Tough Mudder

Tough Mudder – a massive tourism boost for the Coast

What is perhaps the toughest endurance event in the world is coming to the Sunshine Coast. What is more, in a fantastic opportunity for the region, the Tough Mudder inaugural dates of Saturday August 17 and Sunday August 18, 2013 are only one week before the running of the Seven Sunshine Coast Marathon.

This means those who like to self-compete in endurance events will have back-to-back weekends in a row to test themselves to the limits.

And the Sunshine Coast will potentially receive a massive injection of visitors in what is a traditionally quiet period in the tourism calendar.

Designed by members of the British Special forces, the 16-20-kilometre Tough Mudder event has stunned the world - growing in 2010 from a mere three events in the USA, to 35 events internationally, including Melbourne and Sydney in 2012.

Around 31,000 people took part in the Sydney event, and 24,000 in Melbourne – that’s just the participants, not including accompanying friends and relatives.

“The Sunshine Coast has now captured a piece of one of the fastest-growing events on the planet; an idea which has captured the imagination of thousands of participants worldwide – 460,000 of them this year alone, in fact,” Mayor Mark Jamieson said.

“Incredibly, around 10,000 people had already signed up to participate in the Tough Mudder to be held in south-east Queensland, before knowing exactly where it will be held.

“Today we can tell them they have signed up to Tough Mudder Sunshine Coast.”

Mayor Jamieson said given the proximity of Tough Mudder to the Seven Sunshine Coast Marathon, every effort would be put in to attract visitors and business activity on the Coast during the intervening working week.

“We want local businesses and other event organisers to take advantage of this unique opportunity – with week on the Coast that is book-ended with two fantastic endurance events,” he said.

Cr Jamieson said the events also occurred in the middle of Air New Zealand’s Auckland-Sunshine Coast flights season, so efforts will be pursued to encourage Kiwis to come to the Sunshine Coast both for a holiday and to participate in these events. 

“Tough Mudder Sunshine Coast along with the Seven Sunshine Coast Marathon are going to bring an enormous number of people to the region – providing a significant boost for our tourism industry and strengthening our reputation as an ideal place to stage major events,” he said.

   

FAST FACTS

 

Tough Mudder Sunshine Coast – what is it?

It is “probably the toughest event on the planet”. It is not a race; it is a personal challenge.

When: Saturday August 17 and Sunday August 18, 2013

(Seven Sunshine Coast Marathon: Sunday August 25, 2013)

 

Where: Pierce Avenue, Caloundra – between Sunshine Coast Industrial park and Caloundra South land

Agreement for Tough Mudder events: each year to 2017 inclusive, with an option for a second event in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Event details:

Course average length – 16 to 20 kilometres

Number of obstacles – 20 to 25

Average time to complete – 3.5 hours

Completion rate of participants to date – 78% (individual), 80% (team members)

Average age of participants: 29

History:

Established 2010 – three events; 2011 – 14 events; 2012 – 35 events in USA, UK, Canada, Australia

Where to register: www.toughmudder.com.au