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Tuesday 13 March 2018
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Race’s winners and losers Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au
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A competitor in the Mt Martha triathlon passes the the Watson Road/Esplanade intersection. Bikes were stored in the gravel car park opposite the shopping centre. Picture: Keith Platt “Road rules ignored in race to finish” Page 5 Mr Allen estimated the event caused a three per cent loss in sales. “It didn’t affect us as much as I thought,” he said. “There was a bit of a downturn, but we have been down lately. Our customers may have done some pre-shopping before the weekend.”
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The clash of dates with the 19-yearold Clean-Up Australia Day left many organisers scratching their heads. “It just shouldn’t have happened,” Bird Rock beach coordinator Di Lewis said. “We can’t understand why Mornington Peninsula Shire doesn’t have a
coordinated program showing which events are on and if they will clash.” The mix-up prompted some soulsearching among councillors. The mayor Cr Bryan Payne said the council was “very concerned and is seeking some changes to the way we
do things so we are all on the ‘same page. There was some confusion,” he said. “We thought we had fixed it up last year but there was a clash again. We have asked officers to review our procedures so it doesn’t happen again.” Continued Page 6
I N S P I R AT I O N
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THE triathlon which turned Mt Martha’s main road into a racetrack last weekend was described as an overwhelming success by organisers and a blow to business by traders. “It was a sell-out with 650 competitors – including 100 kids on the Saturday – and we couldn’t have fitted any more in,” said Sufferfest owner Scott Hollow, who runs similar events all over Australia. “We have got feedback from competitors and just about all said it was one of the best they had been in – on perhaps the best course in Australia.” The triathlon saw the Esplanade between Mt Martha and Mornington closed for six hours on Sunday. The organiser paid $160 for a permit from Mornington Peninsula Shire which was not formally issued until three days before the event. VicRoads gave Sufferfest free use of roads but did not suspend normal road rules. Mr Hollow, a Mt Martha resident, estimated the event drew 2000 people to the area over the 3-4 March weekend – with 10 per cent from interstate and about half from outside Mt Martha. “It must have been good for local businesses.” But traders saw the day through different eyes. Butcher Ken Roane and IGA supermarket owner Rod Allen both said they were down on sales – especially on the Sunday. “We were really knocked around – probably down 30-40 per cent,” Mr Roane said. “We were down probably 50 customers because the competitors took up all the car parks. “Saturday wasn’t too bad, but we may as well have shut up shop on the Sunday. “Customers either couldn’t get to the shop or couldn’t get a parking space.”
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