MIGHTY MATT DIVES INTO THE WINNER'S POOLE
Coolum, February 8: Rising star Matt Poole caused a major boilover and Naomi Flood took a decisive lead in the women's series in another dramatic round of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series at Coolum today.
Poole, who competes for the Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers, broke the stranglehold on the series of Ironman superstars Shannon Eckstein and Zane Holmes to score the biggest win of his career.
Meanwhile his Hammers captain Flood powered to a dominant victory despite a gallant return to racing by Hayley Bateup, who was struck a heavy blow from her own board and taken to Nambour hospital with a burst eardrum and concussion after yesterday's third round.
Twenty-year-old Poole, the Australian under-19 Ironman champion in 2007, has been talked up as the young competitor most likely to challenge Eckstein and Holmes and today he proved those predictions spot-on, calling it the greatest race of his life.
"Being in the open league, it is another level compared to under-17s and under-19s when you step up to race these boys, it is such a challenge," he said.
"Some blokes go from being age group champions to finding it really hard and I did last year when I was one of the backmarkers.
"I've done a lot of work in the off season and really put my head down, had a good couple of months of training, no injuries and it's starting to pay off now.
"I hope it's the start of many more wins to come."
In a race when no competitor was able to establish a significant lead, Poole was going stroke for stroke with Corey Jones (Citizen Northern Qld Lightning) and Eckstein (Telstra Southern Qld Sunfish) when they turned for the beach in the board leg.
He dug deep to catch a small runner ahead of the other pair and that was enough to ensure he made it to the beach with a winning lead and enough time to celebrate as he crossed the finish line.
"You've got to pretty much have the perfect race to out-do Shannon and Zane and I had a lot of luck throughout that race," Poole said.
"Going out in that last board leg, that's my strongest leg, I knew I had to give it everything I had left. I'd always dreamed 
about winning a race like this but you can never imagine what it would be like and I'm just over the moon now to say the least."
Poole's win gave him a tighter grip in third place in the series points score, where Eckstein leads on 69 points ahead of Holmes (66), Poole 59, Nathan Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins, 52), Pierce Leonard (DHL Southern Ice, 51) and Corey Jones (51).
In the women's race, a tenacious Bateup, whose board snapped in two and hit her in the head in yesterday's wild conditions at Coolum, bounced back to finish third today.
Her ear covered with a swim cap, she went for a test swim before the race and despite feeling shaky, decided to take her place in the field.
"When I struggled under a one foot wave in the warm up my coach Phil Clayton didn't want me to race but the competitor in me took over," said Bateup.
"I was scared to take that same body wave as Naomi, afraid I would go too deep and do further damage to my ear but in the end I was happy to get third."
Flood set herself up as the woman to beat in the series final at Coogee on March 22 by beating off the challenge of Bateup (DHL Southern Ice) and Courtney Hancock (Hammers) to win.
Bateup looked set for a fairytale comeback from the injury when she led the field back to the beach in the opening ski leg.
Flood, who thrives in the swim, pegged Bateup back and then broke away when she surfed down the front of a huge wave near the turning buoys.
After a disappointing 13th place in yesterday's third round, she wasn't going to let that lead slip and a determined board paddle meant she was able to finish with a healthy margin ahead of Hancock, who edged out Bateup in a sprint finish.
"Coolum's always been really bad for me, with bad luck and silly mistakes, so it's good to come out with a good result for once," Flood said.
"I had to just hold on in the board but it's so hard when they're chasing you.
"I was holding onto the lead with my fingernails, I knew the win was within my reach but I had to get out around the course and back in again."
While Flood was under the gaze of a big crowd at Coolum, one person missed seeing her win.
Mum Karrin was so overwhelmed by the tension she was vomiting in the toilet as her daughter claimed her prize.
Hancock continued her steady improvement throughout the series to move into second place overall and is now eyeing a big result at Coogee.
"I'm really happy with how things have gone this weekend," she said.
"I had a rough start at Kurrawa and was really disappointed but to come back to form and get a fourth and a second makes me really happy.
"It puts me up there for Coogee."
Flood now leads the series points score on 57, ahead of Hancock (51), rounds one and two winner Kristyl Smith (Blue Fins, 49) and Elizabeth Pluimers (Sunfish, 45).
Round three winner Alyce Bennett, Hayley Bateup and Gemma Newbiggin are locked together on 44 points.
The final round at Coogee on Sunday, February 22, will be worth double points and will be telecast live on the Seven network.
2009 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series: Round 4: Coolum: Men: Matt Poole (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 
Corey Jones (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) Shannon Eckstein (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) Zane Holmes (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) Hayden Allum (DHL Southern Ice) Nathan Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) Wes Berg (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) Pierce Leonard (DHL Southern Ice) Hugh Dougherty (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) Luke Nisbet (Jeep Western Waves) Kendrick Louis (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) Chris Allum (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) Dylan Newbiggin (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) Dean Mercer (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) Andrew Mosel (Jeep Western Waves) Jack Hansen (DHL Southern Ice) James Stewart (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) Brendon Sarson (Jeep Western Waves)
Women:
Naomi Flood (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) Courtney Hancock (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) Hayley Bateup (DHL Southern Ice) Gemma Newbiggin (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) Rebecca Creedy (Jeep Western Waves) Kirsten Ulmer (DHL Southern Ice) Elizabeth Pluimers (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) Allira Richardson (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) Alicia Marriott (Jeep Western Waves) Kristyl Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) Alyce Bennett (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) Bianca Lee (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) Chloe Jones (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) Brodie Moir (Jeep Western Waves) Flora Manciet (DHL Southern Ice) Bonnie Hancock (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) Terri Sullivan (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) Chelsea Mackenzie (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins)
Board Rescue:
Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish (Elizabeth Pluimers Shannon Eckstein) Citizen Northern QLD Lightning (Chloe Jones Corey Jones) Citizen Northern QLD Lightning (Gemma Newbiggin Dylan Newbiggin) DHL Southern Ice (Kirsten Ulmer Jack Hansen) DHL Southern Ice (Amanda Hey Pierce Leonard) Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers (Courtney Hancock Hugh Dougherty) Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins (Alyce Bennett Wes Berg) Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins (Kristyl Smith Nathan Smith) Jeep Western Waves (Rebecca Creedy Luke Nisbet) DHL Southern Ice (Flora Manciet Hayden Allum) Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish (Casey Leo-litzo James Stewart) Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins (Sam Johnston Chris Allum) Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers (Bonnie Hancock Matt Poole) Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish (Bianca Lee Zane Holmes)
Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers (Naomi Flood Kendrick Louis) Jeep Western Waves (Brodie Moir Brendon Sarson) Jeep Western Waves (Alicia Marriott Andrew Mosel) Citizen Northern QLD Lightning (Allira Richardson Dean Mercer)
Taplin:
Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins (Chris Allum Kristyl Smith Nathan Smith) Jeep Western Waves (Luke Nisbet Alicia Marriott Brendon Sarson) Citizen Northern QLD Lightning Corey Jones Allira Richardson Dylan Newbiggin) Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish Shannon Eckstein Elizabeth Pluimers Zane Holmes) Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers (Kendrick Louis Bonnie Hancock Hugh Dougherty) (DHL Southern Ice) Pierce Leonard Kirsten Ulmer Hayden Allum)
Progressive Pointscore: Men:
Shannon Eckstein (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 69 Zane Holmes (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 66 Matt Poole (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 59 Nathan Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 52 Pierce Leonard (DHL Southern Ice) 51 Corey Jones (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 51 Hugh Dougherty (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 48 Wes Berg (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 39 Luke Nisbet (Jeep Western Waves) 38 Dean Mercer (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 38 Chris Allum (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 37 Hayden Allum (DHL Southern Ice) 33 James Stewart (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 23 Dylan Newbiggin (Northern QLD Citizen Lightning) 22 Kendrick Louis (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 20 Jack Hansen (DHL Southern Ice) 16 Andrew Mosel (Jeep Western Waves) 13 Brendon Sarson (Jeep Western Waves) 9
Women:
Naomi Flood (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 57 Courtney Hancock (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 51 Kristyl Smith (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 49 Elizabeth Pluimers (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 45 Alyce Bennett (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 44 Hayley Bateup (DHL Southern Ice) 44 Gemma Newbiggin (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 44 Allira Richardson (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 41 Chloe Jones (Citizen Northern QLD Lightning) 39 Alicia Marriott (Western Jeep Waves) 38 Terri Sullivan (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 35 Kirsten Ulmer (DHL Southern Ice) 33 Chelsea Mackenzie (Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins) 29 Brodie Moir (Jeep Western Waves) 29 Bonnie Hancock (Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers) 27 Flora Manciet (DHL Southern Ice) 25 Rebecca Creedy (Jeep Western Waves) 24 Bianca Lee (Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish) 22
Teams:
Inner Health Plus Northern NSW Hammers 19 Express Glass Southern NSW Blue Fins 18 Telstra Southern QLD Sunfish 16 Citizen Northern QLD Lightning 15 DHL Southern Ice 11 Jeep Western Waves 5