HURST AND MERCER TO JOIN BATEUP AND DRURY IN ALL-STAR NUTRI-GRAIN TRIAL
November 27: Ironman legends, Olympian Ky Hurst and the ageless Dean Mercer will join Coolangatta Gold winners Hayley Bateup and Rhys Drury in this year's Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman trial at Tugun on the Gold Coast on December 5 and 6.
Surf Life Saving Australia today confirmed the entries among 130 for this year's all-star trial for places in the $250,000 Series, which starts at Kurrawa on January 16 and 17.
There are 22 places (11 men and 11 women) up for grabs from the Trial and along with the four selectors wildcards (two men and two women) will join the 12 (six men and six women) qualifiers from last year's Series.
Two final positions that make up the 20 strong final fields will be decided in special Trials before the first, third and the final rounds.
Surf Life Saving Australia's General Manager Sport Grant Baldock said today: "We make the selectors wildcards available in case competitors are unable to race due to injury or personal reasons and those positions will be announced the week following the trial.
"This year will also give competitors even more opportunity to qualify for this elite series, with a "wildcard" shoot out to take place the Friday prior to rounds one and three, and the Saturday before round five.
"They will need to fight it out to secure the final two male and two female spots on offer in the series, and then back up on Saturday and Sunday to mix it with the best of the best."
Hurst, 29, swam for Australia in the 10km open water event at last year's Beijing Olympics and is a four-time Australian 
Ironman champion who was unbeaten between 1999 and 2002.
He is also the reigning Australian open surf race champion - an event he has won a record six times - the sixth this year at Scarborough in WA.
Hurst is now under the coaching guidance of another great Ironman, Phil Clayton, who he actually beat to win the 2001 Australian Ironman title.
"I am feeling good in training and after discussing it with my club Kurrawa decided to come back and give the Trial another crack," said Hurst.
"It is three years until the next Olympics in London, so it fits perfectly into the cycle - it should be a lot of fun - I'm looking forward to it."
Mercer, who recently turned 40, produced his best ever result in last month's nib Coolangatta Gold when he finished second to three-time winner Caine Eckstein - and if he hasn't already, is about to prove that life is about to begin.
His move to Northcliffe and coach Pat O'Keefe has given the two-time Australian Ironman champion and veteran Nutri-Grain star, yet another lease of life.
"I owe it to Northcliffe and to Pat to have another go (at the Series). I feel great and believe I am still very competitive with the younger guys...I'm actually very excited about racing," said Mercer.
Drury (Mooloolaba) is the big surprise, having come out of retirement to win the 2007 nib Coolangatta Gold, before going back into semi-retirement.
"I've been doing all the training, so I thought what the heck, I'll go and keep the young blokes honest," said Drury.
The Sunshine Coast lifeguard is sure to keep a host of men's stars honest including fellow veterans Wes Berg (North Burleigh), and Tim Peach (Tugun) and last year's competitors Chris Allum (Cronulla), Hugh Dougherty (Tugun), James Stewart (North Burleigh),, Dylan Newbiggen (Met Caloundra), Hayden Allum (Cronulla), Andrew Mosel (City of Perth)and Jack Hansen (Mooloolaba).
Meanwhile Bateup (Kurrawa), finished eighth in last year's Series and will be joined amongst others by seventh placegetter Alyce Bennett (North Burleigh) and fellow 2009 Series competitors, former Commonwealth Games swimmer Rebecca Creedy (Met Caloundra), Brodie Moir (North Burleigh), Allira Richardson (Mooloolaba), Chloe Jones (Met Caloundra), Bonnie Hancock (Northcliffe), Terri Sullivan (Northcliffe), Chelsea Mackenzie (Tugun) and Flora Manciet (Northcliffe) in a very competitive Trials lineup.
MEN - 72; QLD 42; NSW 19; VIC 1; TAS 3; WA 7
WOMEN - 43 - QLD 31; NSW 8; TAS 1; WA 2.
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MEN |
CLUB |
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WOMEN |
CLUB |
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Allum, Chris |
Cronulla (NSW) |
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Bateup, Hayley |
Kurrawa (QLD) |
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Allum, Hayden |
Cronulla (NSW) |
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Bennett, Alyce |
North Burleigh (QLD) |
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Bevilacqua, Matt |
Clifton Beach (TAS) |
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Berridge, Aimee |
Kawana Waters (QLD) |
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Booth, Daniel |
Redhead (NSW) |
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Boon, Madison |
Kurrawa (QLD) |
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Booth, Michael |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Britton, Allie |
Carlton Park (TAS) |
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Buttel, Dean |
North Burleigh (QLD) |
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Brown, Harriet |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Cain, Jarrad |
Cudgen Headland (NSW) |
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Canning, Nadi |
Lennox Head-Alstonville (NSW) |
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Carlton, Simon |
North Burleigh (QLD) |
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Chapman, Nicole |
Swansea Belmont (NSW) |
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Carrick, Ben |
City of Perth (WA) |
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Coleman, Tara |
Maroubra (NSW) |
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Cohen, James |
City of Perth (WA) |
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Creedy, Rebecca |
Met Caloundra (QLD) |
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Cole, Cameron |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Cronin, Stephanie |
Met Caloundra (QLD) |
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Coombe, Lewis |
Clifton Beach (TAS) |
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Davies, Miranda |
B.H.M.P (QLD) |
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Cosgrove, Jackson |
Currumbin (QLD) |
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Falzon, Candice |
City Of Perth (WA) |
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Day, Alastair |
Warilla Barrack Point (NSW) |
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Graham, Katie |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Dennis, Nicholas |
Burleigh Heads MP (QLD) |
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Hall, Lauren |
Terrigal (NSW) |
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Dougherty, Hugh |
Tugun (QLD) |
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Hancock, Bonnie |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Dowling, Tom |
City of Perth (WA) |
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Harris, Clare |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Drury, Rhys |
Dicky Beach (QLD) |
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Hey, Amanda |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Farrell, Dane |
Elouera (NSW) |
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Jones, Chloe |
Met Caloundra (QLD) |
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Geard, Richard |
Clifton Beach (TAS) |
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Kenny, Tenille |
Tallebudgera (QLD) |
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Gordon, Cameron |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Lawler, Tatum |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Goulding, Trent |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Lemarseny, Hayley |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Graham, David |
City of Perth (WA) |
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Leo-Litzow, Casey |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Hamilton, Sam |
Tugun (QLD) |
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Mackenzie, Chelsea |
Tugun (QLD) |
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Hansen, Jack |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Manciet, Flora |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Hardy, Pierce |
Met Caloundra (QLD) |
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McKenzie, Kathryn |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Helmer, Aaron |
Warilla Barrack Point (NSW) |
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Merryfull, Sheree |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Hepburn, Ben |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Meuwissen, Ellie |
Maroochydore (QLD) |
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Hill, Cory |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Miller, Alisha |
Freshwater (NSW) |
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Huitenga, Simon |
City of Perth (WA) |
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Minogue, Hannah |
Bulli (NSW) |
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Hunt, Samuel |
North Burleigh (QLD) |
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Moir, Brodie |
North Burleigh (QLD) |
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Hurst, Ky |
Kurrawa (QLD) |
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Nurthen, Amy |
Terrigal (NSW) |
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Janes, Mike |
Kurrawa (QLD) |
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Parr, Jessica |
Kurrawa (QLD) |
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Johnston, Sam |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Perkins, Kelly-Ann |
Met Caloundra (QLD) |
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Lahey, Dev |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Prior, Maddison |
Warilla Barrack Point (NSW) |
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Lalanne, Julien |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Richardson, Allira |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Lewandowski, Mick |
Tugun (QLD) |
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Scott, Natasha |
Kurrawa (QLD) |
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Louis, Barton |
Collaroy (NSW) |
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Sullivan, Terri |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Louis, Kendrick |
Collaroy (NSW) |
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Tessmann, Phoebe |
Maroochydore (QLD) |
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Louth, Stuart |
Maroochydore (QLD) |
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Ulmer, Kirsten |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Marshall, Nick |
BHMP (QLD) |
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Walker, Jessica |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Martin, Trent |
MacMasters Beach (NSW) |
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White, Jordan |
Warilla Barrack Point (NSW) |
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Maynard, Jackson |
Currumbin (QLD) |
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Whitehead, Jade |
City of Perth (WA) |
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Mercer, Dean |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Miller, Mitchell |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Minogue, Josh |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Moodie, Daniel |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Mosel, Andrew |
City of Perth (WA) |
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Nelson, Daniel |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Newbiggin, Dylan |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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O'Grady, Ryan |
Bulli (NSW) |
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O'Hare, Nick |
Ocean Grove (VIC) |
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Peach, Tim |
Tugun (QLD) |
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Perkins, Kieren |
Met Caloundra (QLD) |
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Rowles, Tom |
Tugun (QLD) |
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Schofield, Timothy |
Terrigal (NSW) |
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Simpson, Mark |
Cronulla (NSW) |
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Smith, Scott |
Warilla Barrack Point (NSW) |
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Snell, Stuart |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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Squiers, Ben |
Wanda (NSW) |
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Stewart, James |
North Burleigh (QLD) |
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Stock, Jono |
Manly (NSW) |
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Swann, Lachlan |
Alexandra Headlands (QLD) |
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Tibbits, Alex |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Trembath, Thomas |
North Burleigh (QLD) |
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Walker, Josh |
City of Perth (WA) |
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White, Hayden |
Warilla Barrack Point (NSW) |
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White, Michael |
Alexandra Headland (QLD) |
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White, Sean |
Bulli (NSW) |
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Whiteman, Ethan |
Swansea Belmont (NSW) |
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Wilkie, James |
Mooloolaba (QLD) |
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Yates, Adam |
Northcliffe (QLD) |
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