TOUGH TEST AHEAD AT KELLOGG'S NUTRI-GRAIN IRONMAN TRIAL

SYDNEY, November 28: Australia's surf sports stocks continues to rise with record numbers announced today for the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series trial, scheduled for Sydney's Wanda Beach on November 29 and 30.

With some of the biggest names in the sport such as Hayley Bateup, Tim Peach, Chris Allum, Courtney Hancock, Corey Jones, Jacob Lollback, and Alyce Bennett still yet to qualify for the 2008 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series, the trial is shaping up to be a test of the toughest.

Close to 100 competitors will take to the line at Wanda to battle it out for the remaining 21 spots left open for next year's lucrative $200,000 five round series at Kurrawa, Coolum and Coogee,.

Surf Life Saving Australia General Manager Surf Sports, Grant Baldock, said the popularity in surf sports was very much on the rise.

"When you look at the line up for the Trial and see that the top three female place getters from the nib Coolangatta Gold are yet to qualify for the Series, it shows the depth of talent in our sport," said Baldock.

"The Gold had record numbers and was a perfect showcase for a sport that has so much to offer the community.

"We have among the fittest and strongest athletes in Australia who not only train and race at the highest level but are on hand on weekends to patrol the beaches."

There are 10 male and 11 female positions up for grabs in a grueling weekend series of races before the teams are finalised for the five round Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Iron Man Series, starting at Kurrawa on the Gold Coast on January 17 and 18.

Amongst the 51 men who will be vying for places in the top 10 will be:

Eight from World Champion club Northcliffe, including Luke Nisbet, Cory Hill and Dev Lahey
Re-vitalised nib Coolangatta Gold runner-up Tim Peach from Mooloolaba
Former Australian under 19 champion and Australian representative Jacob Lollback;
Last year's round three Coolum winner Corey Jones from Metropolitan Caloundra;
Swansea Belmont veteran Josh Blair, who is very much on the comeback trail
Sydney brothers Chris Allum from Cronulla and Hayden Allum from host club Wanda;
Former Australian Age 200m butterfly swim star Josh Minogue and;
WA's Brendan Sarson from Cottesloe who faces a race against time to race in the Trial after suffering coral poisoning which saw him in hospital on an intravenous dip after an Adventure Race in Dunsborough last weekend.

The women's field of 48, from which 11 will qualify for the Series, will feature:

Top three from the 2008 nib Coolangatta Gold Hayley Bateup, Courtney Hancock and Alyce Bennett;
Hancock's sister Bonnie who is coming back from a serious back injury suffered while training for the nib Coolangatta Gold
Northcliffe's former Australian Ironwoman champion Kristyl Smith who missed last year's Series after a stint overseas.
Last year's round two winner Allira Richardson and round three podium finisher Chloe Jones;
Former Commonwealth Games silver medallist and Pan Pacific swimming star Rebecca Creedy from Metropolitan Caloundra;
NSW State board rescue champion Candice Falzon, who has now transferred from North Bondi to WA's City of Perth club and;
French-born Australian single ski champion Flora Manciett from Northcliffe.

The successful 21 athletes will join the stars of last year's Series in the 36-strong field which will also see four athletes added through the wild card system.

Six males - defending champion Zane Holmes, his arch rival and Australian and World Champion Shannon Eckstein, as well as Pierce Leonard, Wes Berg, Nathan Smith and Hugh Dougherty are automatic qualifiers from last season's men's series.

In the women, defending champion Elizabeth Pluimers, Australian champion Alicia Marriott, Bianca Lee, Naomi Flood and Gemma Newbiggen all qualified last season. Former World Ironwoman Champion Kristy Munroe has since retired opening up another spot in the female ranks.

2008 KELLOGG'S NUTRI-GRAIN

Round 1: 17 January 2009, Kurrawa Beach, Gold Coast (Televised, January 18, Network Seven)
Round 2: January 18, 2009, Kurrawa Beach, Gold Coast (Televised February 1, Network Seven)
Round 3: February 7, 2009, Coolum Beach, Sunshine Coast (Televised February 8, Network Seven)
Round 4: February 8, 2009, Coolum Beach, Sunshine Coast (Televised February 15, Network Seven)
Round 5: FINAL -22 February 2009, Coogee Beach, Sydney (LIVE on Network Seven)

MOST ENTRIES:

Northcliffe (19) Mooloolaba (9) North Burleigh (7) Warilla Barrack Point (7) Kurrawa (6) Burleigh Heads (6) Cronulla (4) Swansea Belmont (4)

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN:

Gold Coast (39)

Max Beattie Northcliffe

Katie Graham Northcliffe 24

Bonnie Hancock Northcliffe (Sawtell) 18

Courtney Hancock Northcliffe (Sawtell) 20

Amanda Hey Northcliffe (Terrigal) 23

Cory Hill Northcliffe 19

Dev Lahey Northcliffe 18

Casey Leo-Litzow Northcliffe

Flora Manciet Northcliffe (France) 24

Daniel Moodie Northcliffe 21

Aaron Murphy Northcliffe

Daniel Nelson Northcliffe 20

Luke Nisbet Northcliffe (South Africa) 23

Sean Noone Northcliffe

Kristyl Smith Northcliffe 25

Kirsten Ulmer Northcliffe (Point Lonsdale) 22

Eloise Van Gysen Northcliffe 24

Jessica Walker Northcliffe 19

Jane Ware Northcliffe

Brea Bailey North Burleigh (Kingscliff) 20

Samuel Hunt North Burleigh 18

Ryan Lysaught North Burleigh 21

Brodie Moir North Burleigh 22

Hayden Smith North Burleigh 27

James Stewart North Burleigh 20

Thomas Trembath North Burleigh 22

Kirsten Askew Burleigh Heads

Alyce Bennett Burleigh Heads (Yamba) 21

Tahlia Ferguson Burleigh Heads 20

Jacob Lollback Burleigh Heads (Yamba) 20

Chelsea Mackenzie Burleigh Heads 21

Nick Marshall Burleigh Heads 31

Hayley Bateup Kurrawa 28

Maddison Boon Kurrawa 18

Michael Janes Kurrawa 24

Daniel Janes Kurrawa 21

Terri Sullivan Kurrawa 28

Rachel Clarke Kurrawa (Red Beach, NZ) 18

Sam Hamilton Tugun

Sunshine Coast (14)

Aimee Berridge Met Caloundra 18

Rebecca Creedy Met Caloundra

Corey Jones Met Caloundra 22

Chloe Jones Met Caloundra 20

Sarah Colby Mooloolaba 35

Jack Hansen Mooloolaba 20

Sam Johnston Mooloolaba 18

Sean Kelly Mooloolaba

Kate Lister Mooloolaba 23

Josh Minogue Mooloolaba 21

Dylan Newbiggin Mooloolaba 24

Tim Peach Mooloolaba

Matt Poole Mooloolaba 20

Allira Richardson Maroochydore 21

Northern NSW (3)

Jarrad Cain Cudgen Headland 22

Nadi Canning Lennox Head /Alstonville 23

Tanyn Lyndon Lennox Head /Alstonville 16

Newcastle (6)

Josh Blair Swansea Belmont 31

Michael Booth Redhead 17

Emily Chaffey Swansea Belmont 15

Nikki Chapman Swansea Belmont 19

Kyle Garrett Redhead

Ethan Whiteman Swansea Belmont 23

Central Coast (7)

Stephanie Carey The Lakes 18

Jessica Davis Avoca Beach 16

Lauren Hall MacMasters Beach 17

Scott Higgins The Lakes 20

Tami Hunt Avoca Beach 17

Jessica Parr Terrigal

Shaun Robertson Terrigal

Northern Beaches (5)

Rachel Crerar Freshwater 18

Mitchell Holz Manly

Kendrick Louis Collaroy 18

Alisha Miller Freshwater 18

Brooke Miller Freshwater 16

Eastern Suburbs (3)

Tara Coleman Maroubra 18

Candice Falzon North Bondi

Tatum Lawler North Bondi 18

Sutherland (8)

Hayden Alum Cronulla 20

Chris Alum Cronulla 22

Joel Bolewski Wanda 27

Dean Buttel Wanda

Dane Farrell Elouera 19

Cameron Pyett Cronulla 24

Matthew Read Wanda 19

Mark Simpson Cronulla 24

Wollongong (9)

Conor Bradwell Warilla Barrack-Point 16

Alastair Day Warilla Barrack-Point 18

Aaron Helmer Warilla Barrack-Point 20

Hannah Minogue Bulli 19

Maddison Prior Warilla Barrack-Point 16

Brittany Sharkey Bulli 22

Ben Squires Wollongong City 29

Jordan White Warilla Barrack-Point 17

Hayden White Warilla Barrack-Point 19

Western Australia (5)

Candice Falzon City of Perth

Tom Dowling City of Perth

David Graham City of Perth 18

Andrew Mosel Cottesloe 27

Brendan Sarson Cottesloe 25

Victoria (1)

Trent Goulding

Kirsten Ulmer Northcliffe (Point Lonsdale)

Jack Hansen Mooloolaba (Torquay)