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Participants in the swim leg of this weekend's IRONMAN Asia-Pacific Championship Cairns are being advised to wear full protective suits, with marine stinger nets scheduled for removal just days before they compete.
Climatic conditions favourable to marine stinger blooms, including late rain and north-easterly winds, have led to the irukandji and box jellyfish season extending into Winter on Cairns’ Northern Beaches.
The marine stinger season usually ends in May.
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Surf Lifesaving North Queensland says nets were removed last month before being put back in, after beach drags revealed the potentially deadly jellyfish had re-emerged.
“They’ve been doing drags over the past few days and the lifeguards tell me the beaches have been clear,” a spokeswoman said.
“The nets will be coming out this week.
“It’s advisable that the competitors do wear stinger suits anyway.”
The swim legs for the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 races take place at Palm Cove on Sunday, while the Quicksilver Green Island swim, which is also part of the festival, will be held on Thursday.
“We’re working with Surf Lifesaving Queensland and taking their lead on it,” said IRONMAN Asia-Pacific Championship Cairns spokesman Craig Heydon.
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“Regardless of whether it’s a late stinger season we do recommend that everyone swims in a wetsuit, but it’s not compulsory.
“Most will race in a tri-suit and swim with a wetsuit over that, which they will remove after the swim leg.
“They look like they’re going for a surf.”
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He said participants will be continually notified if and when the situation changes.
Following two years of border closures, this year’s event will see the return of athletes from outside Australia and New Zealand, with competitors coming from over 25 countries, including Japan, Germany, India, Brazil and the United States of America taking part.
The forecast is promising, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting showers will ease after today, and winds will continue to come from the south-east.
There will be plenty of road closures in place, particularly on Sunday.
A comprehensive list can be found here.
Main points
- The stinger season has extended into Winter on Cairns' Northern Beaches
- Nets are expected to be removed this week, ahead of Sunday's IRONMAN Cairns swim legs at Palm Cove
- Competitors are still advised to wear protective suits
