SWIM STARS LINE UP FOR KELLOGG'S NUTRI-GRAIN TRIAL
December 1: Former swim stars Rebecca Creedy and Josh Minogue will be among the serious challengers when some of the Australia's best surf lifesavers line up for places in the $250,000 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series at Tugun this weekend.
The pair will join a host of Ironmen and Ironwomen from around Australia at the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series Trial on the Gold Coast.
There are 22 places (11 men and 11 women) up for grabs from the Trial and along with the two selectors wildcards (one male and one female) will join the 12 (six men and six women) qualifiers from last year's Series.
Four final positions (two male and two female) that will make up the 20 strong final field will be decided in special Trials before the first, third and the final rounds.
Creedy, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the 4x100m freestyle relay in Kuala Lumpur in 1998, will be out to qualify for her second Series after making her debut last year, finishing ninth.
Creedy believes she has finally made the transition from international pool swimmer to Ironwoman.
"I am 100 percent better than last year - I had a good Aussies and a solid four months of training in the off season and I am that much more confident on the craft, especially the board," said Creedy, who will line up for Metropolitan Caloundra, alongside experienced team mate Chloe Jones.
"I landed a craft sponsorship with Hayden and my ski and board have been made to suit me and that has made the world of difference.
"I had always found the board a little tricky but I have spent time in the surf, catching waves and I'm starting to feel more at home.
"I love to race and I am really confident about this weekend's Trial."
Creedy finished fifth in the 10km Dolphin Surf Ski Classic and recently won the Ironwoman, finished second in the ski and was part of the Metropolitan Caloundra team that won the board relay at the Maroochydore carnival.
Minogue, who toured the USA with the Australian Swim team and represented Australia at the Junior Pan Pacs, was a three-time National 200m butterfly finalist, has now turned his attentions to Ironman racing with Mooloolaba.
He admitted he even surprised even himself with his sixth placing in this year's nib Coolangatta Gold and said he is looking forward to a very tough Trial this weekend.
"The Coolangatta Gold was a crazy day. I thought I would just roll along in the middle of the pack but I found myself up in the top 10 and just kept going," said Minogue, whose sister Hannah (Bulli, NSW) will also line up in the women's Trial.
"To finish sixth was a huge thrill - I was stoked with that and it has given me a lot of renewed confidence to have a good go at the Trial.
"It is going to be the most competitive Trial ever with guys like Rhys Drury (Dicky Beach), Wes Berg (North Burleigh) and Dean Mercer (Mooloolaba).
"I will be looking to make the three A finals and try and do my best once I'm in those finals - one wave could make all the difference."
The open rounds of the Series will be held at Kurrawa on January 16 and 17.
KELLOGG'S NUTRI-GRAIN IRONMAN SERIES TRIAL FORMAT
Saturday (8am):
Round one:
Men - HEATS and SEMI-FINALS (M Shaped course - swim, ski, board - approx 25mins)
A & B FINALS (20 into each final)
Women - HEATS (M Shaped course - swim, ski, board - approx 25mins)
A & B FINALS (20 into each final)
Round two (Afternoon - one hour after conclusion of morning session):
Men - HEATS and SEMI-FINALS (Short Course Ironman - board, swim, ski)
A & B FINALS (20 in each final)
Women - HEATS (Short Course Ironman - board, swim, ski)
A & B FINALS (20 into each final)
Sunday (7:30am)
Round three:
Men - HEATS and SEMI-FINALS (Short Course Ironman - ski, board, swim)
A & B FINALS (20 into each final)
Women - HEATS and SEMI-FINALS (Short Course Ironman - ski, board, swim)
A & B FINALS (20 into each final).
POINTSCORE
The point-score will be awarded to competitors 40-1 out of each of the A / B finals throughout the weekend: A finalists receive 40-21 points (40 for 1st place, 21 for 20th place) and B finalists receive 20-1 point (20 for 1st place, 1 for 20th place)
Places in the 2010 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series will be determined by the point-score at the end of the competition, e.g. it is the highest point-score which gains the top position and then the subsequent positions will be in descending order.
There will be 11 male and 11 female positions in the 2010 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series that will be filled using results at this event. National selectors will select a further one (1) male and one (1) female as wildcards on the Monday following the Trial.