“It was just kind of nice for me to get out there and be able do a race back at home,” Birtwhistle said.

“I’ve only recently come off a break, so I am like right just try to get into training.

“I’m not in any fantastic shape at the moment – that’s for sure, but I suppose it was good to come out and see where my fitness is at.”

He has been in hiatus since the northern hemisphere season ended in September.

The one-time under-23 world triathlon champion won’t resume competitive racing again until March – in the weeks leading up to Gold Coast 2018.

The call to run was a “long way off from race-ready”.

“It was more to blow the cobwebs out,” Birtwhistle said. “I obviously found out that the race was on and just decided I could fit it in as a good training run.

“There was no real sort of plans with it, but doing a race while I am here was nice.”

Birtwhistle confessed to actually registering less than 24 hours before the race. 

But the humble 22-year-old wanted to pay back the Launceston Triathlon Club to race against familiar faces.

“I always used to look up to the guys winning the sprint races and the local club ones in the state series, so it’s kind of nice to go back and be able to do that,” he said.

“Hopefully there is a few others who watch on and can get them a bit inspired.

“But it still sort of seems weird to me that these people will be looking up to me.”