NAOMI SHOWS SHE'S FIT TO CHALLENGE FOR TITLE
Sydney Northern Beaches, January 21: Manly surf star Naomi Flood says she has never been better placed for an assault on the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironwoman title after a good weekend at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast.
Flood, captaining the Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers, finished second and third in the first two rounds of the series and showed plenty to suggest her form will improve as the series progresses.
To top off the weekend, she led her team to victory in the Taplin relay on Sunday and along the way claimed the scalps of two red-faced male rivals who she beat home in the opening ski leg of that event.
Flood may have finished third behind series leader Kristyl Smith and Queenslander Terri Sullivan in Sunday's Ironwoman but she was buzzing when talking about her prospects for the rest of the series.
"This is the best start to the season I've had forever," the 22-year-old said.
"My aim is to place top four all through the Kellogg's series so I'm doing that.
"I'm pretty fit for me at this time of the year, I don't think I've been like this since I was 16 or so and hopefully I'll get better as the series goes on.
"There are a couple of big weeks between now and Coolum and it will be head down and bum up and hopefully I can do better there."
Flood is tied with Sullivan in second place on the series pointscore, three points behind Smith.
After a strong swim in Sunday's Ironwoman, Flood and Smith were leading in the ski leg and on the way back to the beach when they were unceremoniously dumped off their craft by a big wave.
Flood just held onto her ski and climbed back on board but then was dumped again in the shore break and struggled to match strokes with Sullivan as they started the board leg.
"Terri went past and I thought ‘you're going too fast for me' - I had nothing left."
On Saturday, Flood's swimming and paddling skills overcame a disappointing board leg to take her to second place in round one of the Kellogg's series.
She was beaten, however, partly by her own generosity after loaning a ski paddle to Smith, who then went on to win the race.
Smith broke her paddle warming up and without a spare of her own asked Flood for help.
The Manly star didn't hesitate but couldn't be blamed if she had second thoughts after Smith raced to victory.
Collaroy youngster Kendrick Louis showed impressive form throughout the first two rounds despite being outclassed by the big names in the elite 18-man series.
Louis, who at 18 is the youngest competitor in the series, finished 15th in Saturday's round one and 13th in round two.