Shannon Eckstein won a record-equalling fifth Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman title at North Cronulla today while Alicia Marriott became the first woman to win the triple crown of the sport’s major events.

Eckstein (Northcliffe) and Marriott (Mooloolaba) emerged from the energy-sapping, hot conditions to claim the overall titles in the $250,000 series.

Eckstein, the defending champion, won a furious sprint to the finish ahead of his nearest challenger in the series, Hugh Dougherty, to secure a comfortable eight-point margin in the series pointscore.

Corey Jones (Metropolitan Caloundra), who was inches away from being eliminated in the first race of today’s three-race ‘Eliminator’ format, pulled out his best performance of the season to place third.

Olympic swimmer Ky Hurst (Kurrawa) capped his return to Ironman racing with fifth place in the final and third overall in the series behind Eckstein and Dougherty.

2010 Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series Final: North Cronulla

Round 5Shannon Eckstein (Northcliffe) Hugh Dougherty (Tugun) Corey Jones (Met Caloundra) Nathan Smith (Northcliffe) Ky Hurst (Kurrawa) Rhys Drury (Dicky Beach) Peirce Leonard (Northcliffe) Alaistar Day (Warilla-Barrack Point) Josh Blair (Swansea Belmont) Dylan Newbiggin (Mooloolaba)

Men

Women
Elizabeth Pluimers (Northcliffe) Kristyl Smith (Northcliffe) Courtney Hancock (Northcliffe) Alicia Marriott(Mooloolaba) Allira Richardson (Mooloolaba) Naomi Flood (Manly) Maddison Prior (Warilla-Barrack Point) Rebecca Creedy (Met Caloundra) Hayley Bateup (Kurrawa) Amy Nurthen (Terrigal)

Series Pointscore
Men
Shannon Eckstein (Northcliffe) 119 Hugh Dougherty (Tugun) 111 Ky Hurst (Kurrawa) 97 Rhys Drury (Dicky Beach) 90 Corey Jones (Met Caloundra) 88 Alaistar Day (Warilla-Barrack Point) 82 Nathan Smith (Northcliffe) 81 Peirce Leonard (Northcliffe) 79 Dylan Newbiggin (Mooloolaba) 67 Matt Poole (Mooloolaba) 64 Cory Hill (Northcliffe) 56 Sam Hamilton (Tugun) 55 Chris Allum (Cronulla) 51 James Stewart (North Burleigh) 44 Mark Simpson (Cronulla) 40 Jono Stock (Manly) 29 Daniel Moodie (Northcliffe) 26 Josh Blair (Swansea Belmont) 24 Hayden Allum (Cronulla) 12 Alex Tibbits (Mooloolaba) 11 Mitchell Miller (Mooloolaba) 11 Josh Minogue (Mooloolaba) 8 Hayden White (Warilla-Barrack Point) 6 Cameron Gordon (Northcliffe) 5 Sam Hunt (North Burleigh) 4

Women
Alicia Marriott (Mooloolaba) 106 Elizabeth Pluimers (Northcliffe) 103 Naomi Flood (Manly) 100 Kristyl Smith (Northcliffe) 98 Hayley Bateup (Kurrawa) 98 Courtney Hancock (Northcliffe) 97 Rebecca Creedy (Met Caloundra) 75 Allira Richardson (Mooloolaba) 64 Amy Nurthen (Terrigal) 62 Brodie Moir (North Burleigh) 61 Gemma Newbiggin (Mooloolaba) 61 Terri Sullivan (Northcliffe) 58 Bonnie Hancock (Northcliffe) 55 Flora Manciet (Northcliffe) 41 Sheree Merryful (Northcliffe) 38 Alyce Bennett (North Burleigh) 36 Maddison Prior (Warilla-Barrack Point) 28 Harriet Brown (Northcliffe) 21 Kelly-Ann Perkins (Met Caloundra) 20 Katie Graham (Northcliffe) 18 Casey Leo-Litzow (Northcliffe) 10 Tara Coleman (Maroubra) 6 Jessica Walker (Northcliffe) 4

 Photographer: www.petersollner.com

Image: © blk1 2010. All rights reserved.

Blue ribbon event decided at the NSW Age Surf Life Saving Championships

Pittwater House student Jayke Rees is the new Under 14 State Ironman thanks to a winning performance in the blue ribbon event at the 2010 NSW Age Surf Life Saving Championships staged over the weekend at Blacksmiths Beach in the Hunter.

Rees has never placed in the Ironman event at state level before, making today’s victory at Swansea Belmont even sweeter for the Warriewood SLSC member who has been a nipper since he was seven.

After a strong swim that saw him push through the green water to reach the turning cans in second place behind Coogee’s Ben Thornton, Rees hit the front of the field. He was first to his board for the final leg of the two stage event and never sacrificed his hard-fought advantage.

Rees ran unperturbed over the top of a blue bottle second time around the cans as he paddled furiously to catch the final winning wave to the beach, all the time looking over his shoulder at the chasing pack led by Thornton.

“I just tried my best” said the fourteen year old who spends most weekends at the beach and is also a NSW schools swimming rep. “Conditions this weekend were challenging with big surf and waves coming from all directions,” he acknowledged.

Rees also took out the Under 14 Male Board event on what was a perfect summer’s day at Blacksmiths Beach with plenty of sunshine and a light nor’easterly sea breeze blowing onshore.

Terrigal’s Karlee Nurthen admitted that by the time she pipped the rest if the field in the Under 14 Ironwoman event she was pretty exhausted. Three days of tough competition tested the four time previous winner who stretched her lead by the board leg and caught a final wave to the beach to beat her nearest rival, Danielle McMahon from Wanda.

“My plan was to stick on Georgia’s [Miller] wash and hope to get past her,” said Nurthen.

Preferring the paddle leg of the Ironwoman event to the swim, Nurthen saved her best for last, powering home to take gold for her Central Coast club.

Karlee’s older sister Amy is a Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironwoman and Karlee is well on the way to emulating her sister’s success. Following a gold winning performance this morning in the Under 14 Board finals there were high hopes for Freshwater’s Georgia Miller in the Ironwoman event. Miller dominated the swim leg and was first to the boards but as she paddled out through the white water a wave knocked her sideways and she never regained her place.

In the overall pointscore Manly SLSC’s team of 194 juniors has finally ended Cronulla’s 12 year dream run, beating the second placed Wanda by 30 points.

Sita Mason and Lachlan Bruce, Manly’s junior captains, this afternoon spoke about Manly’s state championship pointscore win.
“We feel proud to represent Manly as the captains and to place first at this carnival,” said Mason.

Although she will be moving up to the seniors next year Mason said the younger age groups should be able to maintain Manly’s current form. “The club has put a lot into training the younger age groups and it’s starting to show in the medal count for Manly.”

This year’s state title was the last to be held at Swansea Belmont as part of a three year agreement. Next year’s championship will be held at Cudgen Headland SLSC, Kingscliff, on the far north coast.

OVERALL POINTSCORE

Article: NSW SLS  BLK1 Photographer: www.petersollner.com

Article: © NSW SLS 2010. All rights reserved.

Image: © BLK1 2008 – 2010. All Rights Reserved.

The Cook Community Classic is each year on the first weekend in November. This year the event was held at Cronulla Beach and the adjacent Cronulla Park.

The competition involved a competitive surf carnival between our four Bate Bay Surf clubs, an open ocean swim and a community carnival in the surrounding park areas.
Even for people not interested in sport the carnival hosted entertainment, live music, local celebrities and community stalls featuring the participating event sponsors and community organisations.

This year, in addition to the very successful community open water swim there was an open community paddle ski event.
Through these activities the Cook Community Classic provides a fundraising platform local Shire community groups – including sports clubs, local charities, school P&Cs and other community organisations.

The Cook Community Classic is all about trying to make the most of the efforts of local community organisations.

The Cook Community Classic was not focussed on winners and placeholders for the sporting events, but rather getting as many competitors and spectators involved from the local Sutherland Shire Community.

 BLK1 Photographer: www.petersollner.com

Images and Article: © BLK1 2008-2009. All Rights Reserved.

The grounds hosting the games.

With Games sailing competitor His Royal Highness Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark among the crowd, Premier Rees opened the seventh edition of the world’s largest multi-sport event, with a record 28,292 competitors from 95 countries in Sydney.

The Games Opening Ceremony kicked off with the world’s largest competitors’ parade as the majority of Games registrants took the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Sydney 2000 Olympians by marching into the Sydney Olympic Park arena.

Games competitors ranging in age from 24-year-old Canadian swimming Facundo Chernikoff to 101-year-old Australian lawn bowler Reg Trewin walked into ANZ Stadium after being marshalled into 28 groups, corresponding with the 28 Games sports.

The world masters cauldron

The formal proceedings included the singing of the Australian anthem in two tongues – the first verse in a traditional language of the Eora nation and the subsequent verses in English – speeches by Games Chair Margy Osmond, International Masters Games Association President Kai Holm, Minister Justine Elliot representing the Australian Government and Premier Rees and the unveiling of the Games oath.

NSW Premier Nathan Rees was happy to open the games

The youngest Australian competitor, 24-year-old Sydney swimmer Melanie Speet, and 68-year-old Albert Armstrong, a Melbourne squash player who has taken part in every Games, lead the crowd in the reading of the Games oath written by Games competitor and well known Australian author Peter FitzSimons.

All-star Australian artists of all ages then brought down the curtain on the Games Opening Ceremony.

The world masters stadium

Nathan Foley, Jessica Mauboy, David Campbell, The McClymonts, Paul Gray, Leo Sayer and John Paul Young got the Opening Ceremony crowd on their feet before, in a nod to the unforgettable Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympics at the same venue, Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs and Tap Pups rounded the night’s entertainment with a spectacular dance routine.

BLK1 Photographer: GETTY IMAGES

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Australian swim brand Vorgee has launched the country’s first polarised swimming goggles – the Osprey – giving Aussie triathletes and open water swimmers the cutting-edge advantage.

18 months in the making, Vorgee’s Osprey goggles use the same type of polarising lenses found in leading sunglass brands. Vorgee first had the idea a couple of years ago when they kept hearing complaints from open water swimmers of the problems they were having with reflective glare off the water and its affect on their vision and performance.

The Vorgee design team ran with the concept and began to research the kinds of polarising lenses worn by other sports people – cyclists, skiers, sailors – who need to perform to a high level in glary, reflective environments. Their findings were then applied to swimming goggle technology and the Vorgee Osprey was born.

Osprey goggles feature polarised, UV protected, anti-fog coated, enlarged lenses that provide zero distortion and optimum viewing clarity, no matter what the conditions. Combine this with an oversized, one piece lens and frame design that enhances comfort and sight lines, plus a quick fit strap system, and you have the perfect goggles for open water swimming.

Vorgee’s Osprey goggles will also be available in tinted and clear lens versions for pool swimming.

The Osprey goes on sale at participating aquatic centres throughout Australia in September 2009.

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Thirroul Surf Life Saving Club’s Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) team has established a narrow lead in the second round of the 2009 NSW IRB Premiership, held at Elizabeth Beach on May 16

Thirroul’s performance in second round earned them a total of ten points, which, combined with the nine points they won in round one has put them in first place with a total of 19 points

But Thirroul will have to put in an equally strong performance in future rounds to maintain their lead as second and third place teams Caves Beach and South Maroubra are not far behind.

Caves Beach is currently in second place with a total of 17.5 points, while South Maroubra is in third place, with 16 points.

2008 Premiership champions, Kiarna Downs are in fourth place with 15.5 points.

The third round of the Premiership is held on May 30th at Elouera Beach

The IRB Premiership, which blends boat racing and surf lifesaving, pits eleven surf life saving teams against each other in simulations of drowning scenarios

The IRB Premiership is organised by Surf Life Saving New South Wales, which describes itself as the state’s premier aquatic lifesaving organisation.

BLK1 Article: JUSTIN MCDONALD BLK1 Photographer: ANDREW VOOGEL

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Chris Allum at the State Championships Swansea Belmont in February 09.

Surf Life Saving NSW club members gathered for the movement’s annual Awards of Excellence, held on Saturday 2 May at the Crowne Plaza Coogee.

One of the most anticipated awards, Athlete of the Year, went to Cronulla’s Chris Allum, who performed consistently this year, including winning State, Australian and World Open Mens Surf Races.

Chris said receiving the award was a great honour and thanked his family for their support, saying his mum still packs his lunch for him when he competes!

Allum’s coach, Richard Garnsey, was awarded Coach of the Year. Richard “Bluey” said it was particularly satisfying to have contributed to the NSW Interstate team winning this year, despite the exodus of many of the state’s talented athletes to Queensland in recent years.

Chris Allum at Awards of Excellence ceremony

SLSNSW’s Central Coast Branch took out the coveted Branch of the Year award. Central Coast also won the Community Education Program of the Year award for its successful Surf Awareness Education program.

Redhead SLSC’s Isaac Morgan made two trips to the stage to pick up Junior Athlete of the Year, along with Team of the Year with clubmates in the Under 15 Water Team which won three Gold medals at the recent Australian Championships. Country Athlete of the Year was awarded to Ali Day from Warilla-Barrack Point.

Junior athlete of year – Isaac Morgan

The awards were presented by the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Kevin Greene MP, who thanked the volunteer surf lifesavers on behalf of the people of NSW and said the quality of the nominees for all the awards showed the great depth of commitment and experience within Surf Life Saving.

BLK1 Article: Surf Life Saving Australia BLK1 Photographer: HARVIE ALLISON

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Black Smiths Beach sunrise on Saturday during championships

Cronulla’s Allum brothers thought they had today’s Open Male Board Rescue final in the bag until rival club mates, the Simpson brothers, cleverly held back to await a lucky shore wave that catapulted them into the gold medal position.

Defending champion Mark Simpson, 24, was the swimmer in the rescue simulation event and younger brother Dean Simpson, 21, rode the board. Once Mark was retrieved the Simpson brothers chased Chris and Hayden Allum all the way to the beach until Dean spotted the winning ride.

“I saw a wave coming and told Mark to wait, that’s what got us past them,” he said grinning.

Chris Allum was clearly frustrated at the late loss. “We had that race in the bag, but that’s part of the sport. It’s dead flat then a one foot wave appears right there….it’s funny how it happens sometimes.”

The Simpson and the Allum brothers train together at Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club and are friends, “but not on the line,” admitted Chris Allum.

From today’s result he did take away some solace. Mark Simpson won this event last year, with a different partner, and two years ago the Simpson brothers won the national title. “To be in front of them makes me feel like we are in with a shot in Perth,” Chris Allum added, referring to the upcoming national titles in less than three weeks time.

Today’s gold medal was the third this state carnival for Mark Simpson who combined with the Allum brothers and Cameron Pyett yesterday in the Surf Team and with Hayden in the Open Mens Board Relay.

His training might have suffered in previous months due to work commitments but Mark’s happy to take the psychological advantage heading into tomorrow’s string of individual finals including the Swim, Board and the blue ribbon event, the Open Ironman.

In the Open Female Board Rescue Terrigal stormed home, a big turnaround from last year when the team failed to qualify for the finals at the state championship. Only their second time on a board together this season, 25 year old Amanda White, the defending national champion, and Joanna Baxter, a 17 year old St Josephs High School student, “just clicked”.

Baxter was also part of the winning Terrigal team in the Under 19 Female Surf Team final, combining with Erin Robertson and two Under 17 swimmers, Jorden Burnes and Rachelle King.

Conditions were calm again for day two of the 2009 Allphones Open NSW Surf Life Saving Championships with a dumping shore break, light winds and flat seas under a strong sun on the final day of summer.

This evening will be a quiet affair for the Open competitors who have qualified for a finals berth tomorrow. The competition will get underway at 8am in the morning before the traditional March Past at 11am when the 2008 NSW Surf Lifesaver and Volunteer of the Year will be announced.

The carnival’s closing events promise a thrilling afternoon of water and beach finals climaxing with the pinnacle, the Open Ironman and Ironwoman.

Host Club Swansea Belmont rose to second place in the overall pointscore today.

FINAL RESULTS: DAY TWO

1. Manly- 128

2. Swansea Belmont- 120

3. Terrigal- 119

4. Freshwater- 108

5. Warilla-Barrack Point- 107

6. Cronulla- 88

7. Redhead- 72

8. Wanda- 71

9. Ocean Beach- 68

10. North Cronulla- 61

FINALS RESULTS FROM DAY TWO
Open Male Board Rescue
(1) Cronulla c (2) Cronulla b (3) Manly BLUE (4) Cudgen Headland White (5) North Bondi Barbarians (6) Cudgen Headland Blue

Open Female Board Rescue
(1) Terrigal A (2) Sawtell A (3) Freshwater A (4) Lennox Head-Alstonville X (5) Swansea Belmont B (6) The Lakes Red

Under 17 Male Board Rescue
(1) Cronulla c (2) Terrigal A (3) Warilla-Barrack Point BLUE (4) Redhead A (5) Freshwater A (6) Lennox Head-Alstonville X

Under 17 Female Board Rescue
(1) Copacabana RED (2) Manly BLUE (3) Cooks Hill A (4) Warilla-Barrack Point WHITE (5) Freshwater A (6) Swansea Belmont D

Under 15 Male Board Rescue
(1) Redhead B (2) Redhead A (3) Cudgen Headland Blue (4) Wanda red (5) Ocean Beach BLUE (6) Elouera White

Under 15 Female Board Rescue
(1) Freshwater B (2) Cronulla red (3) Redhead b (4) Terrigal C (5) Avoca Beach green (6) Terrigal A

Under 19 Female Taplin Relay
(1) Warilla-Barrack Point BLACK (2) Swansea Belmont A (3) Freshwater A (4) Byron Bay A (5) Warilla-Barrack Point ORANGE (6) Elouera White

Under 19 Male Taplin Relay
(1) Avoca Beach A (2) Warilla-Barrack Point BLACK (3) Collaroy red (4) Terrigal A (5) Elouera White (6) Freshwater A

Under 19 Female Single Ski
(1) BAXTER, JOANNA (Terrigal) (2) SMITH, LAUREN (Warilla-Barrack Point) (3) COLEMAN, TARA (Maroubra) (4) KNAPMAN, SARAH (Manly) (5) MINOGUE, HANNAH (Bulli) (6) FLEMMING, Tahnee (Byron Bay)

Under 19 Double Ski (single gender teams)
(1) Warilla-Barrack Point BLACK (2) Warilla-Barrack Point ORANGE (3) Freshwater A (4) North Bondi a (5) Byron Bay A (6) Avoca Beach B

Open Male Malibu Surf Board Riding
(1) Rawson, Matt (Swansea Belmont) (2) Carroll, Anthony (Bronte) (3) VanDerWallen, Adriaan (Avalon Beach) (4) Mahoney, Sean (North Cronulla) (5) Gibson, Nathen (Long Reef) (6) Williams, Bryce (Swansea Belmont)

Open Female Malibu Surf Board Riding
(1) KENT, MICHELLE (Redhead) (2) Mulquiney, Katie (Cooks Hill) (3) Miley-Dwyer, Olivia (Bronte) (4) Charles, April (North Cronulla)

Open Mixed 5 Person R&R
(1) Collaroy Black (2) Wanda red (3) Newport Gold (4) North Cronulla Gold (5) Wanda blue (6) Swansea Belmont A

Open 6 Person R&R
(1) Freshwater MAROON (2) Collaroy Black (3) Swansea Belmont A (4) Bondi B (5) Wanda blue (6) Freshwater WHITE

Open Male 5 Person R&R
(1) Swansea Belmont A (2) Bondi A (3) Wanda blue (4) Freshwater MAROON

Over 24 Restricted Surf Race
(1) Allen, Malcolm (Bronte) (2) LEMMON, Paul (Freshwater) (3) Bowden, Andrew (Bronte) (4) HANSON, Kurt (Freshwater) (5) pyett, cameron (Cronulla) (6) bolewski, joel (Wanda)

Under 19 Female Surf Teams
(1) Terrigal A (2) Manly BLUE (3) Elouera Blue (4) Byron Bay A (5) North Bondi A (6) North Cronulla Gold

Under 19 Male Surf Teams
(1) Warilla-Barrack Point BLACK (2) Elouera White (3) Bulli A (4) Manly BLUE (5) Wanda red (6) Terrigal A

Under 15 Female Surf Teams
(1) Cronulla a (2) Redhead A (3) Freshwater A (4) Avoca Beach blue (5) Terrigal A (6) Sawtell A

Under 17 Male Board Relay
(1) Terrigal A (2) Bulli A (3) Cronulla a (4) Lennox Head-Alstonville X (5) Freshwater A (6) Swansea Belmont A

Under 17 Female Board Relay
(1) Terrigal A (2) Warilla-Barrack Point BLACK (3) Byron Bay A (4) Freshwater A (5) Copacabana JOSH (6) Swansea Belmont A

Under 15 Male Board Relay
(1) Redhead A (2) Swansea Belmont A (3) North Cronulla Gold (4) Wanda blue (5) Avoca Beach blue (6) Redhead B

Under 15 Female Board Relay
(1) Avoca Beach blue (2) Cronulla a (3) Lennox Head-Alstonville X (4) Sawtell A (5) Redhead A (6) Terrigal A

Boat Relay
(1) South Curl Curl South Curly (2) Manly BLUE (3) Cooks Hill HILL (4) Bulli A

Open Male 2km Beach Run
(1) CONRICK, BOYD (Redhead) (2) DAY, BLAIR (Warilla-Barrack Point) (3) HIGGINS, Scott (The Lakes) (4) BALDWIN, LEON (Manly) (5) Hynard, Brad (Wollongong City) (6) Barclay, Jared (North Cronulla)

Open Female 2km Beach Run
(1) Leadbeatter, Angela (Swansea Belmont) (2) Conder, Jenny (Elouera) (3) McCarthy, Siobhan (North Bondi) (4) campbell, melissa (Wanda) (5) Conder, Kate (Elouera) (6) HEAL, EMILY (Manly)

Under 17 Male 2km Beach Run
(1) JAMES, BLAKE (Warilla-Barrack Point) (2) Wallace, Jordan (Wollongong City) (3) CALLAWAY, DAVID (Bulli) (4) Callander, charlie (Whale Beach) (5) Ingle, Jake (Swansea Belmont) (6) SHEPHERD, HAYDEN (Redhead)

Under 15 Male 2km Beach Run
(1) Walters, Guy (Swansea Belmont) (2) WYLIE, TIM (Towradgi) (3) cracknell, toby (Avoca Beach) (4) Green, Jake (Thirroul) (5) Kelly-Makovec, Joshua (North Cronulla) (6) MARSHALL, Ben (The Lakes)

Under 19 Male 2km Beach Run
(1) Ham, Troy (Swansea Belmont) (2) WATSON, ADAM (Manly) (3) KRUCLER, JORDAN (Umina Beach) (4) RIDDINGTON, NATHAN (Queenscliff) (5) Flannery, Ryan (Dixon Park) (6) HAWKE, PHILLIP (Queenscliff)

Under 17 Female 2km Beach Run
(1) JONES, BREE (Warilla-Barrack Point) (2) McGain, Alexandra (Bilgola) (3) Brady, Tia (Dixon Park) (4) McGrath, Georgia (North Cronulla) (5) RYAN, SASHA (Shellharbour) (6) Bakker, Kaitlin (Lennox Head-Alstonville)

Under 15 Female 2km Beach Run
(1) GASPAROTTO, ELYSSIA (Ocean Beach) (2) LAVALLE, OLIVIA (North Wollongong) (3) SMYTH, LILLI (Coffs Harbour) (4) douglas-savage, chloe (Wanda) (5) davies, michaela (Cronulla) (6) Kruger, Zane (Dee Why)

BLK1 Article: SURF LIFE SAVING NSW Photographer: PETER SOLLNER

Blacksmiths Beach Sunrise - Day 2

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Kellogg’s Ironman Final 2009 – Coogee Beach, February 22: Shannon Eckstein and Naomi Flood were today crowned the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series winners in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd at Sydney’s Coogee Beach.

But their days could hardly have been more contrasting. David Moase Reports…

Eckstein, competing for the Telstra Southern Qld Sunfish, proved himself a cut above his rivals by comfortably racing through the three races of today’s final, whereas Flood, captain of the Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers, struggled home in last place in the final but did just enough to secure the overall crown.

While Flood gave her rivals a chance of stealing the series, Eckstein showed no such generosity as he took out his fourth Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain series.

Excelling in the tough three-race eliminator format in flat conditions, he was controlled and commanding in the day’s first two races where the field was reduced from 18 Ironmen to just the top six for the final.

With the series and the final on the line in race three, Eckstein moved almost effortlessly into top gear to dominate the deciding race, winning clearly from Pierce Leonard (DHL Southern Ice) and Corey Jones (Citizen Northern Qld Lightning).

His closest series rival, Sunfish team mate Zane Holmes, who upset Eckstein in last year’s final to win the series, placed a tired fourth ahead of surprise packet James Stewart (Sunfish) and up-and-coming Matt Poole (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers).

“It was a whole different feeling to last year,” a beaming Eckstein said.

“Last year before the final race I said to Pat O’Keeffe, my coach, ‘I’ve got nothing left’ but today before the last race I said to him ‘Gee, I feel a whole lot better than last year’.

“I had fun out there. I can’t believe how good I felt today.

“I never felt once I was under pressure or struggling.

“I did see Zane blowing after the first race and thought he might be hurting a little bit but I couldn’t discount him – he always finds something in that last race every year.

“I just had to get away in that last race and everything panned out pretty good.”

Today’s win meant Eckstein holds every major Ironman title – Australian, World, Nutri-Grain series – apart from the long-distance nib Coolangatta Gold, which he did not contest but was won by his brother, Caine.

The 25-year-old said he felt fitter and mentally stronger in this year’s Nutri-Grain series and was determined to not make the same mistakes that cost him the 2008 title.

“Last year I had some shoulder and neck trouble and I couldn’t do the kilometres in the pool that I usually do and I was underdone,” he said.

“This year I’ve done a lot more swimming and that’s a lot of our base work, and I knew I was a fitter than last year.

“Last year I had the title to lose – I was going for three in a row – and maybe that added pressure played on my mind a little bit.

“This year I had nothing to lose even though I was in front on the points – Zane was defending champion and for me it was get out there and do my best.”

His best was far too good for the rest of the elite field that included veteran Dean Mercer (Lightning) who was retiring after 21 years in the Nutri-Grain series.

For Eckstein, races one and two today were mere positioning for the decider. He was always well in control, matched closest by Leonard who showed his best form of the series.

In the final race they opened a handy lead in the ski leg and then Eckstein caught a wave in the swim to open up a 30m advantage.

From there, only one competitor was going to win the race and the series.

TIRED FLOOD HANGS ON FOR MAIDEN TITLE

There was no such clear-cut result in the women’s race as a ‘stuffed’ Flood faded into sixth and last place in the final but had done enough in the earlier rounds of the series to claim top prize.

She had a six-point advantage over Hammers team mate Courtney Hancock going into the final and was eight points clear of Kristyl Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins), the winner of rounds one and two in the Series.                                                                                                              

The Hammers captain looked strong in the first two races today but faded badly in the swim leg of the last race and then struggled in the concluding board leg.

As she faded to sixth, the race ahead of her decided the Series.

While Smith needed to finish four places ahead of Flood to snatch the title, it was defending Nutri-Grain series champion Elizabeth Pluimers (Sunfish) who excelled in Coogee’s flat surf to produce her best race of the season and score a comfortable win over Australian champion Alicia Marriott (Jeep Western Waves) with Smith in third place.

That ensured Flood would take out her first Nutri-Grain series.

“My face is sore from smiling so much,” Flood said moments after being told she had won.

“I work at a bank but I’m not so good with numbers so as I ran to the finish I wasn’t sure what had happened.

“I realised I would be first or second but to come out on top was amazing. When they came over and said you’ve won by two points, I though ‘unbelievable’.

Flood, 22, has been competing in the Nutri-Grain series since she was 14 and has waited eight long seasons to reach the winner’s plaice on the dais.

“I’ve come through the ranks, I’ve been around the top group for a while and won a couple of races in the last couple of years and to come out on top is awesome,” she said.

“This is something no one can take away from me and a very memorable one.”

Flood, the 2005 Australian Ironwoman champion, puts her success down to a new training regime under coach Trent Herring in the past eight months that has seen her lose weight and change her body shape.

“At the world titles in Germany last year I was strong but I wasn’t very fit,” she said.

“Now I’ve changed my body shape a bit and as I’m looking to compete in kayaking I’m trying to get a leaner and stronger build.

“I’ve still got a bit to do – I’m not saying I’m an oil painting – and I’m looking to get smaller and smaller and stronger and stronger.”

Flood went into the race as favourite but said the most pressure she felt came from herself.

“The outside pressure was a lot but I put a lot of pressure on myself and play mind games with myself and that’s something I’ve worked on a lot, trying to block out things like that,” she said.

“I’ve been just enjoying the last two weeks since Coolum, it’s been really good. There’s been a lot of hype around it and it’s been lots of fun.”

Eckstein finished the men’s series on 105 points, ahead of Holmes (96), Poole and Leonard (85), Jones (83), Nathan Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins, 66), Wes Berg (Blue Fins, 63), Chris Allum (Blue Fins, 57), Hugh Dougherty (Hammers, 56) and Mercer (56).

A tight women’s series saw Flood on 83 points ahead of Smith and Pluimers (81), Hancock (79), Marriott (72), Gemma Newbiggin (Lightning, 68), Alyce Bennett (Blue Fins, 66), Hayley Bateup (Ice, 60), Rebecca Creedy (Waves, 54) and Brodie Moir (Waves, 49).

The teams’ title went to the Sunfish on 28 points, ahead of the Hammers (25) and Lightning (23).

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Matt Poole Wins Round 4 of The Kellogg's Nutri-grain Ironman Championship

Rising star Matt Poole caused a major boilover and Naomi Flood took a decisive lead in the women’s series in another dramatic round of the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series at Coolum today.

Poole, who competes for the Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers, broke the stranglehold on the series of Ironman superstars Shannon Eckstein and Zane Holmes to score the biggest win of his career.

Meanwhile his Hammers captain Flood powered to a dominant victory despite a gallant return to racing by Hayley Bateup, who was struck a heavy blow from her own board and taken to Nambour hospital with a burst eardrum and concussion after yesterday’s third round.

Twenty-year-old Poole, the Australian under-19 Ironman champion in 2007, has been recently talked up as the young competitor most likely to challenge Eckstein and Holmes and today he proved those predictions spot-on, calling it the greatest race of his life.

“Being in the open league, it is another level compared to under-17s and under-19s when you step up to race these boys, it is such a challenge,” he said.

“Some blokes go from being age group champions to finding it really hard and I did last year when I was one of the backmarkers.

“I’ve done a lot of work in the off season and really put my head down, had a good couple of months of training, no injuries and it’s starting to pay off now.

“I hope it’s the start of many more wins to come.”

In a race when no competitor was able to establish a significant lead, Poole was racing stroke for stroke with Corey Jones (Citizen Northern Qld Lightning) and Eckstein (Telstra Southern Qld Sunfish) when they turned for the beach in the board leg.

He dug deep to catch a small runner ahead of the other pair and that was enough to ensure he made it to the beach with a winning lead and enough time to celebrate as he crossed the finish line.

Poole’s win gave him a tighter grip in third place in the series points score, where Eckstein leads on 69 points ahead of Holmes (66), Poole 59, Nathan Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins, 52), Pierce Leonard (DHL Southern Ice, 51) and Corey Jones (51).

In the women’s race it was a tenacious Bateup whose board snapped in two and hit her in the head in yesterday’s wild conditions at Coolum, bounced back to finish third today.

Her ear covered with a swim cap, she went for a test swim before the race and despite feeling shaky, decided to take her place in the field.

“When I struggled under a one foot wave in the warm up my coach Phil Clayton didn’t want me to race but the competitor in me took over,” said Bateup.

“I was scared to take that same body wave as Naomi, afraid I would go too deep and do further damage to my ear but in the end I was happy to get third.”

Flood set herself up as the woman to beat in the series final at Coogee on March 22 by beating off the challenge of Bateup (DHL Southern Ice) and Courtney Hancock (Hammers) to win.

Bateup looked set for a fairytale comeback from the injury when she led the field back to the beach in the opening ski leg.

Flood, who thrives in the swim, pegged Bateup back and then broke away when she surfed down the front of a huge wave near the turning buoys.

After a disappointing 13th place in yesterday’s third round, she wasn’t going to let that lead slip and a determined board paddle meant she was able to finish with a healthy margin ahead of Hancock, who edged out Bateup in a sprint finish.

“Coolum’s always been really bad for me, with bad luck and silly mistakes, so it’s good to come out with a good result for once,” Flood said.

“I had to just hold on in the board but it’s so hard when they’re chasing you.

“I was holding onto the lead with my fingernails, I knew the win was within my reach but I had to get out around the course and back in again.”

She now leads the series points score on 57, ahead of Hancock (51), Kristyl Smith (Blue Fins, 49) and Elizabeth Pluimers (Sunfish, 45).

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(Left)Allira Richardson- 3rd, Alyce Bennet- 1st, Alicia Marriot- 2nd(Right)

Alyce Bennett and Shannon Eckstein emerged from a day of wild surf, broken craft and injuries as the winners in round three of the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series at Coolum Beach today.

Competitors had their bravery and skill tested as never before in pounding two metre surf that turned the water into a washing machine and left the best surf lifesavers in the country waterlogged and washed out.

While Eckstein (Telstra Southern Qld Sunfish) showed freakish surfing skills to recover from problems in the ski and board legs, the crashing waves were particularly tough on the female competitors whose scheduled 25-minute race took twice that long to complete.

In a true test of survival, Bennett, competing for the Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins, proved herself the fittest, winning by a massive six minutes from current Australian Ironwoman champion Alicia Marriott (Jeep Western Waves) and Allira Richardson (Citizen North Qld Lightning).

Bennett said the conditions were the toughest she had ever encountered.

Her closest rival for much of the race, Hayley Bateup (DHL Southern Ice), was forced out when her board was snapped clean in half by a pounding wave during the final leg and came crashing down on the back of her neck, leaving her dazed.

“Coolum always puts on a good wave so it’s a great spot to have it, good for racing,” Bennett said.

“What happened to Hayley shows the power that the waves had and it was a matter of who was in the best position getting the breaks.

“I was side by side with Hayley and while she rolled under the wave I waited a bit and the wave snapped her board clean in half.”

For Bennett, who hails from Yamba on the NSW North Coast, today’s victory was the biggest of her career.

“This is my first win in the Kellogg’s series,” she said.

“I also had a win last weekend when I started racing with a new board that is the first one I’ve had away from the colour scheme that I’ve used for the past seven years and it must be my lucky board.”

Bennett paid tribute to the advice her coach, Wes Berg, passed on just before the start of the race.

“He had been watching the surf all morning and he told me there were two rips running, one in the north and one in the south, but that the southern one was much more consistent,” she said.

“He said go to the south every time and it worked.”

The consensus among the female competitors was that the race was one of the two or three toughest they had ever contested.

Runner-up Marriott, who edged out Richardson in a sprint finish and is starting return to the form that saw he win last year’s national Ironwoman crown, said the conditions made it impossible to know where you were in the race.

“I was quite nervous going into the race because back home (in Perth) the conditions have been dead flat,” she said.

“At Kurrawa in rounds one and two my surf skills were a bit off and I didn’t know how I was going to go here but I pulled out a big race.

Richardson said that despite the physical toll taken in the tough conditions, the mental battle was just as hard.

“I was out there on the ski thinking ‘why am I doing this to myself’ but you’ve just got to keep at it and hope a break will come and power on through when you get that break,” she said.

“It was definitely one of the toughest races we have done, last year at Kurrawa was similar conditions, it’s a washing machine out there.”

Another to fare well in the testing surf was Courtney Hancock (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) who finished fourth ahead of brave efforts by Chloe Jones (Lightning) in fifth, Kirsten Ulmer (Ice) sixth, Gemma Newbiggin (Lightning) seventh and Chelsea Mackenzie eighth.

The day was particularly difficult for the series leaders going into round three, Kristyl Smith (Blue Fins), Naomi Flood (Hammers) and Terri Sullivan (Sunfish).

Smith was shown no mercy by the surfing gods after leading through the first half of the opening swim leg.

She was smashed by wave after wave on the ski and was still trying to complete the course more than 90 minutes after the start.

Flood fared little better and finished in 13th place, while Sullivan was stung by a bluebottle before the race and again in the swim and was forced to retire.

Despite her difficulties, Smith still leads the Ironwoman series on 40 points ahead of Flood on 39 while Bennett’s win elevated her to third place on 36 points.

Three-time Series winner Shannon Eckstein overcame a cracked ski and a tumble off his board to beat arch-rival and Sunfish teammate Zane Holmes in a thrilling and unpredictable Kellogg’s Ironman race at Coolum today.

Eckstein’s damaged ski filled with water, making it impossible to steer, and then when he came off his board within sight of the finish and while just metres ahead of Holmes he miraculously bodysurfed the same wave that caused him to crash, to open up a winning 10 metre break.

“I was trying to get away from Zane because I didn’t want a sprint up the beach but I couldn’t,” Eckstein said. “Catching that wave after I fell was a miracle.

“I couldn’t really see where I was going because of the spray but I knew if I didn’t go for the wave, Zane would win so it was over or nothing.”

Eckstein is the master tactician and knew that he had to be careful how he approached today’s race.

“When the surf’s up it’s just about being smart,” he said.

“Sometimes you can’t just sprint out, you have to stop and wait. If there are three waves coming, you stop and wait for three waves.

“If someone catches up there is not much you can do about it so it’s about being smart, picking the right spot every time and just going for it with your instinct.

“You can’t paddle through waves, no-one can.”

Eckstein has been battling a back injury and needed a cortisone injection to get to the start line today.

Former national Ironman champion Nathan Smith (Blue Fins) finished third today, with Luke Nisbet (Waves) improving on his previous efforts to place fourth and beat home Hugh Dougherty (Hammers) fifth, Matt Poole (Hammers) sixth, Corey Jones (Lightning) seventh and Berg (Blue Fins) eighth.

Eckstein (53 points) now has a two-point lead over Holmes in the Ironman series, with Poole (Lightning) third on 41.

The board rescue and Taplin relay events scheduled for today were cancelled because of the conditions, with Surf Life Saving Australia General Manager of Surf Sports, Grant Baldock, saying he expected a full program to be raced tomorrow when the Ironmen and Ironwomen compete in a two-race elimination format.

RESULTS:   ROUND 3,

KELLOGG’S NUTRI-GRAIN IRONMAN SERIES

Endurance Course: Men: Shannon Eckstein (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 18  Zane Holmes (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 17  Nathan Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 16 Luke Nisbet (Jeep Western Waves) 15 Hugh Dougherty (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 14 Matt Poole (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 13 Corey Jones (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 12 Wes Berg (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 11 Hayden Allum (Southern DHL Ice) 10  Dean Mercer (Northern QLD Citizen Lightning) 9 Pierce Leonard (DHL Southern Ice) 8Jack Hansen (DHL Southern Ice) 7 Chris Allum (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 6 Andrew Mosel (Western Jeep Waves) 5  Dylan Newbiggin (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 4 James Stewart (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 3  Kendrick Louis (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 2 Brendon Sarson (Jeep Western Waves) 1

 Women: Alyce Bennett (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 18 Alicia Marriott (Jeep Western Waves) 17 Allira Richardson (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 16 Courtney Hancock (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers)  15 Chloe Jones (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 14 Kirsten Ulmer (DHL Southern Ice) 13 Gemma Newbiggin (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 12 Chelsea Mackenzie (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 11 Bonnie Hancock  (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 10 Bianca Lee (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 9 Brodie Moir (Jeep Western Waves) 8 Rebecca Creedy (Jeep Western Waves) 7 Naomi Flood (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 6 Elizabeth Pluimers (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 5 Kristyl Smith 4 (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) Terri Sullivan (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) DNF Hayley Bateup (DHL Southern Ice) DNF Flora Manciet (DHL Southern Ice) DNF

 Team: Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins (6), Northern QLD Citizen Lightning (5), Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish (4), Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers (3), Western Jeep Waves (2), Southern DHL Ice (1)

 Progressive Pointscore: Men: Shannon Eckstein (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 53 Zane Holmes 51 (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) Matt Poole 41 (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) Pierce Leonard 40 (DHL Southern Ice) Nathan Smith 39 (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) Hugh Dougherty 38 (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) Corey Jones 34 (Northern QLD Citizen Lightning) Dean Mercer 33 (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) Chris Allum 30 (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) Luke Nisbet 29 (Jeep Western Waves) Wes Berg 27 (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) James Stewart 21 (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) Hayden Allum 19 (DHL Southern Ice) Dylan Newbiggin 16 (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) Jack Hansen 13 (DHL Southern Ice) Kendrick Louis 12 (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) AndrewMosel 9 (Jeep Western Waves) Brendon Sarson 8 (Jeep Western Waves)

 Women: Kristyl Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 40  Naomi Flood (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 39  Alyce Bennett (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 36 Courtney Hancock (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 34 Terri Sullivan (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 33  Elizabeth Pluimers (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 33 Chloe Jones (Northern QLD Citizen Lightning) 33  Allira Richardson (Northern QLD Citizen Lightning) 30 Chelsea Mackenzie (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 29 Gemma Newbiggin (Northern QLD Citizen Lightning) 29 Hayley Bateup (DHL Southern Ice) 28 Alicia Marriott (Jeep Western Waves) 28  Brodie Moir (Jeep Western Waves) 24 Bonnie Hancock (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 24   Flora Manciet (DHL Southern Ice) 21  Kirsten Ulmer (DHL Southern Ice) 20 Bianca Lee (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 15 Rebecca Creedy (Jeep Western Waves) 10

 Team: Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins (15), Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish (14), Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers (13), Northern QLD Citizen Lightning (10), DHL Southern Ice (7), Western Jeep Waves (4)

BLK1 Article: HANSON MEDIA
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The red and gold cap has been an iconic piece of headwear for the Australian Surf Life Savers since its introduction over one hundred years ago. Similarly, holding nipper and other Surf Life Saving events in the middle of hot summer days is a habit that is seen as normal; but these are being asked to change for the cause of protecting the people involved from carcinogenic UV sunrays.

50,000 nippers between the age group of five to 13 hit the beaches to participate in lifesaving skills every week, wearing swimsuits and nipper caps. Now, they are being told by scientists to cover up with wide brim hats and rash shirts to avoid skin cancer.

The Australasian College of Skin Cancer Medicine has realized that by participating in beach activities in the late-morning and early-afternoon, without being sufficiently protected from the sun, places Surf Life Savers at high risk of developing skin cancer. “The children are often wearing scanty clothes. There is usually no compulsion by nippers programs that the children must wear rash vests even though most nippers are provided with them,” explained Anthony Dixon, Associate Professor of The Australasian College of Skin Cancer Medicine.

Despite this condemnation, Australian Surf Lifesaving has said it will not be banning the world-famous headwear.

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