TEENS IGNITE KELLOGG'S NUTRI-GRAIN TRIAL AT TUGUN
Young Mercer finished eighth behind Northcliffe duo Harriet Brown and Bonnie Hancock in a hotly contest Ironwoman Trial final at Tugun today, which saw Mooloolaba's Matt Poole and North Burleigh's Wes Berg dominate win the Ironman final.
The Trial finals were conducted in millpond conditions with clean 1.5 metre waves dumping on a sandbank which made the ski and board testing at times and it was coupled with gut-busting 800m run legs in between each leg.
With her legendary father and coach Darren Mercer and the family clan urging her on, 16-year-old Jordan showed she has all the finesse and surf skills that made her dad and uncle Dean Mercer synonymous with the very best of Australian ironman racing.
"I had to have the confidence with me to believe I was going to make it and I really can't believe it at the moment, I'm just stoked," said young Mercer, who admitted she put pressure on herself.
"There was not so much pressure from anyone else but mainly myself. I know how much effort I put in and I didn't want to see it all go to waste.
"To have this opportunity is great. I have nothing to lose so I aim to get in there and do my best."
And what is it like to have that famous Mercer name?
"A lot of people say I'm a lot like my dad and I take that as a compliment I guess, sometimes...sometimes... but now I've got to live up to the name I guess," said Jordan.
Dad Darren admitted he was quietly confident young Jordan would acquit herself well.
"I was quietly confident but it was always a bit of the unknown, putting all the disciplines together in one race, but she showed she could come back from those setbacks and get her self back in contention," said Darren.
"She did it tough in that first round yesterday and went from second last to eighth but she never gave in which I was proud of."
And on the family traits?
"I guess Jordie's a mix, a little bit of me and a little bit of Dean which is a good thing," said Darren.
Young Mercer is one of four teenagers to qualify for the Series, joining last year's debutant Amy Nurthen (Terrigal) and fellow 16-year-old Miranda Davies (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park) in the women's Series and Jordan's Noosa Heads training partner Mitch Miller, the only teenager, at 17, among the eight men's qualifiers.
Apart from Nurthen, the other teens will make their Series debuts alongside some of the Surf Sports biggest names when the Series kicks off at Currumbin on the Gold Coast on November 21.
In the men's event, with only eight qualifying places up for grabs it was Poole, a shock non qualifier from last year's Series, who fought hard with seasoned campaigner Wes Berg at the front of the men's final.
After a minor mishap on the opening ski leg it was Poole's younger legs which prevailed through the final two run and swim legs, which he dominated.
Berg, who at 30, is looking as fit and healthy as in any time of his 14-year career, is sure to keep the youngsters honest in the five-round Series.
Poole will be joined in the Series by his two Mooloolaba house-mates in former swim star Josh Minogue and fellow Series debutant, powerhouse Alex Tibbits and a fourth Mooloolaba team mate in the experienced Dylan Newbiggin - who have all reveled under the coaching of another ironman legend, former Coolangatta Gold winner Michael King.
"It was heart-breaking for me not to qualify in the top six last year and get automatic qualification this year, but I believe I have come back bigger and stronger for it," said Poole.
"We have all been training so hard and for so many of us to make it through is a credit to hard work and dedication under Michael King's guidance.
"I have set my goals for the season and I want to repay my parents for the faith they have had in me and to make myself the best possible professional Ironman I can be."
Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Trial qualifiers 2010-11 Series - MEN: Matt Poole (Mooloolaba), Wes Berg (Nth Burleigh), Dylan Newbiggin (Mooloolaba), Alex Tibbits (Mooloolaba), Sam Hamilton (Tugun), Josh Minogue (Mooloolaba), Mitch Miller (Noosa Heads), Mark Simpson (Cronulla).
WOMEN - Bonnie Hancock (Northcliffe) Harriet Brown (Northcliffe),Gemma Newbiggin (Mooloolaba), Amy Nurthen (Terrigal), Rebecca Creedy (Metropolitan Caloundra), Brodie Moir (Nth Burleigh), Miranda Davies (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park), Jordan Mercer (Noosa Heads), Alyce Bennett (Nth Burleigh), Terri Sullivan (Northcliffe).