McInherney Park is the venue, and the club expects a lot of its regulars to return to race.

The leg distances are the same 600m swim, 18km bike ride and 5km run but the handicap format is easier for first-timers, club publicity officer Leanne Mallyon said.

The system is designed so that most competitors will finish at roughly the same time, but even better for first-timers is the wave starts, meaning a lot less people in the water at the same time.

"There could be three or four people in the water instead of 20," Mallyon said.

Registration for Sunday's race is from 6.15am to 6.45pm.

There will be people on hand to look after water safety and traffic control.

The women in the field will be able to back-up next weekend for a females-only event.

Read more about that race next week in the Port News.