MINOGUE AND MOORS IN BOX SEAT FOR KNG SERIES SPOTS

AUSTRALIAN SURF LIFE SAVING, September 15, 2012: Former Australian swim star Josh Minogue and 2011 New Zealand Ironman champion Chris Moors have put themselves in the box seat to qualify for this year’s $400,000 Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series with eye-catching performances in perfect conditions at Tugun on the Gold Coast today.

While in the Ironwoman it was North Burleigh’s Alyce Bennett and the legendary Hayley Bateup sent a clear message to their younger rivals with strong performances to dominate the two women’s rounds.
 
There were 18 qualifiers into the men’s final including Tom Atkinson (Queenscliff), former South African champion Wade Krieger (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park) and Northcliffe’s new recruit Mitch Miller.
 
Also among the 16 women’s qualifiers are former under 19 Australian champion Amy Nurthen and Maroubra’s Tara Coleman.
 
In an action packed day’s racing, it was 25-year-old Minogue, who put in a solid off-season training regime under Mooloolaba coach Michael King to set up his impressive performances.
 
The hard work paid off with two clear wins from two starts in today’s opening two rounds to head the qualifiers going into tomorrow’s final.
 
“I was determined to have a solid off-season and wanted to come here this weekend knowing I have done all I can – but we still have the final to go tomorrow, so the job is only half done,” said Minogue, who represented Australia in the Junior Pan Pacs as a 200m butterflyer, and who is determined to make the Series he missed last year.
 
“We have a great group under Kingy and everyone helps each other – it’s a great atmosphere to train.”
 
Minogue’s solid heart one swim, followed by a superior ski leg opened up a commanding lead for the popular former Bulli boy who went from strength to strength to record the most impressive win of the day.
 
In the board, swim, ski format in round two, it was Minogue who came from behind to again dominate over Northcliffe’s former Rockhampton champion life saver Jake Nicholson.

Moors showed the benefits of the Phil Clayton coaching at Kurrawa to give New Zealand a real chance of having a top notch qualifier into the series.
 
The impressive Kiwi won his opening heat ahead of North Burleigh’s established James Stewart before finishing second to Queenscliff’s Atkinson who scored an impressive round two win.
 
But while there was joy for Minogue at the top of the qualifiers, it was soul destroying day for training partner, Tasmanian, Matt Bevilacqua who finished second in his opening round heat to Minogue only to be disqualified for missing a turning buoy on the paddle to the beach on the ski leg.
 
It left him with 19 points and despite his fourth placing in the second heat he was left languishing in 34th position and wondering what might have been.
 
There was also heartbreak for Northcliffe’s Tanyn Lyndon who suffered a dislocated shoulder on Wednesday and raced with shoulder heavily strapped in the opening heat, before withdrawing in agony before the ski leg. 

The women’s races saw Bennett and exciting Mooloolaba youngster Maddy Dunn share the honours with one win and one second from the  two rounds with another Sunshine Coast youngster, Alyssa Bull (Alexandra Headlands) and Bateup each chalking up a win and a third.

 
Bull is one of the emerging stars, reveling under the coaching of 1988 Seoul Olympic swim star Janelle Pallister (Elford).
 
She was one of several impressive youngsters who could well force their way into this year’s Series.
 
Here are the full list of finalists for the 2012 Kellogg’s Ironman Trial.
 
Ironman Finalists, Sunday, September 16, 9:45am:
1.      Josh Minogue - Mooloolaba (1st and 1st)
2.      Jake Nicholson – Northcliffe (1st and 2nd)
3.      Tom Atkinson – Queenscliff (2nd and 1st)
4.      Chris Moors - Kurrawa (1st and 2nd)
5.      Mitch Miller - Northcliffe (3rd and 2nd)
6.      Wade Krieger – Burleigh Heads (4th and 1st)
7.      James Stewart – North Burleigh (2nd and 3rd)
8.      Hayden Allum – Cronulla (3rd and 5th)
9.      Mike Janes - Kurrawa (6th and 3rd)
10.  Michael Booth - Northcliffe (5th and 4th)
11.  Jackson Maynard – Currumbin (3rd and 6th)
12.  Isak Costello – Redhead (7th and 3rd)
13.  Jack Moyes – Terrigal (4th and 6th)
14.  Ben Carberry - Warilla Barrack Point (6th and 5th)
15.  Mitchell Allum (8th and 5th)
16.  Jacob Marks (4th and 10th)
17.  Mark Simpson (7th and 7th)
18.  Lincoln Dews (5th and 9th)
 
Ironwoman Finalists, Sunday, September 16, 9am:
1.      Alyce Bennett – North Burleigh (1st and 2nd)
2.      Maddy Dunn - Mooloolaba (2nd and 1st)
3.      Alyssa Bull – Alexandra Headlands (1st and 3rd)
4.      Hayley Bateup – Mermaid Beach (3rd and 1st)
5.      Amy Nurthen – Mooloolaba (2nd an 3rd)
6.      Tara Coleman – Maroubra (4th and 2nd)
7.      Katie Graham – Northcliffe (4th and 4th)
8.      Tenille Devine Tallebudgera (6th and 4th)
9.      Madison Boon – Northcliffe (3rd and 8th)
10.  Karlee Nurthen Terrigal (7th and 5th)
11.  Emma Dick - Mermaid Beach (7th and 6th)
12.  Hannah Minogue – Bulli (8th and 6th)
13.  Steph Cronin  - Metropolitan Caloundra (6th and 8th)
14.  Kirsty Higgison – Warilla Barrack Point (8th and 7th)
15.  Teisha Jenkins - Mooloolaba (10th and 5th)
16.  Alyce Burnett – Maroochydore (5th and 10th)