HURST ELIMINATED IN IRONMAN SEMI-FINAL

SURF LIFE SAVING, April, 21 2013: FOUR-time champion Ky Hurst is a shock elimination from today’s Ironman final at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships at North Kirra.

Hurst, from Kurrawa, could place only 10th in this morning’s semi-final after a poor ski leg.

He left the water after the opening swim as one of three leaders but slipped back to ninth on the ski and couldn’t make up the margin to the first eight across the finish line who qualified for the final.

The semi-final was won in impressive style by Tugun’s Hugh Dougherty who placed second in last year’s final and looks in the type of form that could bring him his first Australian Ironman title.

Also looking good in the first semi-final were Kendrick Louis (Mooloolaba), who placed second, Terrigal’s Jack Moyes and Dane Farrell of Elouera.

The man to beat in the final will no doubt be defending champion Shannon Eckstein who finished a comfortable second behind Mooloolaba’s Ali Day in the second semi-final.

Eckstein had a 10m lead after the swim and cruised around the course in the ski and board legs.

With calm conditions at North Kirra today, the fiVe-time winner is the hot favourite to add to him impressive record and equal Ironman legend Trevor Hendy’s record of six Australian championships.

Day, who has struggled with illness this week, looked back near his best and is likely to be one of Eckstein’s main challengers this afternoon.

Open Ironman finalists: Hugh Dougherty (Tugun), Kendrick Louis (Mooloolaba), Jack Moyes (Terrigal), Dane Farrell (Elouera), Chris Allum (Cronulla), Matt Bevilacqua (Mooloolaba), Wade Krieger (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park), Cam Cole (Mooloolaba), Ali Day (Mooloolaba), Shannon Eckstein (Northcliffe), Chris Moors (Kurrawa), Piers Leonard (Southport), Josh Minogue (Mooloolaba), Jackson Maynard (Currumbin), Tom Trembath (North Burleigh), Tanyn Lyndon (Northcliffe).

The Ironman final is scheduled to be raced at 2pm, with the open Ironwoman final at 1.30pm.

Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia by

Ian Hanson

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