Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle is aiming for an historic 10th title at the world famous Noosa Triathlon this weekend.

The two-time Olympian returns to short distance after another incredibly successful season which has featured four wins and podium places in all eight races she’s contested.

She’ll end the year ranked #2 on the PTO rankings, having just been overtaken at the top by Germany’s Anne Haug.

‘It’s flown by’

And back on home turf at Noosa, 32-year-old Gentle is looking to reach double figures in terms of wins at what is the 40th anniversary of the event.

“It’s pretty crazy how that’s aligned,” she said. “Of all the years, the 40th year is the one I’m trying to go for my 10th title, it’s so surreal, I kind of think to myself how am I even old enough to have nine titles already, I feel like I’m still young at heart but I have been doing it a long time.

“I’m super excited, it’s a great field and that’s always expected for each year but especially the 40th year. But it’s the same as every year for me, just do what I can do on the day. I think no matter how tired I am or how worried I am about my fitness, at the end of the year I generally always have something special for Noosa Tri and I really hope to be able to bring some of that magic back this year.”

Gentle has excelled on the PTO Tour in the last two seasons over the 100km distance, with three wins and two runner-up spots from five races so far and she added: “It’s been two years now doing middle-distance racing so it’s kind of flown by really, it’s been amazing, I had a lot of success last year and it was nice to be able to go back this year and still have some success and build upon it.

“I feel like I definitely got stronger this year, it’s been great to be able to keep building and I feel like I’ve got some really good momentum behind me.”

‘It’s living up to the hype’

Gentle has won nine Noosa titles in the last 10 years at the world’s largest Olympic-distance triathlon but there are a host of athletes out to make sure that she doesn’t have it all her own way on Sunday, including Great Britain’s Fenella Langridge.

She’s getting her first taste of the Noosa Triathlon this week, with the multiple-time IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 podium finisher having travelled there from Kona via a holiday in Fiji.

“This is our first time in Australia and it’s living up to the hype,” said Langridge. “It’s a beautiful place with beautiful people and some cracking coffee. Noosa really is a hot spot for sport and a triathlete’s playground, I’m having a great time.

“This will be my first Olympic-distance race in a very long time so I have some nerves. Because I’m pretty certain half or a quarter of the distance doesn’t mean a quarter of the pain, if anything it will be more!

But nerves are good, it means the race means something.

“I want to perform well and enjoy this amazing experience – this race is legendary across the pond.”