Big Names Line Up Against Young Guns for Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Series Trial

Surf Life Saving Australia, September 13, 2013: Some of the biggest names in Surf Life Saving Sports will be battling it out for places in this year’s Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series at Salt Beach, Kingscliff on the NSW Far North Coast this weekend.

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Former Nutri-Grain champion Caine Eckstein (Northcliffe) will be joined by current Australian Ironman champion Cam Cole (Mooloolaba) and former champions Nathan Smith (Cronulla) and Pierce Leonard (Southport) in the 59-strong men’s field while former Nutri-Grain IronMan Series winner Liz Pluimers (North Burleigh) will be joined by former Australian champion Kristyl Smith (Northcliffe) in the women’s field of 34.

TheNutri-Grain Series Trial has attracted a host of rising stars – including the silver and bronze medallists from this year’s Australian Championships – Tanyn Lyndon (Northcliffe) and Jackson Maynard (Currumbin), reigning Under 19 champions Ben Carberry (Warilla Barrack Point, NSW) and Emma Dick (Mermaid Beach) and former Under 19 champion and former Open Ironwoman runner-up, New Zealander Devon Halligan (Manly).

Throw in three sons of Ironman legends TJ Hendy (son of five-time Australian champion Trevor); Jett Kenny (son of four-time Australian champion Grant) and Lincoln Dews (son of two time runner-up Geoff) and Salt will throw up a weekend of exciting racing.

The top four qualifiers in both the men and women will join last year’s Top Ten in this summer’s Nutri-Grain Series.

Eckstein, the 2012 Nutri-Grain Series winner and five-time winner of the Coolangatta Gold, has switched clubs in the off-season – leaving Kurrawa to re-join his brother, defending Nutri-GrainSeries champion Shannon at Northcliffe.

The 27-year-old took last year off to concentrate on Ironman Triathlon and struggled to race at his best after suffering an on-going heal injury.

Kristyl Smith, who also took a year off from the Nutri-Grain Series last summer, will lead a charge from members of the Australian Surf Lifesaving Team preparing for the International Surf Rescue Challenge in Japan (September 20, 21, 22).

They include - Tim Schofield (Terrigal) and Rachelle King (Terrigal) from the Open Team and Luke Cuff (Kurrawa), Stefan Demopolous (Northcliffe), Ben Carberry (Warilla Barrack Pt), Emma Dick (Mermaid Beach), Tiarn Raymond (Mooloolaba), Miranda Davies (Currumbin) and Isak Costello (Redhead) from the under 20s.

Racing will kick off at 8am on Saturday morning with heats and finals of the M Shaped course follow by a second round of heats and finals in the afternoon.

Points accumulated in races one and two on Saturday will determine the finalists for Sunday morning, with points carried through to the final.

The top four men and top four women finishing on the highest accumulated points across all three rounds will join the pre-qualifiers from last year’s Nutri-Grain Series (see list attached) to race in the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Series for 2013-14.

SLSA Surf Sports spokesman Ian Hanson says he has never before seen a line-up of talent like this in a Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series Trial.

“We have reached a stage where some of the established stars are still very competitive and still have the hunger and they are going to make the new kids on the block earn their stripes,” said Hanson.

“That was evident this year in the Aussies final with almost the entire field on that final wave and the message is quite clear: ‘if you want a place on this year’s Nutri-Grain Series then you are going to have to earn it.’

“When you have Caine, Kristyl and Liz coming back and word is Nathan Smith at 32 is going great guns for the Nutri-Grain Series and the Schick Hydro Coolangatta Gold 2013 then the race for the top four will be on for young and old.

“Of the younger brigade you probably can’t go past the boys who stood on the podium at the Aussies this year- Cam Cole, Tanyn Lyndon and Jackson Maynard and with Devon Halligan, Emma Dick and Teisha Jenkins just three of a host of girls to look out for.

“It is going to very tight racing indeed with every place and every point in every round going to count.

“I bet those guys who qualified last year are happy their places are secure – they’ll be watching from the sidelines with intense interest.”

EVENT DETAILS

Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series Trial

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, September 14 and 15

WHERE: Venue: Salt, SLSC and MAP

FORMAT:

Round 1

Saturday 14 September – 8:00am start (morning session)

M shape course

3 x heat (Men)

3 x heat (Women)

2 x finals (1 x Men and 1 x Women)

Round 2

Saturday 14 September – 12:3pm start rough timing (afternoon session)

Traditional Ironman course

3 x heat (Men)

3 x heat (Women)

2 x finals (1 x Men and 1 x Women)

Round 3

Sunday 15 September – 9:00am start

M shape course

3 x heat (Men)

3 x heat (Women)

2 x finals (1 x Men and 1 x Women)

POINTS ACCUMULATED in races one and two will determine the finalists for Sunday morning, with points carried through to the final.

THE TOP FOUR MEN AND TOP FOUR WOMEN finishing on the highest accumulated points across all three rounds will join the pre-qualifiers from last year’s Nutri-Grain Series to race in the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Series later this year.

Note that David Moase (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." href="mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." target="_blank">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) will be covering the Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Series Trials for HMG/SLSA this weekend. HarvPix will be on the beach (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." href="mailto:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it." target="_blank">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and will supply all photos….

Issued on behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia...

Ian Hanson

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