KEEP AN EYE ON KY

Scarborough, WA: Olympian Ky Hurst is back with his first love and has a chance to win a record sixth open surf race tomorrow at the 2009 Whereis® Australian Surf Life Saving Championships at Scarborough Beach.

Hurst, who swam in the 10km open water event at the Beijing Olympic Games, is back at the Australian championships after a two-year break.

He won his first gold medal of the carnival today when part of the Kurrawa club's team in the Lifesaver relay, and tomorrow will be hunting a place on his own in the history books.

Hurst currently holds the record of five Australian surf race titles with legendary 1940s swimmer Bob Newbiggin so victory tomorrow would see him alone at the top of the list.

Speaking just after winning his semi-final, Hurst looked relaxed but not at his peak.

"I took a long break after Beijing and to be honest it surprised me how long it has taken (to get fit)," he said.

"I'm happy enough with my swimming, I'm as fast as the other leading swimmers, it's just finding that change of pace."

Hurst got a taste of how hard things will be during the lifesaver relay.

After the boat and ski legs his Kurrawa team-mates handed Hurst a lead over Ironman champion Shannon Eckstein going into the swim leg but it was short lived.

"I went in probably 10 yards in front and Shannon just dusted me," Hurst said.

But experience paid off for Hurst as he stayed close to Eckstein during the swim and when the pair stood up to run, Eckstein stumbled.

"Fortunately, I was able to stay with him and in the end we both got that little wave and somehow I managed to beat him up the beach, which is almost unheard of," Hurst said.

Former Ironman champion Zane Holmes etched his name in a new part of surf life saving's records when he won the open belt race today.

Holmes, who will be one of the leading challengers to Eckstein in tomorrow's Ironman final, has only ever swum in two belt races - here and at the Queensland championships (where he also won) - and admitted to having barely trained for the event but was powerful enough to beat a strong field.

But don't expect to see him back to defend the championship.

"I don't think I'll do the belt any more," he said.

"My aim was just to win it because it was an event I hadn't won before but it will be much tougher back at Kurrawa next year so I can't see myself trying to do it again."