DRURY AND HURST DOMINATE KELLOGG'S NUTRI-GRAIN COMEBACK TRIAL
December 5: Sunshine Coast lifeguard Rhys Drury shades Olympian Ky Hurst by just three points after the opening two rounds of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Trials at Tugun today.
Drury, 32, who came out of retirement to win the nib Coolangatta Gold in 2007 is again on the comeback trail and leads the men's pointscore with 78 points, ahead of Kurrawa's Hurst (75) and Sam Hamilton (Tugun, QLD) 74. IAN HANSON REPORTS
Hurst, 28, the four-time Australian Ironman streeted the field in the opening round after winning both his heat and semi-final.
It was his first major competition since the last of his four Australian titles back in 2002, when he gave surf lifesaving away to concentrate on making the Olympic swim team.
In a dominant performance Hurst (Kurrawa) won the "M-shaped" combination of swim, ski and board by 100 metres from his former Tugun team mate Hugh Dougherty, with Drury (Dicky Beach, QLD) third.
Despite Hurst saying he was far from his fittest, the six-time Australian open surf race champion, showed all the skills and the power that makes him one of Australia's premier watermen.
"It's great to be back racing again and my aim coming into the Trial was to be consistent and so far that's been the case," said Hurst, who has his sights set on making his second Olympic team for the 2012 London Olympics in open water swimming.
But the final of the short course round of board, swim and ski saw Drury and Hamilton set up their races with impressive board legs with Hurst forced to swim and paddle through the field in hot pursuit.
After an arduous day's racing it was Drury who body-surfed his way to the front in the dying stages to edge in front of Hamilton and youngsters Trent Martin (McMasters Beach, NSW), Jonno Stock (Manly, NSW)) and Mark Simpson (Cronulla, NSW) with Hurst a fast finished sixth.
But while Drury and Hurst are almost certainly assured of qualification there was heartbreak for Ironman legend Dean Mercer (Northcliffe), who suffered a torn calf muscle in finishing fourth in the opening round and he hobbled into 15th place in the round two semi-final.
He may well have to rely on the Australian selectors wildcard to earn a place in the $250,000 Series, starting at Kurrawa on January 16 and 17.
Meanwhile in the women's Trial, 1998 Commonwealth Games swimming gold medallist Rebecca Creedy (Metropolitan 
Caloundra) was the dominant force, with a win and a second placing to lead the women's pointscore on 79 points.
Three-time Coolangatta Gold winner Hayley Bateup (Kurrawa, QLD) is in second place on 73 points ahead of Flora Manciet (Northcliffe, QLD) and Bonnie Hancock (Northcliffe) both on 71 with emerging teenager Amy Nurthen (Terrigal, NSW) next on 70.
In the short course final Creedy was well back in the opening board leg but swam down the field to hit the beach in front after an impressive swim leg.
She continued on her winning way with a powerful ski paddle to finish ahead of Nurthen and Chloe Jones (Metropolitan Caloundra) third.
In the earlier M Shaped round it was Allira Richardson (Mooloolaba, QLD)who came from behind to beat Creedy with Bateup coming from well back to finish third.
Richardson used all her skills on the final board leg to skip past a tiring Creedy, who dominated the opening swim and ski legs.
"It is very tricky out there with the chop, rips, sweeps and a talented field of girls," said Richardson, who has moved from Maroochydore to Mooloolaba and coach Michael King this year.
Creedy said she was finally feeling more like an Ironwoman than a swimmer.
"I think I've finally made the transition to the surf - I feel confident and ready to stamp my authority on Ironwomen racing this year," said Creedy.
RESULTS
2010 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Trial: Day 1: Gold Coast: Finals:
Men: Endurance Course: K Hurst Kurrawa H Dougherty Tugun R Drury Dicky Beach D Mercer Northcliffe C Allum Cronulla S Hamilton Tugun D Newbiggin Mooloolaba K Louis Collaroy H Allum Cronulla C Hill Northcliffe
Short Course: R Drury Dicky Beach S Hamilton Tugun T Martin MacMasters Beach J Stock Manly M Simpson Cronulla K Hurst Kurrawa D Moodie Northcliffe A Day Warilla-Barrack Point H White Warilla-Barrack Point H Dougherty Tugun
Progressive pointscore: R Drury Dicky Beach 78 K Hurst Kurrawa 75 S Hamilton Tugun 74 H Dougherty Tugun 70 M Simpson Cronulla 62 A Day Warilla-Barrack Point 62 K Louis Collaroy 62 D Newbiggin Mooloolaba 61 C Hill Northcliffe 61 J Stock Manly 60 C Allum Cronulla 60 D Moodie Northcliffe 59 J Stewart North Burleigh 53 H White Warilla-Barrack Point 50 J Minogue Mooloolaba 50
Women: Endurance Course: A Richardson Mooloolaba R Creedy Metropolitan Caloundra H Bateup Kurrawa S Merryfull Northcliffe B Moir North Burleigh B Hancock Northcliiffe F Manciet Northcliffe H Brown Northcliffe K Graham Northcliffe A Nurthen Terrigal
Short Course: R Creedy Metropolitan Caloundra A Nurthen Terrigal C Jones Metropolitan Caloundra F Manciet Northcliffe B Hancock Northcliffe H Bateup Kurrawa T Sullivan Northcliffe K Graham Northcliffe B Moir North Burleigh S Merryfull Northcliffe
Progressive pointscore: R Creedy Metropolitan Caloundra 79 H Bateup Kurrawa 73 F Manciet Northcliffe 71 B Hancock Northcliiffe 71 A Nurthen Terrigal 70 S Merryfull Northcliffe 68 B Moir North Burleigh 68 A Richardson Mooloolaba 67 K Graham Northcliffe 65 T Sullivan Northcliffe 64 C Jones Metropolitan Caloundra 61 A Bennett North Burleigh 59 H Brown Northcliffe 57 T Coleman Maroubra 54 K Perkins Metropolitan Caloundra 53