HEROES LEFT IN WAKE OF RISING STAR

SURF LIFE SAVING, April, 21 2013: GEORGIA Miller experienced a golden day at North Kirra yesterday that any 17-year-old would be happy to dream about.

After starting the day in style with a win in the under-17 tube race, Miller rushed along the beach to line up against some her idols in the open surf race final.

And just a handful of minutes later she was the new Australian champion.

Miller swam the race of her life to cross the line a clear winner ahead of Northcliffe pair Eliza Smith and Miranda Bell.

And it was not the end of Miller’s golden day as she later teamed with Manly clubmate Candice Falzon to win the open board rescue, before finishing with a silver medal as the swimmer in Manly’s open Taplin relay team.

“After winning the 17s tube the adrenalin was pumping and I just wanted to get out there and race,” she said.

“It was a long course for me, I’m pretty much a sprinter, but in the end I held on and got a little wave which is really good so I didn’t have to run up against anyone.”

Miller admitted the prospect of racing against older competitors was daunting.

“I’m very scared of the older girls, they are what I look up to in surf,” she said.

“They’ve always been my idols in surf, doing the Nutri-Grain series and doing so well.

“Hopefully one day I’ll be like that.”

Miller is the third sister in a Sydney Northern Beaches production line that has seen older siblings Alisha and Brooke also win Australian titles. Alisha also competed in the open board rescue final.

Miller’s three gold medals and a silver yesterday go with the silvers she won in the under-17 surf teams, Taplin and board rescue earlier in the carnival.

Today she has the chance to add to that impressive tally when she races in the under-17 surf race and Ironwoman finals.

Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia by

Ian Hanson

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