KELLOGG'S NUTRI-GRAIN IRONMAN TRIALISTS LINE UP AT TUGUN

August 20: Australia's budding Ironmen and Ironwomen will converge on the Gold Coast next month vying for at least 16 positions in the 2010-11 Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series.

Surf Life Saving Australia will host the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series Trial at Tugun Beach on September 18 and 19.

Trialists will battle it out for at least eight remaining men's and eight women's places for this season's professional series, won last year by Shannon Eckstein and Alicia Marriott.

In the men's series, Eckstein, Hugh Dougherty, Ky Hurst, Rhys Drury, Ali Day and Corey Jones have all qualified based on results from the 2009-10 KNG Ironman Series.

Marriott, Liz Pluimers, Kristyl Smith, Hayley Bateup, Courtney Hancock and Naomi Flood have qualified for the women, although Flood has indicated to the SLSA that she will not be contesting the up-coming series.

Flood, who has been named in both the Australian Surf Lifesaving and Australian Canoe Kayak teams for this year's respective world championships, will concentrate on these events and her canoe kayak career.

According to SLSA Trial guidelines: "Should any of the qualified athletes or any athlete who qualified as part of the trial withdraw from the series, the replacement athletes will be based on the results at the trial."

In regards to wildcard entries for the series there will be a further six males and six females which may or may not be used at Surf Life Saving Australia's discretion following the trial.

In the case where the wildcards are not used by SLSA, the positions would then be filled by referring back to the results from trial.

SATURDAY RACING
Saturday Morning 8.00am:
Round One (Approx 40 min M shaped course All Competitors)
(Swim/Ski/Board)
Open Women Randomly selected heats of 20 (Points allocated 20-1 for each heat)
Open Men Randomly selected heats of 20 (Points allocated 20-1 for each heat)
Saturday Afternoon:
Round Two (Approx 40min M shaped course- All Competitors)
(Board/Swim/Ski)
Open Women Random/seeded heats of 20 (Points allocated 20-1 for each heat)
Open Men Random/seeded heats of 20 (Points allocated 20-1 for each heat)

SUNDAY RACING
Sunday Morning 9:00am:
Final (Approx 40min M shaped course - top 20 athletes from accumulated points in R1 & R2)
(Ski/Board/Swim)
Open Women:  1 x Final of 20. Top 8 finishers qualify for series
Open Men:  1 x Final of 20. Top 8 finishers qualify for series

The top 20 placed competitors from the accumulative points in rounds 1 & 2 will proceed to the final - The results in the final will determine the athletes that will qualify for the 2010-11 KNG Ironman Series. For further information on the KNG Trial, including race formats, click here.