Community
29 September, 2024
Leg it to ‘25 Fondo
RUNNING is being added to the Port Douglas Gran Fondo Festival next year.
Run Port Douglas will finish on the famous Four Mile Beach in the resort town.
Festival director Bade Stapleton said that running events had been setting records across Australia.
“The Sydney Marathon smashed previous records with 40,000 participants, the City Surf in Sydney had a massive 90,000 runners, the Gold Coast Marathon over 30,000 and the Cairns Marathon was sold out in July this year,” he said.
“Run Port Douglas now offers everyone the opportunity to get involved in the festival.
“Plus, the 2km, 5km, 10km and 21.1km half marathon run courses all finish on the spectacular Four Mile Beach in Port Douglas. There is no other run like it anywhere in the world.”
The addition was made after more than 1100 cyclists enjoyed the 2024 Gran Fondo Festival. Participants came from around Australia and across the globe with riders from the USA, Ireland, Japan and New Zealand.
Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said the new event was “the ideal running partner to Gran Fondo”.
“It will be an impressive sight to see competitors making their way along our beautiful Four Mile Beach to the finish line and we can’t wait to welcome more visitors to our cafes, restaurants, pubs and resorts once the races are run and won,” she said.
Tourism Tropical North Queensland chief executive officer Mark Olsen said it was a welcome event to the festival’s events.
“Scenic run courses are the perfect excuse for running enthusiasts to organise a holiday away with their family and will build on the success of Port Douglas Gran Fondo in attracting interstate visitors,” he said.
“With the Great Barrier Reef and one of the world’s oldest rainforests to explore, plus great cafes, restaurants and bars where visitors can soak up our relaxed lifestyle, Tropical North Queensland is the ideal destination for sporting enthusiasts to take a break.”
Local runners Clare Robertson and Luke Swindale are both extremely excited about this new additional to the festival.
“I love the Gran Fondo and look forward to riding in this event each year, but now I can also do the Run Port Douglas on the Saturday morning and make a full weekend out it,” said Ms Robertson.
Luke Swindale is a talented local 15-year-old runner with some impressive recent race results, including overall winner in the 2022 Cairns Run 4 Reef 10km, third overall in the 2024 Cairns Marathon Festival 10km and age category winner in the 2024 Gold Coast Marathon 5km as well as a six-time Queensland representative at Australian National Championships across cross country, track and field and triathlon. “I’m so excited about the Run Port Douglas event,” he said.
“We have limited opportunities to compete in high quality events in Tropical North Queensland so it’s awesome to have another running event close to home.”
The event is on September 13, 2025. The 21.1km half-marathon course will start in front of the Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina and take runners up Flagstaff Hill, past the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort before finishing back on Four Mile Beach in front of the Port Douglas Surf Club.
The 10km and 5km runs will also start in front of Crystalbrook Superyacht Marina and end up on Four Mile Beach.
