TV news service just confirmed 39 year old male. Showed pictures of medical staff and a covered figure at waters edge. :-(

Condolences to the family. It is always sad news to hear the passing of one of our own.

---

Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

That is very sad. May he RIP. Thoughts and prayers for the family

local newspaper article this morning interviewed several spectators who were very critical of the lack of water safety and the length of time it took officials to respond. The fact that 4 guys walking along the beach were the first responders and were frantically signalling for help doesn't look good either. I have done the Mooloolaba ODT on many occasions and there are generally plenty of lifesavers on rescue boards out in the water as well as IRBs. USM Events used to run the ODT but they have been taken over by Ironman so I don't know if there has been a change in standards. The race is run in the bay at Mooloolaba directly in front of the surf life saving club.
I didn't see the swim portion of the race so can't comment personally, just relying on witness statements reported. Maybe some others who were there can comment?

"USM Events used to run the ODT but they have been taken over by Ironman so I don't know if there has been a change in standards."

USM still runs the event. the race wasn't transferred to ironman, the company was bought by ironman. yes, there may have been a change in standards. it might be that the race is better produced now. or less well produced. or, most likely, the race is produced just about like it has been in the past.

---

Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I did the race and was in the same age group as the man who passed away. I've done a number of 70.3s (though this was my first in Australia) and Id say that the number of safety personnel in the water seemed to be lower than what I've seen elsewhere recently.

Unfortunately you may be correct:
From here: http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/...tim-safety-/2386425/

A witness said there was a lack of safety precautions.
"There was no life raft, jet ski or boat on the beach or in the water on the side of the race where (the tragedy) happened," she said.
The woman was standing on the platform of the Loo with a View watching friends compete when she saw four men splashing around in the water, about 100m offshore.
"One of the guys had his hand up and there had been a man floating out there for at least five minutes. Those guys had just been walking along the beach and stripped off and ran into the water to rescue him," she said.
"It must've been at least three minutes before a marshal wandered along in an orange high-vis vest and talked on his walkie talkie, and another three minutes before a doctor wandered down, and these men were still trying to get him out of the water."

Father of 3 at 39, absolutely devestating. May he rest easy and his family find some sort of comfort

yep, that was the article that I read this morning. Although I do question the 5 minutes....would you stand there going ' gee that dude has been floating face down for the last 5 minutes'....or would you raise the alarm when you realised he wasn't swimming. Where she was standing, you get a good view out over the water.

yep you make a point. Pretty sad though that the announcer mentions that a swimmer is going off-course and watching it, yet noone goes to see him

From my limited vantage I saw a kayaker/paddleboarder at each of the buoys (of which there were significantly less than other WTC races as of late) and a few other kayaks scattered around the seaward side of the course. I saw one small motorized dinghy/inflatable as well. Don't think there were any of the new floating rest stops either.

I seem to remember the announcer saying something shortly before the start (pros?) about the boat not being in the water but with a fairly cavalier attitude. It was my first 70.3 but yes, noticeably less craft in the water than the IM 140.6's I've done in Melbourne. I saw a board at each buoy but not much in-between and with perfect conditions and the wave starts it was very civilised, so not as if I didn't have time to enjoy & take note of the surroundings.

Awful news on such a perfect day to be there.

I was there and must admit whilst there was a paddle boarder at each course marker (which there was not too many nor rope between them) I did not see jet ski's or other motorised quicker response craft which was surprising.

RIP to the man and deep sympathies to his family.