KENDRICK LOUIS AND CORY HILL ON TRACK FOR KNG RECALL
The pair were among the notables to miss the cut in last year's Trial at Tugun but have spent the last 12 months ensuring they were not going to experience that same sinking feeling again in 2011.
Louis, from Collaroy on Sydney's Northern Beaches has spent much of the winter months training on the Sunshine Coast with the Michael King Ironman Academy squad out of Mountain Creek while Hill has worked under the watchful eye of Northcliffe club coach Barry Newman on the Gold Coast.
Louis, a former under 17 and under 19 Australian champion and Hill, who was second in last year's Coolangatta Gold, topped the qualifying pointscore.
The pair finished the day with two victories each over the arduous M shaped courses (30 -35 minutes) and will lock horns tomorrow when they go head-to-head in the final.
It was a very competitive day's racing to narrow down the 60 starters into a final of 22 and will be even more competitive in tomorrow morning's final.
Only the top seven finishes will qualify for the remaining positions in the Series and join last year's top 10 in the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman Series which kicks off on December 18 in Surfers Paradise.
Also impressive in today's rounds were Mooloolaba's Alex Tibbitts, and this year's Under 19 Australian Ironman winner Tanyn Lyndon from Northcliffe, Sunshine Coast notable and Australian board champion Corey Jones and Tugun trio Sean Kelly, Tim Peach and Sam Hamilton.
Amongst those joining them in the final will Kurrawa's 2000 World Ironman champion Phil Clayton, Mooloolaba's Josh Minogue and North Burleigh pair James Stewart and Thomas Trembath.
Tibbitts looked particularly strong, winning his second round heat and will be one of four qualifiers from King's Mooloolaba squad, along with Minogue, Jack Hansen and former Tasmanian ironman champion Matt Bevilacqua who snuck into the final when organisers could not split Cronulla's Mark Simpson, Burleigh Heads Mowbray Parks' Mark Simpson and himself in 20th position.
The women's pointscore saw Mooloolaba's teen sensation from last year's Series, Danielle Allen win both her preliminary rounds in fine style ahead of Northcliffe's Harriet Brown and Allen's Mooloolaba training partners Kelly-Ann Perkins and Teisha Jenkins.
Mooloolaba dominate the women's field with Allen and Perkins joined by New Zealander Aimee Berridge, Teisha Jenkins and Maddy Dunn.
But they won't get things all their own way with Noosa Heads dynamo Jordan Mercer certain to put the pressure on in tomorrow's final, particularly through transition and on the board.
Manly pair Candice Falzon (who was fifth on the pointscore after two third placings) and Devon Halligan (12th after a fifth and a seventh) were also impressive and will be better for the runs today.
Among the other leading qualifiers were Maroubra's Tara Coleman (two fourths) noted Ironman from North Burleigh Alyce Bennett, Tallebudgera's Tenille Devine and former Australian Ironwoman champion Kirsty Holmes, who making a comeback to the professional racing.
2001 KELLOGG'S NUTRI-GRAIN IRONMAN SERIES TRIAL FINALISTS, Noosa Heads (Final, Sunday, 8am):
Men: Kendrick Louis (Collaroy), Cory Hill (Northcliffe), Alex Tibbits (Mooloolaba), Tanyn Lyndon (Northcliffe), Sean Kelly (Tugun), Corey Jones (Metropolitan Caloundra), Josh Minogue (Mooloolaba), James Stewart (North Burleigh), Tim Peach (Tugun), Sam Hamilton (Tugun), Thomas Trembath (North Burleigh), Jake Nicholson (Northcliffe), Tom Atkinson (Queenscliff), Phil Clayton (Kurrawa), Hayden White (Warilla Barrack Point), Andrew Mosel (Scarboro), Chris Moors (Kurrawa), Jack Hansen (Mooloolaba), Dane Farrell (Wanda), Mark Simpson (Cronulla), Wade Krieger (Burleigh Heads Mowbray Park), Matt Bevilacqua ((Mooloolaba).
Women: Danielle Allen (Mooloolaba), Harriet Brown (Northcliffe), Kelly-Ann Perkins (Mooloolaba), Teisha Jenkins (Mooloolaba), Candice Falzon (Manly), Jordan Mercer (Noosa Heads), Tara Coleman (Maroubra), Alyce Bennett (North Burleigh), Tenille Devine (Tallebudgera), Maddy Dunn (Mooloolaba), Kirsty Holmes (Kawana), Devon Halligan (Manly), Nikki Chapman (Mooloolaba), Tatum Lawler (Maroubra), Aimee Berridge (Mooloolaba), Sheree Merryful (North Burleigh), Maddy Prior (Warilla Barrack Point), Hannah Minogue (Bulli), Tahnee Fleming (Wanda), Katie Graham (Northcliffe).
