NOOSA Heads ironman Pete Jacobs described his win at yesterday’s Elite Energy Huskisson Long Course Triathlon Festival as the perfect way to start his season. 

The 2012 Ironman World Champion completed the grueling two kilometre swim, 80 kilometre bike ride and 20 kilometre run in a time of just over three and a half hours. 

Jacobs took out the event ahead of last year’s winner Tim Reed (Byron Bay) in second and Sam Appleton (Blue Mountains) who finished third. 

Thousands of fans lined the streets to get a glimpse of the showpiece event and they were certainly not disappointed. 

The event was Jacobs’ first race of the season and he said he was very happy to be able to win and to be running such strong times so early on. 

“It was really close with Time Reed for a long time,” he said. 

“We really tried to push each other on the bike and we hit the run together. 

“At one point I thought maybe he was going to be too much, but eventually I made a bit of a break.”

Although he missed out on last year’s race, Jacobs is no stranger to Huskisson and said it is an event he always loves to compete in. 

“Huskisson is a beautiful place to compete and the race itself is always good fun,” he said. 

“You’ve got lots of spectators and it makes it more enjoyable in front of a big crowd. 

“It’s one of those races that has a really strong place on the calendar.”

This was not the first time Jacobs has been the champion at Huskisson and he said he is hoping he can come back to defend his crown next year. 

Jacobs now has a very full-on schedule in the lead up to Ironman World Championships in Hawaii in October and will try to compete in as many races as he can, starting with next month’s Challenge Batemans Bay.