guidelines that are in place on the day of the event. As restrictions continue to ease, we appreciate your flexibility with modifications to the “norm”. Please keep an eye out for email announcements and any changes that will be made to standard operating procedures will also be posted on our event website.

Weather & Contingency Plans

We will also be carefully monitoring the weather conditions (particularly extreme heat, air and storm activity) prior to event day and updates will be placed on our event website. Should the forecast indicate that the conditions on event day are likely to be hazardous we will have a range of contingency plans ready to implement to protect your safety, well-being and enjoyment of the event. Competitors should ensure that they are well hydrated in preparation for the event. If you have been unwell, we recommend consulting your doctor.

Emergency contact details

Emergency Medical: 000

Police – Cronulla Police 34 Kingsway, Cronulla NSW (02) 9527 8199

Sutherland Hospital –Kingsway, Caringbah, NSW (02) 9540 7111