SUPERSTARS OF SURF LINE UP IN 2009 KELLOGG'S NUTRI-GRAIN IRON MAN SERIES

Gold Coast, January 8: The Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Iron Man Series is about to explode on to Australia's beaches and television screens in what is shaping as one of the most competitive summer's of surf sports on record.

The 2009 Series will feature three world champions, nine Australian champions, a Commonwealth Games swim star, a retiring legend and five sets of siblings.

Throw in a host of exciting youngsters and the five-round $200,000 Series, which will kick off at Kurrawa on the Gold Coast on January 17 and 18, will be one of the most anticipated in years.

Thirty-six of Australia's hottest Ironmen and Ironwomen will take to the surf in a teams-based competition that will continue at Coolum on Queensland's Sunshine Coast on February 7 and 8 and climax with the final at Sydney's Coogee Beach on February 22.

There will be six teams, the Northern Queensland Citizen Lightning, the Telstra Southern Queensland Sunfish, the Inner Heath Plus Northern NSW Hammers, the Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins, the DHL Southern Ice and the Jeep Western Waves.

 

Kurrawa has a history of turning on some of surf lifesaving's most testing conditions even for the best of the best ‘ and is again sure to provide a spectacular start to Australia's premier professional surf sports series.

All five rounds will be televised on the Seven Network the home of Surf Sports for 2009, with the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships ‘The Aussies' broadcast over two weekends.

Surf Life Saving Australia's General Manager Surf Sports, Grant Baldock said last year's successful Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Iron Man Series and the nib Coolangatta Gold had seen a major resurgence in the sport.

"We have been buoyed by the increasing interest from sponsors and television and increased number of athletes which is exciting for the sport,' said Baldock.

"There are some amazing competitors in surf sports and you only have to look at the rivalry that is building between the leading competitors and if it is anything like last year's Series you get the feeling we are in for some stunning racing.

"I think it's going to be quite a summer with the Kellogg's Series and the Australian Championships in Scarborough.

"We have moved the Kellogg's final to Sunday February 22 which is certain to see an even bigger crowd at Coogee and we are all looking forward to having Channel Seven as our broadcast partner."

The biggest names in the Ironman business, defending Series champion Zane Holmes, Shannon Eckstein, Nathan Smith and Pierce Leonard will be joined by 39-year-old living legend Dean Mercer, who has been selected in his final professional Series.

The women will feature defending Series champion Elizabeth Pluimers as well as reigning Australian champion Alicia Marriott, reigning international and inter-club World Life Saving Ironwoman champion Naomi Flood and former Australian champions Hayley Bateup and Kristyl Smith.

Captain of the Telstra Southern Queensland Sunfish, former Australian and World Champion, Holmes will be again joined in Sunfish by his Northcliffe club mate Pluimers.

Both have had indifferent off-seasons with Holmes beaten by 2008 Australian champion and 2006 and 2007 Series Champion and team mate Eckstein, in last year's World Lifesaving Championships in Warnemunde, Germany.

Holmes struggled to overcome a virus which hampered his pre-season training while Pluimers, who won the Australian open board championship at last year's Australian Championships, has battled a shoulder injury.

The 27-year-old Holmes is coming into form at the right time after his all-the-way victory in the prestigious Queensland Ocean Assault final at Southport on Sunday, mastering testing conditions to leave former Australian champions, Smith and Eckstein in his wake.

Pluimers finished fifth in the women's final, won by emerging star Courtney Hancock, who will line up for Inner Plus Northern NSW Hammers, from Kristyl Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) and 28-year-old Terri Sullivan (Telstra Southern Queensland Sunfish).

This year's series will also be a family affair with the Smiths joined by Cronulla's Allum brothers Chris (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) and Hayden (DHL Southern Ice) as well as Bonnie Hancock (Inner Plus Northern NSW Hammers) who will join sister Courtney, Gemma and Dylan Newbiggen (North Queensland Citizen Lightning) and Chloe and Corey Jones (North Queensland Lightning).

Former Australian Commonwealth Games swim star Rebecca Creedy will also make her Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Iron Man Series debut alongside Marriott in the Western Jeep Waves.

Creedy won gold alongside Susie O'Neill, Sarah Ryan and Lori Munz in the 4x100m freestyle and bronze in the 100m freestyle at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur and silver alongside Petria Thomas, Elka Graham and Giaan Rooney in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.

She has made a successful transition from stillwater swimming to iron woman racing following Wanda's 1994 Commonwealth Games 800m freestyle gold medallist Stacey Gartrell who won two Australian Ironwoman championships in 1995 and 1997.

2009 Kellogg‘s Nutri-Grain Ironman Series Teams

North Queensland Citizen Lightning
(1) Allira Richardson (c), (2) Chloe Jones, (3) Corey Jones, (4) Dean Mercer, (5) Dylan Newbiggin (6) Gemma Newbiggin

Telstra Southern Queensland Sunfish
(1) Zane Holmes (c), (2) Shannon Eckstein, (3) Bianca Lee, (4) Elizabeth Pluimers, (5) James Stewart, (6) Terri Sullivan

Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers
(1) Naomi Flood (c), (2) Hugh Dougherty, (3) Courtney Hancock, (4) Bonnie Hancock, (5) Kendrick Louis, (6) Matt Poole

Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins
(1) Nathan Smith (c), (2) Chris Allum, (3) Alyce Bennett, (4) Wes Berg, (5) Chelsea Mackenzie, (6) Kristyl Smith

Southern DHL Ice
(1) Hayley Bateup (c), (2) Hayden Allum, (3) Jack Hansen, (4) Pierce Leonard, (5) Flora Manciet (6) Kristen Ulmer

Western Jeep Waves
(1) Alicia Marriott (c), (2) Rebecca Creedy, (3) Brodie Moir, (4) Andrew Mosel, (5) Luke Nisbet (6) Brendan Sarson 

2009 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman and Ironwoman Series dates:

Round 1, Saturday 17 January 2009, Kurrawa Beach, Gold Coast

(Televised Seven Network 18 January, 12-2pm)

Round 2, Sunday 18 January 2009, Kurrawa Beach, Gold Coast

(Televised Seven Network 1 February, 12-2pm)

Round 3, Saturday 7 February 2009, Coolum Beach, Sunshine Coast

(Televised Seven Network 8 February, 12-2pm)

Round 4, Sunday 8 February 2009, Coolum Beach, Sunshine Coast

(Televised Seven Network 15 February, 12-2pm)

Final, Sunday 22 February, Coogee Beach, Sydney - Televised Seven Network 1-3pm