There is an air of inevitability hovering over the Triathlon NSW Forager Sydney Premier Triathlon League for this season (ICL05)
It feels like the time has finally come for the Warringah Waves to claim top spot within Sydney as the official Premier Triathlon club.
Momentum has been building for several seasons now which has seen numerous Club Champs titles head back to the Northern Beaches but as of today, they have yet to secure the Premier League title to add to their ever-growing trophy cabinet.
They came mighty close last season as they closed in on the Sydney Tri Giants (STG) who secured their second Premier League title in as many seasons, following on from the Hills Red Army victory in ICL02. ICL05 could be the year that the Warringah based club sweep the board and become the first club to win the Premier League title and Division 1 Club Champs in the same season.
It has been a wonderful few seasons for the Eastern Suburbs based STG, but a hattrick of Premier League titles looks like it might be out of reach with the relocation of some of their stars – but if one thing is for absolute certain, they can’t be counted out just yet.
They are however not only under threat from the Warringah Waves for Premier League title honours, but they are also under threat from a resurgent Coogee Comets to finish as top Eastern Suburbs based club on the Premier League during ICL05. The Comets flew under the radar last season to finish on the podium in third place. It was a steady season that saw Coogee score well at most Rounds without setting the competition ablaze. Consistency was their key, but consistency wins Championships.
The rock-solid duo of the Balmoral Purple Thunder and the Cronulla Sharks finished fourth and fifth respectively last season. Both Clubs have been part of the Sydney Triathlon Premier League since its inception in ICL02 and don’t look they will be dropping out of it anytime soon. Expect another mid-table finish for both Clubs with a title chase unlikely but not impossible.
The Hills Red Army finished sixth during ICL04 and were close to dropping down to Sydney Triathlon League 1. The club have slipped away from the pointy end of late and will be looking over their shoulder more often this season than they previously have. They have some great athletes in their stable however so they should have enough to secure a mid-table finish and avoid relegation.
It was Rozelle Pulse who stayed up by the skin of their teeth last season due to some heroics in Forster at Club Champs. It was a sensational effort by the newly promoted Club and fully deserved. They will strive to stave off relegation once again as they seek to assert themselves as a regular face in the Premier League line up.
Panthers are back in the big time after running away with the Sydney Triathlon League 1 title last season. The Penrith based club have a legendary history and will hope that their future holds a Premier League title. Their first of call however to maintain their footing in The Premier League and will hope to nestle into mid-table security early.
The other two promoted Clubs were the Brighton Polar Bears and the T4 North Bondi Tritans. A wonderful effort by both. The small size of both Clubs mean they are fighting an uphill battle from the start, but they will have moments of success throughout the season. Both will start as joint favourites to slide back down to Sydney Triathlon League 1 next season, but survival is possible and what an achievement that would be.
With the postponement of Maitland this weekend, we look to Nepean Triathlon. It is another short turn around before Round 3 and Tri Husky in early November. Within the space of a month, we will see 3 events come and go. A fast and furious start which will mean that we head to Christmas with title hopes in tatters, emerging favourites, and some Clubs in need of a fast start to 2023 to ensure they fend of relegation.
February sees two more events with the Richie Walker Aquathlon early in the month followed by Big Husky towards the end.
Tri Wollongong in late April is the penultimate race and always plays a pivotal role in setting up a nail-biting finale, which as usual will be a bumper Double Point round in Forster at Club Champs.
