SUNSHINE AND PUNCH THE PERFECT COMBO FOR SURF SPORTS STARS
July 25: It is a case of "let the sunshine in" for a group of Australia's most prominent Surf Sports stars who are adding some punch to their practice for the up coming season at their Sunshine Coast training base.
While most of the nation is shivering through the chilly winter months, there's been a warm welcome into Queensland in more ways than one for some southern athletes, reveling in the climate change.
A group of 20 Ironmen and Ironwomen have assembled under respected Mooloolaba Head Coach Michael King, at his Ironman Academy at Mountain Creek as they prepare for this year's Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Trial at Noosa on August 27 and 28 and the Coolangatta Gold on September 25.
The majority of King's group form the nucleus of his powerful Mooloolaba club including the likes of Matt Poole, Alicia Marriott, Allira Richardson and Josh Minogue.
A combination the sunshine and one of the most successful training groups in the country has also attracted outstanding NSW Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Series athlete Ali Day and Tasmania's State Ironman Champion Matt Bevilacqua who have both joined Mooloolaba's ranks.
Day, who turned 21 this week, has moved to the Sunshine Coast from his Illawarra training base at Warilla Barrack Point south of Sydney while Bevilacqua has left Tasmania's powerful Clifton Beach Club for the warmer weather.
"I cannot believe the change in weather from the sub 10 degree mornings in Hobart to the 20 degree plus days in Queensland," said Bevilacqua, who will contest both the Trial and the Coolangatta Gold.
Add in "visiting" athletes like Candice Falzon from Manly, Kendrick Louis from Collaroy, Nikki Chapman from Swansea Belmont and Ed Gourlay from Terrigal and it makes for a star-studded array of talent.
But while the weather is certainly an attraction there is no place for loafers in this group who not only have King standing over their rigorous water and running sessions but also former Australian Kick Boxing champion Josh Bromley who supervisors regular boxing sessions.
Bromley put the group through their paces today as the countdown hots up for the KNG Trial and the Coolangatta Gold.
And Louis, who admits he probably wouldn't be training in Sydney, said he felt the pinch when he first arrived on the Coast.
"I was struggling to roll my arms over after my first ‘Thursday' session in the gym," said Louis, who is striving to get back in the Ironman Series after missing the cut last year.
"But it is the running where I have really noticed the improvement since I arrived four weeks ago."
{youtube}Hbge_41v6ME{/youtube}