Bathurst Wallabies Triathlon Club aims for fun feel at Sunday's Christmas event

Well that and deciding on the perfect Santa costume to race in.

Stapley has long been a big supporter of the Wallabies' Christmas event, a day which embodies the club's mission to encourage all competitors and see them enjoy the sport.

It is a event which is popular amongst Wallabies regulars, but Stapley is hoping the chance to combine fitness with a fun, festive feel will draw new faces in as well.

"If you can't have fun at this, you can't have fun," he said.

"I love creating fun in sport and since I've come back on board it's been more about that finish lines, not finish times thing.

"That to me is the exciting part of this sport because the sport itself is starting to focus on that. You'll always have your gun competitors that are chasing finish times, but for a vast majority of people it's about getting out there and having a go.

"So our Christmas races are all about getting to the finish line and having fun out there."

Having fun is certainly something Stapley does and he's already got plans to crack out some festive racing attire. Just what that will be depends on Sunday's weather.

"I've done it [dress up ] a few times and I'll be doing it again this weekend," he said.

"You've got to look at the weather and see if you think you'll make it through in what you've got planned. Sometimes you have to adjust your plan as it occurs."

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As always, competitors have the option of racing as individuals or forming a team for the swim, cycle, run challenge.

There are both short course (300 metres swim, 16 kilometre ride, 2.5km run) and long course (500m swim, 16km ride, 5km run) events.

While it will no doubt be warm heading into the run leg, Stapley said that's an area where competitors will be encouraged all the way to the finish line. Often the fastest triathletes will head back out to accompany others in the final push.

"You go out on the run course and every person you go past says 'Good job, keep going', it doesn't matter if you're at the front of the field or the back of the field, you'll always get that encouragement passing others which is the beauty of the out and back runs, top level, bottom level, everyone passes someone," he said.

"Everyone sticks around to the end to encourage people across the finish line and that sort of stuff, it's really exciting to see that sort of stuff happening.

"It's every single person in that club who is out there to encourage others and make it as enjoyable as possible for as many people as they can."

Senior racing commences at 9am with juniors to follow and Stapley hinting "the fat guy in the red suit will probably be there at the end of the junior racing."

It will be the first race of the Wallabies' 2021-22 club season after the November 14 event was cancelled due to flooding.

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