Fourth and fifth places fell to age group athletes. Queensland's Justin McCarthy led home Sydney's Matt Koorey, the recent winner of the Yeppoon Ultra Distance race. Fast times by age groupers will have forced more than a few elite triathletes to re-evaluate their training programmes, before the St George National Distance Triathlon Championships in Callala on December 19, where the final 160 slots for Ironman Australia are up for grabs. Fourth placed pro, David Harrigan from Coffs Harbour placed ninth overall; fifth pro, Sydney's Steven Arentz, was 13th overall with the seventh placed elite athlete back in 47th, the 8th in 281st after a slow half marathon.

There were no elite women athlete entrants at Forster-Tuncarry at all, but a strong field of age group women competed. The amazing Sydney triathlete, Teresa Rider led them home, winning the race in 4:50:42 and taking victory in the 40-44 age group. Fellow Sydney-sider Kate Lyon was second and winner of the 18-24 age group in 4:51:45.

Taree doctor and former Perth triathlete, Jacinta Guthridge was third and the 30-34 age group winner in 4:52:23, while Sydney-siders Yoko Okuda and Judy Lucas placed fourth and fifth respectively.

Racing was held in near ideal weather. Flat waters and calm conditions greeted the athletes early on, with a sea breeze failing to stem the temperature rise later in the morning. There was some respite, with cloud cooling the later part of the half marathon.

Just 681 triathletes out of 721 starters finished the race inside the seven-hour cut off time. Two triathletes missed out by just minutes and 11 were DQ'd for bike infringements. Two hundred triathletes qualified from the race for the Ironman Australia championships on 9 April 2000 in Forster-Tuncurry.