Busselton 100 (Festival of Triathlon)
Busselton, Australia · May · Independent (Triathlon WA / Busselton Festival of Triathlon)
Not a standard 70.3. This course is 2 km (1.2 mi) swim, 80 km (50 mi) bike, 18 km (11.2 mi) run, not the usual 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run. Challenge-style 100 format: 2 km (1.2 mi) / 80 km (50 mi) / 18 km (11.2 mi).
Why people love it
- Swim runs alongside the almost 2 km (1.2 mi) Busselton Jetty in clear Geographe Bay water.
- Flat bike through Ludlow Tuart Forest; 80 km (50 mi) makes for a quick, approachable day.
- Very popular: sold out about three months ahead in 2025, with 1,300+ debutants in 2026.
- Compact foreshore venue with about 5,800 spectators over the race weekend.
Watch out for
- Not a half: 2 km (1.2 mi) swim, 80 km (50 mi) bike, 18 km (11 mi) run.
- Wetsuits are usually compulsory in early May, so bring one to the start.
- Flat, exposed coast means wind and sun; the former December race saw crosswinds and 35 °C (95 °F) heat.
- Few athlete reviews of the current format exist, so conditions in May are thinly documented.
- Entry sells out months ahead, and Perth is about 220 km (137 mi) away.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 27% of the overall score.
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.9
Sold out about three months ahead in 2025 and drew about 3,000 entrants in 2026, but no first-person reports of the current format are published. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.9
Run by non-profit Triathlon WA at the same venue for 25 years; past shark and wind delays were handled and volunteers were praised. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly4.1
Over 1,300 debutants in 2026. Short, flat 80 km (50 mi) bike and 18 km (11 mi) run; the wetsuit swim is the main hurdle. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.1
Flat course and a 3:14:26 course record, but the distances are shorter than a half and wind can slow the bike. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.8
The organiser says wetsuits are usually compulsory in early May, so wearing one is close to guaranteed. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable3.6
No water temperature is published. A compulsory wetsuit points to cool water, and race morning in 2026 was cold. · Low confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm3.8
The 2026 swim was flat with small shore swell, and 2017 was calm too, but strong headwinds delayed the 2019 start by 30 minutes. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.6
Straight 2 km (1.2 mi) line along the jetty is easy to sight, but shallows, crowding and a return current were reported. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat4.4
Clear water beside the almost 2 km (1.2 mi) long timber jetty; swimmers praise the clarity and the setting. · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.5
No surface reports are published; forest and rural coastal roads in a regional Western Australian town. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.6
Marshals are expected at a festival this size, but no closure details are published for the bike course. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful3.9
Ludlow Tuart Forest and the Geographe Bay coastline are described as scenic. · Medium confidence
- WindSome wind2.9
Reports mention crosswinds and a wind-whipped bike and run, and the flat, open coast offers little shelter. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.2
Flat 80 km (50 mi) through forest and along the coast, with a 3:14:26 course record; crosswinds can slow it. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.6
No elevation total is published, but sources agree the course is flat and a pro noted few hills, so likely under 300 m (985 ft). · Low confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple4.4
Flat roads through Tuart Forest and along the bay; no technical sections are mentioned. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong3.9
About 5,800 spectators came over the 2025 festival weekend, concentrated on the foreshore run loops. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.7
Volunteers were praised in a 2017 report; there is no detail on aid station spacing. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.9
Foreshore running with views of Geographe Bay and the jetty. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.8
Flat and short at 18 km (11 mi), but open and exposed to wind and sun with little shade. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.8
The foreshore run is described as one of the flattest in the sport; the only rises are car park speed humps. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant4.0
Early May is autumn in Western Australia and the 2026 morning was cold; no race-day temperature series is published. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.4
Wind and storms hit the former December race, but those were summer events; May weather is not documented. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.2
The jetty, turquoise Geographe Bay and Tuart Forest give a relaxed holiday-town setting. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.4
Compact foreshore base at Barnard Park with the swim along the jetty; about 5,800 spectators attended in 2025. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early3.2
A popular tourist town hosting a sold-out event, so book early; no detailed availability data. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.3
No pricing data is published; expect normal event-weekend rates. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.1
The race base at Barnard Park sits on the foreshore next to the town centre. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.9
About 220 km (137 mi), roughly 2.5 hours by road, from Perth airport; a small regional airport is nearby. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.9
Swim, transition and finish are based at Barnard Park; full logistics are not published. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGood4.0
Busselton and the nearby Margaret River region have a strong cafe and wine scene. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Busselton, Western Australia, Australia
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 3 May 2026
- Organiser
- Independent (Triathlon WA / Busselton Festival of Triathlon)
- Field size
- About 3,000 athletes
- First held
- 1983
- Distances (non-standard)
- 2 km (1.2 mi) swim, 80 km (50 mi) bike, 18 km (11.2 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Geographe Bay, alongside Busselton Jetty (almost 2 km / 1.2 mi long) (ocean)
- Wetsuit
- Mandatory (organiser: usually compulsory at this time of year; carry one regardless)
- Run shade
- Little; foreshore is open and exposed
- Altitude
- 5 m (16 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Perth (PER); small regional airport at Busselton-Margaret River (BQB), 220 km (137 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Busselton foreshore / Barnard Park
- Booking
- Perth to Busselton is roughly a 2.5 h (about 220 km / 137 mi) drive; distance is approximate and unconfirmed in sources. Race has sold out months ahead (Busselton 100 sold out March 2025).
What racers and reviewers say
- Busselton Festival of Triathlon - event overviewRaced 2026 · article · Mixed
Official overview of the current formats: Busselton 100 is a 2 km (1.2 mi) swim beside the jetty, an 80 km (49.7 mi) ride through Ludlow Tuart Forest and an 18 km (11.2 mi) foreshore run. Reports 2,320 competitors in 2025 (up 10.2%) and about 5,800 spectators, with the 100 selling out in March 2025. Traces the event from a 1983 state championship, through a 70.3 branding era until 2022, to today.
- Busselton Festival of Triathlon - registration infoRaced 2025 · article · Mixed
Race-entry information states that wetsuits are usually compulsory for the 100 and aquabike because of the season, and entrants must bring one to the race. A separate event page notes the swim has been wetsuit-mandatory before.
- Regional press (Broome Advertiser / Sound Telegraph syndication)Raced 2026 · article · Positive
Report on the 25th Busselton festival: Nick Thompson set a course record of 3:14:26 for a third straight win, Jasmine Brown won the women's race in 3:41:49. Swim was flat with small shore swell, the morning was cold, and about 3,000 took part including 1,300 debutants. Doubled as the national long-distance championship.
- Busselton Dunsborough TimesRaced 2019 · article · Mixed
Report on the then-70.3 race: strong headwinds at the start of the swim and a tough current pushed the start back by 30 minutes. A pro said the bike afterward had few hills. Notes the event typically brings 5,000 to 6,000 people to town.
- Molly Taylor (personal blog)Raced 2017 · blog · Mixed
First-half-distance report from the December 70.3 era: calm, very clear water until lifeguards pulled swimmers out over a shark sighting and the race restarted at T1. Heat reached about 35 C (95 F) with a crosswind on the bike; the run was hard in the heat. Praised the volunteers and community.
Show 3 more
- Vision Personal Training (Alexandra Anasson)Raced 2019 · blog · Positive
Swim-only account of the 70.3-era race: clear, calm water, very shallow near the jetty, and crowded swimmers who did not swim straight. A current helped on the way out and opposed on the way back. She called it her most strategic swim, and her watch logged about 4,061 m (2.5 mi) after weaving.
- TriZone (Shawn Smith)Raced 2025 · article · Positive
Course guide to the venue's former IRONMAN race: a swim around the jetty, a flat bike past Tuart Forest National Park and Geographe Bay, and a multi-loop run described as possibly the flattest in the sport. Warns wind, heat and exposure can bite but ideal weather allows fast times.
- Busselton Festival of Triathlon newsRaced 2023 · article · Mixed
Organiser statement reporting that a participant in the 2023 SunSmart Busselton 100 died after a medical event on the bike course, with medical teams attending before hospital transfer. Included as a safety and organisation data point; no judgement on event management is made here.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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