One of the most hotly contested Interclub Leagues is back for its third installment.
The Forager South Coast Triathlon League has been highly entertaining over the first two seasons of its existence and season 3 (ICL03) threatens to be the best yet.
Last season it was the rejuvenated Jervis Bay Dolphins who secured the South Coast title in a Covid impacted season which unfortunately meant that a premature conclusion was enforced upon us.
The Dolphins who were far from a contender in ICL01, came out of nowhere to dethrone the reigning champs and the much fancied Kiama Coasters. It was an incredible, whole club effort from Jervis Bay and was spearheaded by their President and new Club MVP, Rod Rose.
The Coasters had to settle for 2nd place but had to work hard to even secure that, holding off an emerging Shellharbour Mariners and a talented Illawarra Cannons.
This season will see nine Rounds greet the six South Coast clubs starting with the rescheduled Club Champs in late September in Forster. Double points are up for grabs and this will be a key race for any clubs with any real serious title aspirations.
It is hard to pick a favourite for the season ahead and a fast start may be all that separates the clubs come the seasons end.
The Jervis Bay Dolphins showed their class last season and they will be highly motivated to prove that it wasn’t just a one-off achievement.
The Kiama Coasters have emerged over the last three seasons as one of the most consistent and competitive clubs in the state and they will want their title back.
The Shellharbour Mariners have managed a 4th and a 3rd so far and you would imagine they aren’t far away from a big breakout season. They have a core of very talented juniors mixed in with a sprinkling of experience and should improve again this season.
The Illawarra Cannons are the biggest club in the region and finished 2nd in the inaugural edition of the competition. They are also primed to challenge this season if they can get their ducks in a row. Surely it is just a matter of time before the Cannons take home the title.
The Highlands Shaggy Cows are the newest club in the region are still very much in an establishing phase. In saying this, the Shaggy Cows have still had their moments. If the stars align for the Shaggy Cows, they could put together a title challenge this season, however, a first ‘top 3’ finish will be their aim.
The Eurocoast Nomads have struggled so far finishing with a 5th and a 6th in ICL01 and ICL02 respectively however, they have had a large committee restructure this off season and under new leadership, the Nomads seem focused and energised to make a run at upsetting some of the more established clubs of the region. The have buckets of undeniable talent so write off the Nomads at your peril.
Round 2 of ICL03 is the rescheduled Wollongong event on the 17th October. For any clubs who missed out at Club Champs, this event will quickly be highlighted in the diary. Two quiet events in a row with little points to show, will leave any club with a mountain to climb if they want to drag themselves back into title contention. The title won’t be won over the first two rounds, but it sure can be lost.
Round 3 is the Little Husky Triathlon in early November with Round 4 not being until late December at the Callala Triathlon just before the Christmas break.
2021 starts with a Sydney trip for our South Coast clubs and Kurnell 2 on January 16th which is also the NSW State Championship for Sprint distance.
Just two weeks later, Round 6 and the Batemans Bay Triathlon is on the card. By now, we should have a select group of clubs at the front of the pack, emerged as the true contenders for the Forager South Coast Triathlon League title for ICL03.
The back end of the competition ramps up with the Big Husky Triathlon Festival in late February. A chance for the long-distance athletes to show their talents in what is likely to be a high scoring round and a weekend of unrivaled fun.
Round 8 is the penultimate round in Wollongong on April 18th, with the sprint distance as the Performance Point earning race.
Round 9. The final round. Club Champs, Forster, 22nd May 2021. Double points again up for grabs. We will have a good idea of how the final standings will look but nothing is likely to be guaranteed before this event. Will the Jervis Bay Dolphins be crowned Forager South Coast Triathlon League Champions again in Forster or will their rivals the Kiama Coasters bounce back? Will a dark horse have emerged to sweep past the two favourites, Highlands Shaggy Cows maybe or a reenergised Eurocoast Nomads? All questions will be answered at Club Champs in 2021.
