Why Nathan Stewart is going the distance in shorter Sparke Helmore Triathlon race on November 20, 2022

But the Pelican 44-year-old and multiple event winner doesn't plan on giving anything away other than age on Sunday in a new-look, shorter race in which he should be among the pace-setters along with two-time defending champion Hamish Longmuir, 24, and newcomer Ben Maunder, 30.

The long-standing Newcastle race is being held for the 29^th time.

It has been shifted this year to November from its traditional February date due to a clash with Supercars set-up.

The course has also changed, to be much shorter than the usual Olympic distance of 1500-metre swim, 37-kilometre cycle and 10km run. This year, it comprises a 750m swim, 21km cycle and 5km run.

There will be little room for error on the fast and flat course around Newcastle Foreshore and it is a far cry from Ultraman races Stewart now competes in.

He was third in the Australian leg of the Ultraman series at Noosa in May, which was contested over three days and extreme distances.

"I've been racing in this event since I was 13, before Hamish and Ben were born," Stewart said.

"My motivation to keep racing is training for that Ultraman event next May and to support local triathlon."

Stewart expected Belmont's Longmuir, who turned professional in July, to set the pace but rated training partner Maunder, from Merewether and an Australian jiu jitsu champion, as the race's "dark horse".

"Ben's beat me in the last two races we've done," Stewart said. "He's got that fitness base from mixed martial arts and he's just a weapon."

The Sparke Helmore Triathlon has not been held since February of last year and Longmuir is keen to finally complete a title treble.

"It's a bit shorter than what I'm used to and it's around one quarter of what I now race," Longmuir said.

"It's more fun. I try to do as many local events as I can in the year. I only race properly five times a year so these local races are good training races for me. It's a bit of a sharpen up for me and I'm hoping to defend my title."

The women's competition is set to be equally as fierce with five-time Sparke Helmore Triathlon winner Regina Wright, who is also the Australian marathon champion, entered.

Valentine's Chloe Hartnett is fresh from a top-10 finish in the Ironman 70.3 in Melbourne last weekend.

Courtney Wevers, of New Lambton, should also be one to watch after placing second in the last edition of the Sparke Helmore Triathlon and third in the City of Newcastle Island Triathlon at Stockton in February.

Racing starts at 7.30am on Sunday.

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