GRANT KENNY'S GOLDEN DAY AT THE AUSSIES

March 17: The Whereis® Australian Surf Life Saving Championships are set to continue at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast for tomorrow's first day of open competition as organisers keep a close eye on the weather.

Conditions at the championships, where more than 8100 competitors will be in action this week, eased a little today but still provided a tough test for the Masters athletes - including some of the sport's most famous names.

Ironman legend Grant Kenny showed he still has that midas touch - mastering the tricky, two-metre conditions like yesteryear.

The man who won the only senior-junior Ironman crowns on one day in 1980, turned back the clock to win two gold medals during today's Masters competition.

Kenny became the face of surf lifesaving when he won the Australian Ironman championship in 1980, '81, '82 and '83, and today anchored the 130 years ski relay and the 45-49 years double ski.

The dual Olympic kayaker teamed with brother Martin and Jeff Lemarsney in the ski relay before a stroke of luck saw him win gold number two with Lemarsney in the double ski.

"All I said to the boys before the ski relay was make sure you get me a good lead - because I'm the one who's going to need it - I haven't done much training," admitted Kenny.

"When they delivered then the pressure was on me and after a few anxious moments I managed to negotiate the break and get back in one piece.

"And in the double the Tweed Heads Coolangatta Team of Rob Darragh and Warren Lobb led but slewed near the finish to let us through - unfortunately that's surf."

Kenny was joined by the likes of former ironmen Dwayne Thuys, Darren Mercer, Mark Bennetts, Geoff Dews, Alan Coates, Len Wood, Michael Cook and Ashley Massie in an all-star Masters class who have all conquered the conditions.

Now it is over to the modern day heroes.

Open competitors will get their chance tomorrow with defending Australian Ironman champion Shannon Eckstein declaring himself a certain starter in the Northcliffe surf teams, board relays before the Ironman heats on Friday - despite a torn tendon in his hip.

"If we had to go to Scarborough then I would not be racing - the doctor told me not to run for four weeks so I won't be much good in a tight finish, but I'll be racing," said Eckstein.

While tomorrow's events will be at Kurrawa, the expected large swells due to hit the east coast later this week have forced event organisers to look at contingency options available.

Surf Life Saving Australia's General Manager of Sport Grant Baldock said the contingency options available were not limited to relocating the entire event.

"We're working with other government agencies to gain the most up-to-date and accurate forecasts and we're monitoring conditions hourly," he said.

 "The safety and wellbeing of our competitors and officials is paramount so if conditions do deteriorate we will look at our contingency options."

Those options include rescheduling the timetable of events to maximise the prevailing conditions, the use of an alternative competition area at the existing site, moving event arenas along the beach, partial relocation away from Kurrawa and the complete relocation away from Kurrawa.

The Masters competition wraps up today and the open competition starts tomorrow at 7am.