Noosa Triathlon 2025: Matt Hauser crowns a dream season, Jess Fullagar stuns on debut as storm clouds hold off

Under steely skies and surfable swell, the Noosa Triathlon 2025 delivered a blockbuster elite finale on Sunday, with Matthew Hauser taking his first Noosa crown and Jess Fullagar producing a breakthrough victory in the women’s race. The Olympic-distance classic (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) went ahead on schedule despite a week of weather watch, and the racing matched the occasion.

Hauser adds Noosa to his world title

Fresh from clinching the world championship in Wollongong a fortnight ago, Hauser controlled the men’s race in 1:42:38, breaking clear on the run to cap an all-Australian podium push. John Reed hung tough for second (1:43:38) after an early move on the bike, with Luke Willian closing hard for third (1:44:44). Defending champion Brayden Mercer crashed on the bike before remounting; he fought through for sixth on a day that otherwise belonged to his training partner.

Hauser’s win completes a landmark year: global gold, domestic dominance, and now Noosa—an event that has minted Australian tri legends for four decades. His splits were textbook Noosa: front-pack swim, measured power over the 2km Garmin Hill Climb 10km into the bike, and a negative-split 10K along Noosa Parade once the elastic snapped.

Fullagar seizes the women’s title—and the moment

In the women’s race, Jess Fullagar (Great Britain) seized control late to win by more than three minutes in 1:56:08, outkicking a field that featured the season’s biggest names. The 24-year-old, fifth at the world finals, read the non-drafting bike leg perfectly, then turned the screws on the run as chasers shuffled behind. With record holder Ashleigh Gentle skipping this year’s edition and Olympic champion Cassandre Beaugrand in the mix, Fullagar’s wire-to-wire composure felt like a statement: she’s ready to live in the sport’s top tier.

How Noosa 2025 was won

• Swim (Laguna Bay, 1.5km): A clean, anti-clockwise oblong loop delivered predictable exits for both races, keeping big names in the same minute and setting up a tactical bike.

• Bike (40km, non-drafting): The out-and-back into the hinterland—and that signature hill—created real separation. Hauser neutralized attacks before turning for home; Fullagar built her cushion here, staying aero and legal while rivals marked each other.

• Run (10km flat): The parade route rewarded rhythm. Hauser’s cadence never broke; Fullagar’s tempo grew more authoritative each lap.

Weather storyline: threat, then go

After days of lightning alerts and squally forecasts along Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, race morning delivered raceable conditions—humid, breezy, and fast once the roads dried. Organizers kept contingency plans at hand, but neither the start times nor the course required modification. Age-group waves followed the pros across a rolling timetable.

The roll of honor—and what it means

• Men: Matthew Hauser (1:42:38); John Reed (1:43:38); Luke Willian (1:44:44).

• Women: Jess Fullagar (1:56:08); a fractured chase group trailed several minutes back.

For Hauser, adding Noosa to his résumé threads him more tightly into Australia’s triathlon lineage. For Fullagar, this is a career-shifting win: non-drafting savvy proven on one of the sport’s most scrutinized stages.

Course refresher for first-timers

• Swim: 1.5km in Laguna Bay—clear water, gentle chop, beach start/exit.

• Bike: 40km out-and-back with the 2km hill climb 10km in; strict non-draft rules keep it honest.

• Run: 10km pancake-flat along Noosa Parade—spectator-packed and PR-friendly.

A legendary streak pauses—and a new rivalry beckons

No Ashleigh Gentle this time meant Noosa’s serial winner ceded center stage for the first time in years. Fullagar’s performance, with Beaugrand and rising Australian talents in the field, hints at a compelling 2026 storyline if calendars align. On the men’s side, Mercer’s misfortune masked how ready he looked to defend; with everyone upright, Hauser-Mercer II would be appointment viewing.

Quick answers fans are searching

• Who won Noosa Triathlon 2025? Matthew Hauser (men) and Jess Fullagar (women).

• Did weather change the race? No—raced on the standard Olympic-distance course.

• What makes Noosa different? Non-drafting bike leg at elite level, the hill climb, and a festival week that turns the Sunshine Coast into triathlon’s biggest block party.

 The 42nd Noosa Triathlon crowned a hometown world champ and an ascendant Brit, proof that even with storm clouds looming, the sport’s most beloved Olympic-distance race can still produce sun-bright storylines.