You could not help but notice the colour and buzz around Ulladulla Harbour last Wednesday when some 400 athletes from more than 20 countries descended to the launch of the Adventure Racing World Championships.
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Our normally quiet town was suddenly filled with foreign accents and languages.
The athletes were in town to test their equipment before the race start in Jervis Bay on Thursday. Details of the course were a tightly kept secret before the race got under way but as it draws to a close, with the finish line at the Ulladulla Civic Centre, that international buzz is set to resume as many of the competitors take a break after their 600km adventure.
This is great news for the local economy.
The flags now fluttering outside the Civic Centre reveal how far and wide our little patch of paradise is being projected across the globe. The avenue of flags at the finish line reflect this.
The Adventure Race World Series Facebook page has almost 50,000 followers tuned into the event, people who are probably learning about our part of the world for the first time.
The event, which organisers say has been one of the best to date, has put the Shoalhaven on the world map. More importantly for us, however, is that we have the chance to sell our part of the Shoalhaven to these visitors as they take time out to recuperate.
Helping to sell that image of a beautiful and friendly place to visit have been the local volunteers who have helped out. All travellers will tell you that the people encountered on any trip build the lifelong memories as much as the scenery, so those who volunteered their time and friendliness deserve a big vote of thanks.
These big events are becoming a regular thing in this part of the world. Earlier in the year we had the IRB championships which attracted competitors from around the country.
Next week we host the Seniors PGA tournament, which will do the same. Not only that but we also have some 500 librarians descending on the region for a conference at the same time. The memories those competitors and participants take home with them will be vital in attracting their families and friends back to the region.
As a community, we do a great job of hospitality. We’ve seen the evidence in the visitation numbers which rank highly. People want to come back.
That should make us all proud.