The 25th Anniversary of the Busselton Festival of Triathlon (BFOT) is set to be an even bigger celebration, with the addition of the Australian Long Distance Triathlon Championships for elite, under 23 and age groups and the Long Distance Aquabike National Championships for age groups.
Up to 3,000 participants are expected as the event celebrates 25 years in Busselton from Friday 1 May – Sunday 3 May 2026.
2026 will be the first time since 1997 the Australian Long Distance Championships have been held in Western Australia. The men’s winner that year was Warren Milward, who is one of only two people to have completed all 24 long course events at Busselton.
The Australian Championships status adds to an already expanded festival for 2026 which, along with the iconic Busselton 100 and Busselton Aquabike events, will include four exciting new formats over two days;
– Busselton 5: 100m swim, 4km cycle, 900m run. Ages 7-15 (Kids Triathlon)
– Busselton 25: 500m swim, 20km cycle, 4.5km run. Ages 14+
– Busselton 50: 2km swim, 40km cycle, 8km run. Ages 16+
– Busselton Duathlon 100: 8km run, 80km cycle, 12km run. Ages 18+
The Festival is more than just a race – it’s a gathering of athletes, spectators, and supporters, all united by a love for multisport.
With multiple race distances and offerings, there is something for everyone aged from seven and up to enjoy.
Team options are available for the Busselton 25, 50 & 100 events, allowing participants to enjoy the experience with family, friends or colleagues.
The Busselton 100 is also the WA State Long Course Championship, and the finale of each triathlon season.
Two-time defending Busselton 100 winner and Western Australian local Nick Thompson, who recently finished fourth overall in the 2025 IRONMAN Pro Series will be aiming for a hattrick of titles as he continues to establish himself as a leading force on the world stage.
Triathlon WA Executive Director Mel Farley said, “We are delighted the Busselton Festival of Triathlon in its 25th year will crown the Australian Champions for both Long Distance Triathlon and Long Distance Aquabike. Reaching a quarter of a century of the event is a huge milestone and adding Australian Championships to the schedule only reinforces the event’s pedigree and will make the celebrations even bigger.”
“Entries for 2026 have already reached 1,100 and we look forward to welcoming the largest field in a decade to Busselton and the South West Region in May.”
“We extend our thanks to AusTriathlon for awarding us the Australian Long Distance Championships for the first time since 1997, along with our major partners The Western Australian Government through Tourism WA and the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport, the City of Busselton and Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association for supporting the event.”