SPRINT FINISH GIVES MARRIOTT NUTRI-GRAIN WIN

January 16: Alicia Marriott won a lung-busting sprint to the finish to edge out reigning champion Naomi Flood and win round one of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironwoman Series at Kurrawa Beach today.

In a thrilling start to the $250,000 series, Marriott's endurance training that took her to victory in the marathon nib Coolangatta Gold last October proved decisive in the final of three races today.

Marriott, from Mooloolaba, Flood (Manly) and Kristyl Smith (Northcliffe) dominated the deciding race and reached the beach for the final ski leg close together.

It was Marriott, the 2008 Australian ironwoman champion, who started quickest on the ski and opened up a handy lead before Flood fought back and turned it into a race in two up the beach.

Blessed with long limbs and benefiting from her endurance training on the Sunshine Coast under coach Michael King, Marriott had too much speed for Flood to win by five metres, with Smith winning a sprint for third place ahead of Elizabeth Pluimers (Northcliffe).

"I didn't do as well in the swim leg as I'd have liked but I knew I had better endurance than some of the girls so I just went for it in the ski leg," she said.

"Doing three ironwoman races in today's round is really taxing so having that endurance training base is really important, especially when it comes to soft sand running."

Today's first round was raced in the three-race Dash For Cash formula, in which the last five competitors across the finish line in the first two races were eliminated.

Competitors also had the opportunity to take a slightly longer route at the end of each leg of the first two races to chase a $1000 bonus.

The baby of the field, Kelly-Ann Perkins (Met Caloundra) became the first competitor to grab the cash, winning $2000 in the second leg of race one after no-one had risked racing for the money in leg one.

Sheree Merryful (Northcliffe) grabbed both $1000 bonuses in race two.

Round One of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Series continues with the Ironman race today. Round two will be raced tomorrow. 
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