Engine Athlete Training Day 2026: Laps, Laughs and One Big Team on the Gold Coast

There’s something special about getting the whole Engine crew in one place. On Sunday 4 October 2026, 45 Engine athletes came to the Gold Coast for our annual Athlete Training Day. Some flew in from Perth, some drove up from NSW, and the Sunny Coast crew joined the locals. Pool swimmers and surf life saving athletes, some old friends and some brand-new faces, all came for one big day of training, learning and plenty of laughs.

Pool Session at Bond University: Starting Strong

What better way to kick things off than in the water? Olympian and Engine Director Andrew Lauterstein took charge at Bond University, and he wasn’t going easy on anyone. The session had real speed work, but also enough time between reps for introductions, catch-ups and a bit of friendly banter.

For many athletes it was the first time they’d shared a pool with athletes from the other side of the sport. Pool swimmers raced alongside ironmen and ironwomen, and everyone picked up something new from each other. By the end of the session the lanes felt less like a line-up of strangers and more like a squad.

Pilates with Josie: Finding Muscles We Didn’t Know We Had

Fresh out of the pool, the team swapped goggles for mats for a Pilates session with Josie. It looked gentle on paper. It wasn’t. Josie took everyone through a session built around core strength, shoulder stability and mobility, which water athletes rely on every time they hit the water. There were a few shaky planks, a lot of laughs, and a newfound respect for Pilates across the group.

Palm Beach SLSC: Boards, Breaks and Beach Starts

Late morning was all about the surf. We headed to Palm Beach Surf Life Saving Club, where Aussie Board Champion Matt Bevilacqua ran the board session. He shared the technique and race smarts that have made him one of the best in the business, and everyone got a feel for what it takes to win a board race at the top level.

Then Zayne Hamill the Head Coach of the Australian Surf Lifesaving Team took the group into the water for an ocean swim session in big surf. For the pool swimmers it was a crash course in how different the ocean is. For the surf athletes it was a chance to sharpen up under the eye of one of the sport’s top coaches. Either way, everyone came out salty and smiling.

Stories, Insights and a Bit of Inspiration

To wrap up the day, we sat down with two guest speakers.

First up was Jess Corones, General Manager of Performance Support and the Olympic Campaign at Swimming Australia, and an accredited sport scientist (ASpS2). Jess gave the group a rare look behind the scenes at how Australia supports its swimmers on the road to the Olympics. For athletes with big dreams, it was a reminder of what the top level takes, and that it’s within reach.

Next was Tristan Back, Managing Director of Wilak Media, a Brisbane-based marketing consultancy that helps brands grow online. Tristan showed the athletes the other side of the partnership: how brands think, what makes content connect, and how to build a profile that lasts long after the racing ends.

More Than a Training Day

The best part of the day wasn’t one session or one speech. It was everything in between: the chats on the pool deck, the high fives on the sand, and 45 athletes from different states, sports and stages of their careers leaving as one team.

One day, 45 athletes, one team. That’s what being part of Engine is all about.

Looking Ahead

As summer racing season gets underway, the Engine Team heads into a big calendar fitter, more confident and better connected than ever. A huge thank you to every athlete, coach and speaker who made the day happen. We can’t wait to do it all again next year.

Champions Choose ENGINE. We Got You.