The event is expected to draw a large cross-section of the Bathurst sporting community given the influence both Carroll and Scott had and the respect they earned from those they came into contact with.

To see how much Carroll meant to the triathlon community one needs only look at the name of the Bathurst club – the Wallabies.

Carroll, who died in 2005, was nicknamed Wallaby.

Scott was one of the foundation members of the Wallabies, but it was his rugby league pursuits for which he was best known.

He was a Group 10 rugby league premiership winning player and coach as well as having amazing success on the field and with a clipboard at representative level.

His sudden death in December 2007 at the age of 39 rocked all those associated with rugby league in the Western Region (formerly Western Division) and beyond.

A Bathurst Charlestons junior, Scott played with Bathurst Railway, Penguins, St Pat’s and very briefly at CSU in a senior career which spanned almost two decades.

While at Penguins Scott was the joint Group 10 player of the year in 1995 and as a senior player, he won Group 10 premier league premierships with Bathurst Penguins in 1994 and 1997, the latter as captain-coach.

Scott also captured first division (reserve grade) titles with Bathurst St Pat’s in 1989 and 2003, coached Group 10 from 2002-2007 and guided Western Division to the Country Divisional Championships title in 2004.

There’s going to be some fierce rivalry between competitors on Sunday with players from rugby league clubs St Pat’s and Bathurst Panthers going head-to-head as part of their pre-season training for the 2009 season.

A contingent from the Bathurst Bulldogs Rugby Union Club is also expected to be on deck, joining members from the Bathurst Wallabies Triathlon Club, the Western Region Academy of Sport and triathlon clubs from across the Central West.

Wallabies president Howard Yen said the event is the highlight of the club’s calendar.

“It doesn’t get much bigger than this for us,” he said.

“Dave Carroll and Scotty were there when we kicked the club off several years ago and now it’s a chance to honour their memory.

“I hope as many people as possible gather down at the Peace Park behind the new aquatic centre on Sunday morning so we can do these blokes proud.

“It’s going to be pretty emotional time for many of their good mates who will be racing. The important thing is we’re not forgetting what great Bathurst citizens these two men were.

“They were dedicated family men who loved their sport. They embodied what triathlon is all about – getting out and having a go with your friends.”

Yen said the club is expecting another huge turnout on Sunday, even bigger than last year when more than 200 competitors entered across three races. This inaugural event was taken out by Richard Hobson, a close friend of both Scott and Carroll.

“The main event is expected to be a head-to-head tussle between young gun Nick North and the 40-year-old Ironman Richard Hobson, but Mark Booth has been training the house down and is determined to get a good result,” Yen said.

“Hobbo won the race last year and would love to back it up.”